The Italian striker symbolised Chelsea’s transformation in the 1990s, and his stunning solo goal in his sixth match for the club served notice of his talent to an English game still emerging from its earlier parochialism
For students of foreign football, the names in Chelsea’s team for their game against West Ham United on 21 December 1996 rolled off the tongue. Dan Petrescu at right-back, Ruud Gullit and Roberto di Matteo in midfield, Gianfranco Zola up front, Frode Grodas in goal. Michael Duberry and Steve Clarke in central defence. Craig Burley and Eddie Newton in the middle of the park. Neil Clement at left-back.
No doubt you will have spotted how that intro veered off course. You’re probably also wondering why you should care about the 11 players who started against Harry Redknapp’s struggling West Ham for a London derby that features in no one’s thoughts when it comes to picking the best games from the 1996-97 season. Manchester United defended their title despite playing without a defence when they travelled to Newcastle and Southampton in October, a magical goal from Dennis Bergkamp settled a pulsating north London derby in Arsenal’s favour and Liverpool’s Spice Boys threw away a 3-0 lead against Newcastle before Robbie Fowler scored a last-minute winner in front of the Kop, while one of the season’s most memorable stories was about the game that never was. As if losing both domestic cup finals wasn’t bad enough, Middlesbrough went down because of a points deduction for failing to turn up for a fixture against Blackburn Rovers in December.
Related: Gianfranco Zola in last chance saloon but relishing challenge at Birmingham
Related: Golden Goal: Ritchie Humphreys for Sheffield Wednesday v Leicester (1996)
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