The former midfielder, now coach of the Serie D All-Star Team: “Luiso used to tease me about my technique in Sora, but I made up for it with grit. Baggio managed to make me score two goals; Messi, at 18, made me look like a fool…”
Giannichedda has made Ligabue’s famous song his own: “Forget midfielder, ‘a life as… Giuliano.’ Stefano Fiore used to hum it to me back in my Udinese days, when I’d run all over the field to recover balls. I never had the talent of the greats; my job was to take down opponents.” The former midfielder, born in ’51, started out in the amateur ranks in his hometown of Pontecorvo, in the province of Frosinone, and went on to play in the Champions League while wearing the jerseys of Lazio and Juventus: “I marked Ronaldo, Henry, Totti, and even a very young Messi. At Lazio, I became captain; listening to Del Piero, I understood what it means to be a leader.” A few years ago, Giannichedda chose to return to where it all began: “I coach the boys on the Serie D Representative Team, the national youth team for amateurs. Together with our scouts, we select the best U18 players from among the 162 teams in the league. Throughout the year, we organize friendly matches and play in the Viareggio Tournament, the best opportunity for players to get noticed.”
From Gatti and Acerbi to Cambiaso and Lucca: there are many who started in Serie D and made it big.
“The amateur scene has evolved significantly. Clubs invest heavily, and coaches know how to develop young players. Every Sunday is a battle; the young players learn to withstand the physical challenges and improve.”
It’s often said that the renewal of Italian soccer must start with the young players. Do you agree?
“It takes courage. We need to invest in coaching development and infrastructure. Young players must be supported throughout their soccer and personal growth. Cham of Verona, Iannoni of Sassuolo, Prati of Cagliari: they all came through the Rappresentativa. Those who start in the youth ranks are more technically skilled; those who cut their teeth in Serie D know what it means to have grit and fight for every ball.”
Fiore and I moved together from Udinese to Lazio. He used to sing to me, ‘A life like Giuliano’s…’
Giuliano Giannichedda
You built a career based on tenacity.
“When I played in C2 for Sora, Pasquale Luiso used to joke, ‘You’ve got feet like an iron.’ Technique wasn’t my strong suit; I made up for it with determination. At 21, I found myself on Zaccheroni’s Udinese. Back then, we struck fear into everyone; we were always fighting for a spot in Europe.”
Who was the funniest guy on the team?
“Giovanni Stroppa—he was always pulling pranks. Once, he drove his Fiat 500 into the locker room honking the horn. We couldn’t get the car out of there.”
He faced the best: from Ronaldo to Baggio, including Rui Costa and Zidane.
“Ronaldo was out of this world, impossible to stop. I marked Zinedine in my first match against Juventus; it was 1997. To annoy him, I tried everything: stomping, sliding tackles. He didn’t react. In the second half, he hit my ankle with a brutal tackle. At that moment, I realized I shouldn’t have made him angry.”
Two years later, Zoff called me up to the national team.
“I played three games for Italy. In a 2000 European Championship qualifier against Denmark, I even got a red card in the final minutes. The best story, though, is with Roby.”
Tell us about it.
“We were both opponents and teammates on the national team. In my fifteen-year career, I scored four goals. Baggio, with two assists, managed to help me score a brace during a practice scrimmage.”
Soccer has given you many friends: one above all is Stefano Fiore.
“In 2001, we both moved from Udinese to Lazio for 88 billion lire. He had class, unlike me. At the end of every match, when I’d come off the field covered in mud and bruises, he’d hum a Ligabue song to me: ‘Una vita da… Giuliano. Forget about being a midfielder.’ I was also lucky enough to meet Borgonovo and Mihajlovic, two champions I hold dear.”
At Lazio, he made his Champions League debut and even became captain.
“There were Nesta, Crespo, Inzaghi. We won the Coppa Italia by beating Juventus in the 2004 final. A year later, Di Canio scored the first goal in front of the Curva Sud in that 3-1 derby win against Roma. A few too many words were exchanged with Totti. For us, it was a huge celebration.”
Capello’s Juventus was the last major stop in his career.
“I arrived an hour early for my first training session in black and white. I thought I’d be the first one there, but everyone was already there: Buffon, Trezeguet, Ibrahimovic. The next day I arrived two hours early.”
That summer he discovered Messi’s talent.
“We played the Gamper Trophy against Barcelona. Leo was 18. I tried to steal the ball from him with a tackle, he swerved to avoid me. I fell awkwardly; Messi was already heading toward the goal. Capello said, ‘He’ll become the best in the world.’ He was right.”
You chose to stay in Serie B after Calciopoli.
“They organized a meeting among the most experienced players; Del Piero said, ‘Juventus is always Juventus; the division doesn’t matter.’ We all agreed.”
Today, Giannichedda has started over with the youth.
“I was lucky enough to have a wonderful career: Serie A, the Champions League, the national team. I didn’t think I’d make it, but I did. To the kids, I say never stop believing in your dreams.”
