Gianluca Pagliuca

Gianluca Pagliuca (born December 18, 1966 in Bologna) is an Italian football goalkeeper, who currently plays for Bologna.

Related Topics:
December 18 - 1966 - Bologna - Italian - Football - Goalkeeper - Bologna

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In his club career, Pagliuca has played for Sampdoria (1987-94), Inter (1994-99), and Bologna (1999-). He won the Cup Winners' Cup and one scudetto with Sampdoria and the UEFA Cup with Inter, when he captained the side to a 3-0 win over Lazio in 1998. Pagliuca was also in the Sampdoria's team that lost 1-0 to Barcelona in the 1992 European Cup final at Wembley. He was first choice goalkeeper for Italy at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

Related Topics:
Sampdoria - Inter - Cup Winners' Cup - Scudetto - UEFA Cup - Lazio - Barcelona - European Cup - Wembley - Italy - 1994 - 1998 World Cups

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He became the first goalkeeper to be sent off in a World Cup match, when he was dismissed for handling outside his area against Norway at the 1994 tournament in the USA. However, he returned after suspension to feature from the quarter-finals onwards with his team losing to Brazil in a dramatic penalty shootout in the final. One of the most enduring images from that World Cup came from Pagliuca himself, in the final. After spilling a shot which bounced off a post and back in to his grateful grasp, Pagliuca turned and blew the post a kiss, puffing out his cheeks in relief that the ball hadn't gone in.

Related Topics:
Sent off - Norway - Brazil - Penalty shootout

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the 1994 World Cup, he moved from Sampdoria to Internazionale from a then world record fee for a goalkeeper of £7 million. However, Pagliuca's international career appeared to have been halted with the emergence of Juventus goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi. Peruzzi's injury in the buildup to the 1998 World Cup meant that Pagliuca would be given another chance to enter the fray. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands, displaying an assurity that had previously been lacking when he had represented the national team. He made one of the saves of the tournament, again against Norway, when he shot out a hand to prevent Tore Andre Flo's point-blank header from netting. This time, his team met host country France in the quarterfinal, and another penalty shoot-out saw Italy trooped out as losers when midfielder Luigi Di Biagio kicked his final attempt against the cross-bar. Once again Pagliuca seemed to fall out of favour with the Italian bosses, and the emergence of Francesco Toldo and Gianluigi Buffon, saw his career with Italy end on 39 caps.

Related Topics:
Juventus - Angelo Peruzzi - Tore Andre Flo - France - Luigi Di Biagio - Francesco Toldo - Gianluigi Buffon

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pagliuca left Inter in 1999, after the former Juventus boss Marcello Lippi took charge of Inter and signed Peruzzi from his former club. Pagliuca took this opportunity to achieve a life's ambition, and signed with his home town club, Bologna and has been first choice ever since, often captaining the side.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~