Thankfully for Calcio fanatics, Italy has always been the home of some of the greatest talents to ever grace a football pitch, the likes of Diego Armando Maradona, Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti and Andrea Pirlo, to name a few.
In the current day and age, the level of quality and stardom has certainly dropped compared to Italian Football’s glorious epochs, with financial woes restraining the clubs’ ability to lure the finest footballers on the planet.
Yet, even in these challenging times, the Italian peninsula hasn’t truly been deserted of talent, with a host of superb footballers still plying their trade in Serie A.
In this piece, we aim to pay homage to the most captivating individuals in Serie A by ranking them based on their magical prowess.
NB: The players’ positions on the list don’t necessarily reflect their overall capabilities as footballers, as the listing solely focuses on their abilities to amaze the fans while leaving them on the edge of their seats.
Honorable Mentions:
Felipe Anderson (Lazio), Christian Pulisic (Milan), Gerard Deulofeu (Udinese), Samuele Vignato (Monza), Stephan El-Shaarwy (Roma), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Giacomo Bonaventura (Fiorentina), Aleksei Miranchuck (Atalanta), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Inter).
15. Federico Chiesa (Juventus)
While some might argue that Federico Chiesa deserves a higher spot on the list, others would stress that the Euro 2020 is more of a pacey winger with sublime dribbling skills rather than a traditional magician.
But regardless of how you prefer to describe him, the Juventus star is a versatile attacker capable of making all the difference in the world when on his day, whether by playing the creator’s role and putting his teammates through, or driving towards goal himself.
Let’s just hope that the grueling ACL injury he suffered in January 2022 doesn’t have a lasting impact on the remainder of his career.
14. Nico Gonzalez (Fiorentina)
Nico Gonzalez is the first Argentine on the list, but he certainly won’t be the last.
The Fiorentina winger is having some highs and lows this campaign, but he remains a genuine menace for every opponent tasked with marking him, as you just can’t guess what sort of skills he’ll pull out of the hat.
The 25-year-old is a superb dribbler, a brilliant passer and a clinical finisher.
13. Alexis Sanchez (Inter)
Once upon a time, Alexis Sanchez was arguably the most celebrated magician in the Premier League. After all, he’s called El Niño Maravilla for a reason.
While the 35-year-old no longer possesses the pace and energy levels he boasted during his time at Arsenal, he certainly hasn’t lost his technical touch.
Nowadays, the former Barcelona and Man Utd star cannot win a match on his own as used to, yet, he can still slice defenses open with his elusive passing range, especially when he and his Inter teammates are on song.
12. Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)
Perhaps a slightly premature inclusion given his limited number of inspirational appearances, yet, Kenan Yildiz has already showcased the type of skills that render him a natural fit for the list.
Despite his tender age, the Turkish teenager has already displayed an ability to take on an entire defensive line with his jaw-dropping dribbling skills before finding the back of the net with an almost effortless finish.
With Paul Pogba’s Juventus career all but over, it’s only a matter of time before the 18-year-old inherits the Number 10 jersey once donned by his idol Alessandro Del Piero.
11. Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta)
Unless you’re a Milan supporter, watching Charles De Ketelaere turn his fortunes upside-down has been one of the most satisfying stories for Serie A fans this season.
The Belgian was depicted as the ultimate flop in the league after failing to justify his 40-million euro price tag.
Whether Stefano Pioli didn’t know how to unlock the attacker’s best version like Gian Piero Gasperini, or the player himself simply wasn’t ready for the bright lights at San Siro, the reasons behind the day-and-night transformation remain uncertain.
But one thing is for sure, CDK has all that it takes to become one of the finest attacking midfielders/second strikers in Italian football as evidenced by some of the astonishing goals and assists produced this term.
10. Antonio Candreva (Salernitana)
At this point, you have to feel some sympathy towards Antonio Candreva and a few other competent players who seem unable to salvage Salernitana from the abyss amidst the lack of quality around them and a chaotic change in the technical staff.
But despite being hindered by his side’s weaknesses, the 37-year-old continues to defy father time and produce pearlers from time to another.
The former Lazio and Inter winger boasts one of the most impressive goals and assists repertoires in Calcio.
Let’s hope he decides to give it another go next season with a new club, as his team’s imminent relegation would make for an anti-climactic ending for this storied Serie A career.
9. Lautaro Martinez (Inter)
As we mentioned in the introduction, this list doesn’t reflect the players’ overall abilities, but simply their “magician” prowess. Had it been a Serie A MVP list, this man would be at the very top.
Lautaro Martinez has been primarily relying on his great tenacity and killer instinct in his unstoppable quest to win the Capocannoniere award this season.
Nevertheless, we must not undermine his majestic technical skills, including his almost unmatched ability to turn against his marker, as well as his formidable passing range.
8. Matias Soulé (Frosinone)
While he had already sporadically featured for Juventus over the past two campaigns, Matias Soulé has well and truly established himself as the biggest revelation in Serie A this season.
The 20-year-old is spending his campaign on loan at Frosinone, instantly cementing himself as the main source of inspiration for last season’s Serie B champions.
While his form has regressed recently along with the rest of his team, the Argentine has already hit double figures in terms of league goals, which is a remarkable achievement for a youngster who features for a newly-promoted side.
7. Luis Alberto (Lazio)
How could we ever come up with a list of Serie A magicians without including “El Mago” himself?
While most of the players on the list are attackers or wingers, Luis Alberto is a midfielder by trade. Yet, his position never truly impeded him from inflicting damage in the final third thanks to his elegant touch and inequivalent passing rage.
6. Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo)
Last summer, Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevale staunchly resisted all Juventus attempts to lure Domenico Berardi away from the Mapei Stadium, and rightly so.
If you think the Neroverdi currently stand in a miserable spot in the Serie A standings, just imagine where they would have been without their all-time leading goalscorer.
This season, the Emilians only managed to earn four points from the 12 matches they had to contend without the Italian winger, which speaks volumes about the club’s dependency on Berardi and his exploits.
Simply put, the 29-year-old’s magical left foot is the only thing that kept Sassuolo afloat this season, while his recent injury may well spell doom for the entire club.
5. Albert Gudmundsson (Genoa)
Thanks to his effortless dribbles, superb passing raging, and an incredible eye for goal, Albert Gudmundsson has cemented himself as one of the best revelations of the Serie A campaign.
Although Iceland is hardly a renowned dent for football magicians, the 26-year-old is proving to be one of the finest ballers around, with his goal and assist contribution becoming the main driving force behind Genoa’s campaign which has already exceeded all expectations.
Therefore, the crowds at the Marassi ought to enjoy his influential presence while they still can, as his majestic skillset warrants a club that sits higher on the echelon.
4. Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter)
Unlike the majority of the players on the list, Hakan Calhanoglu isn’t blessed with outrageous dribbling skills, but this hardly takes anything away from his status as a genuine Serie A magician.
After completing his transformation into a Regista under the guidance of Simone Inzaghi, the Idolo Neroblu has now emerged as one of the best deep-lying playmakers in Europe, if not the very best.
The way he orchestrates the play for the Nerazzurri and picks up his teammates with the most sublime of crosses is a sight to behold.
3. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
Last season, it would have been difficult to deny Kvara from the top spot. The Georgian ended his maiden campaign in Italian football with a historic Scudetto triumph a Serie A MVP award.
While he hasn’t been able to replicate those heroics this term, he’s still showcasing flashes of brilliance, reminding the world of his astonishing capabilities which are awaiting another second wind to take the world by storm once more.
On his day, the 23-year-old is simply a cheat code of a left winger.
2. Rafael Leao (Milan)
Similar to Kvaratkhelia, Rafael Leao is another Serie A MVP who has been struggling for consistency this term.
Nevertheless, the Portuguese remains a force to be reckoned with. Every time the ball is at his feet, you can almost hear the racing heartbeat of nervous opponents and zealous fans alike.
Whether he’s dribbling, shooting or combining with the likes of Theo Hernandez and Olivier Giroud, the 25-year-old does it all with a juvenile smile on his face, which is always a refreshing sight in modern football.
1. Paulo Dybala (Roma)
With all due respect to all other Serie A magicians – on and off the list – no one embodies the old Trequartista spirit quite like Paulo Dybala. Some might go on to claim that the Argentine descends from a dying breed.
What makes La Joya such a unique talent is his ability to either inflict damage on his own or effortlessly bring others into play and make the most out of his teammates’ attributes.
At the age of 30 and after endless bouts with injuries, Dybala is no longer the spring chicken who used to take on an entire team on his own, but when he’s on the pitch, the entire city of Rome comes to life, gazing the astonishing skillset of an elusive star.
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |