Zola is retired!

brightlee

MILAN, June 29 (Reuters) - Italian forward Gianfranco Zola announced his retirement on Wednesday bringing to an end a 21-year glittering career that graced the English Premier League and Serie A.
'I think this is the right thing to do,' local news agencies quoted the 38-year-old as saying. 'Some time has passed since the end of the (Serie A) championship but I needed to reflect a bit.


Gianfranco Zola: Over at 39.

'Now that my career is finished I can say that I am happy with what I have achieved. Not everyone can say that they set themselves an objective and reached it -- I did that and it is very satisfying' said Zola who ended his career with Cagliari on the island of Sardinia where he was born.


Zola, whose diminutive frame contained abundant trickery, humour and guile, made his name at Italian Serie A side Naples as understudy to Diego Maradona and then won the UEFA Cup with Parma in 1995.

He joined English Premier League side Chelsea in 1996 to begin a seven-year stint in which fans came to adore him and opposition defences grew to fear him.

Team mates frequently commented on Zola's dedicated approach to training and personal fitness even in the final years of his career when he enjoyed most of his success.

But the striker, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on Tuesday, said that his years in the game had simply been great fun.

'It has been great. I didn't go through all these years thinking of it as work but simply as enjoyment.

'When people have asked what has been the secret behind such a long career in the game I have always replied that I played for fun and that it was a pleasure to train and to enter the field on a Sunday,' said Zola.

BEST FORM

Unlike many players whose skill and stamina fade with age, Zola arguably found his best form at Chelsea, scoring 80 goals and helping the current English champions to six trophies, including the European Cup Winners Cup, but not the league title.

Chelsea fans voted him their best ever player in 2003 and the club's chief executive Peter Kenyon paid tribute to Zola after Wednesday's announcement.
'He provided us with so many special moments and was a true gentleman on and off the pitch,' Kenyon said in a statement.


'I'd like to wish Franco a happy retirement and we all hope to see him again soon in London to commemorate Chelsea's 100 year history and to thank him again for his unforgettable contribution.'

Zola left west London to join Italian side Cagliari, helping them to promotion to the top flight.

Last year, he was awarded an OBE for services to British soccer in a special ceremony in Rome.

But while adored in west London and admired throughout the game, Zola only won 35 international caps for Italy and made just six appearances for the Azzurri during his years at Chelsea.

His last appearance for Italy was in the goalless draw against England in a World Cup qualifier in October 1997 at Rome's Olympic stadium.

A career which began in the regional leagues with Sardinian club Nuorese ended back on home soil with Zola helping Cagliari re-establish themselves in Serie A.

He scored 13 goals in the Serie B promotion campaign and then helped Cagliari to the semi-finals of the Italian Cup and a comfortable mid-table finish this season.

'Everyone knows that I came to Cagliari full of passion and with a dream -- to give my help to the team in getting back to Serie A and staying there. We did it and that fills me with pride,' he said.

Poor, one of the skillful players in modern world is retired...
Next one will be Dennis Bergkamp......
......

there are few great soccer players in my generation.. they are retired... poor them