Best A.C. Parma Players of All Time: A Comprehensive List

A.C. Parma is one of the most successful clubs in Italian football history. The club has produced some of the best players in the world, who have gone on to achieve great success both domestically and internationally. In this article, we will take a look at the best A.C. Parma players of all time.

The golden era of A.C. Parma was in the 1990s, when the club won several major titles, including two UEFA Cups, one European Super Cup, and two Italian Cups. During this time, the club had some of the best players in the world, such as Gianfranco Zola, Hernan Crespo, and Fabio Cannavaro. These players were instrumental in the success of the club during this period, and are still remembered as some of the best players to ever wear the Parma shirt.

In recent years, A.C. Parma has struggled to replicate the success of the 1990s. However, the club has still produced some top-quality players, such as Jonathan Biabiany, Sebastian Giovinco, and Antonio Mirante. These players have helped the club maintain its status as one of the top teams in Italy, and are still remembered as some of the best players to ever play for A.C. Parma.

Golden Era Players

During the 1990s, Parma experienced a golden era with several successful seasons and a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup victory in 1993. Here are some of the players who contributed to this era:

Alessandro Melli

Alessandro Melli was a versatile midfielder who played for Parma from 1991 to 1998. He was an important player in the team that won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1993 and also played a key role in the team that won the UEFA Cup in 1995. Melli was known for his technical ability, vision, and work rate. He made a total of 197 appearances for Parma, scoring 18 goals.

Tino Asprilla

Faustino Asprilla, commonly known as Tino, was a Colombian striker who played for Parma from 1992 to 1996. He was a key player in the team that won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1993 and also played a significant role in the team that won the UEFA Cup in 1995. Asprilla was known for his speed, dribbling skills, and goal-scoring ability. He made a total of 85 appearances for Parma, scoring 25 goals.

Gianfranco Zola

Gianfranco Zola was an Italian attacking midfielder who played for Parma from 1993 to 1996. He was a key player in the team that won the UEFA Cup in 1995 and also helped Parma reach the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1994. Zola was known for his technical ability, creativity, and ability to score goals from free-kicks and long range. He made a total of 102 appearances for Parma, scoring 35 goals.

These players were instrumental in Parma’s success during the 1990s and are still remembered fondly by fans.

Modern Era Players

Jonathan Biabiany

Jonathan Biabiany is a French winger who played for Parma from 2011 to 2015. He was known for his blistering pace and dribbling ability, which made him a constant threat to opposition defenders. Biabiany scored 8 goals and provided 11 assists in 107 appearances for Parma. He was an integral part of the team that finished 6th in the 2013-14 Serie A season.

Amauri

Amauri is a Brazilian-Italian striker who played for Parma from 2008 to 2010. He was a powerful forward who possessed excellent aerial ability and finishing skills. Amauri scored 23 goals in 60 appearances for Parma, which helped the team secure a mid-table finish in the Serie A. He was also named the Serie A Player of the Month in January 2009.

Cristiano Lucarelli

Cristiano Lucarelli is an Italian striker who played for Parma from 2008 to 2010. He was a prolific goalscorer who was known for his accuracy from free-kicks and penalties. Lucarelli scored 17 goals in 50 appearances for Parma, which helped the team secure a mid-table finish in the Serie A. He was also named the Serie A top scorer in the 2007-08 season while playing for Livorno.

These three players were instrumental in Parma’s success in the modern era. They contributed significantly to the team’s performances and helped Parma establish themselves as a competitive team in the Serie A.

Goalkeepers

Gianluigi Buffon

You can’t talk about Parma goalkeepers without talking about Buffon.

Gianluigi Buffon began his professional career at Parma in 1995, at the age of 17. He quickly established himself as one of the best young goalkeepers in Italy, and helped the club to win the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup, and the Supercoppa Italiana in 1999. In 2001, he was sold to Juventus for a world-record fee for a goalkeeper of €52 million.

During his six seasons at Parma, Buffon made 168 appearances in all competitions, keeping 77 clean sheets. He was named the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year in 1999 and 2000, and was also included in the UEFA Team of the Year in 1999.

Buffon’s time at Parma was a successful one, and he helped the club to achieve some major trophies. He is still considered to be one of the greatest goalkeepers to have ever played for the club.

Here are some of Buffon’s most notable achievements at Parma:

• Coppa Italia winner (1999)
• UEFA Cup winner (1999)
• Supercoppa Italiana winner (1999)
• Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year (1999, 2000)
• UEFA Team of the Year (1999)

Buffon’s time at Parma was a brief one, but it was certainly a successful one. He helped the club to achieve some major trophies, and he is still considered to be one of the greatest goalkeepers to have ever played for the club.

Luca Bucci

Luca Bucci was an Italian goalkeeper who played for A.C. Parma from 1994 to 2001. During his time with the club, he won several titles including the UEFA Cup, the European Super Cup, and the Italian Cup. He was known for his agility and quick reflexes, which made him a formidable opponent for any striker.

Bucci made a total of 200 appearances for Parma during his seven-year stay with the club. He kept 75 clean sheets and conceded 207 goals. He was also a regular member of the Italian national team, making 10 appearances between 1997 and 2000.

Sebastien Frey

Sebastien Frey is a French goalkeeper who played for A.C. Parma from 2001 to 2006. He was signed by the club as a replacement for Gianluigi Buffon, who had left for Juventus. Frey quickly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A, and he helped Parma win the Italian Cup in 2002.

Frey made a total of 179 appearances for Parma during his five-year stay with the club. He kept 53 clean sheets and conceded 185 goals. He was also a regular member of the French national team, making six appearances between 2004 and 2006.

Despite his success with Parma, Frey’s career was plagued by injuries, which limited his playing time and prevented him from reaching his full potential. Nevertheless, he remains one of the best goalkeepers to have ever played for A.C. Parma.

Defenders

Antonio Benarrivo

Antonio Benarrivo was one of the best attacking full-backs during the 1990s in his time with Parma. He was bought from Padova at the start of the Parmalat era. The Italian saw the best years of his career in the Emilia-Romagna region, where he played from 1991 to 2004. He played 401 games for the club and scored 10 goals. He was part of the Parma team that won the UEFA Cup in 1995 and 1999 and the European Super Cup in 1993 and 1999. Benarrivo was also a member of the Italy national team that finished second in the 1994 World Cup.

Roberto Sensini

Roberto Sensini was a central defender who played for Parma from 1992 to 1998. He played 222 games for the club and scored 9 goals. He was part of the Parma team that won the UEFA Cup in 1995 and 1999 and the European Super Cup in 1993 and 1999. Sensini was also a member of the Argentina national team that finished second in the 1990 World Cup and won the Copa America in 1991 and 1993.

Fabio Cannavaro

Fabio Cannavaro is one of the greatest defenders in the history of football. He played for Parma from 1995 to 2002 and was an integral part of the team that won the UEFA Cup in 1999 and the Coppa Italia in 1999 and 2002. He played 418 games for the club and scored 9 goals. Cannavaro was also a member of the Italy national team that won the 2006 World Cup. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2006 and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007.

Midfielders

Dino Baggio

Dino Baggio was one of the most influential midfielders in the history of A.C. Parma. He played for the club for seven years and became a mainstay in the Parma midfield. Baggio was a versatile midfielder who could play as a defensive midfielder or a box-to-box midfielder. He was known for his excellent work rate, tackling ability, and passing accuracy. During his time at Parma, Baggio won two UEFA Cups, a Coppa Italia, and a Supercoppa Italiana.

Massimo Crippa

Massimo Crippa is another great midfielder who played for A.C. Parma. He was known for his technical ability, vision, and creativity. Crippa played for Parma for six years and made over 150 appearances for the club. He was a key player in the Parma team that won the UEFA Cup in 1995 and the European Super Cup in 1993. Crippa was also a member of the Italian national team that reached the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup.

Hernan Crespo

Although primarily a striker, Hernan Crespo also played as an attacking midfielder for A.C. Parma. He was one of the most talented players to have ever played for the club. Crespo was known for his excellent dribbling skills, finishing ability, and work rate. He played for Parma for three seasons and scored 80 goals in 130 appearances. Crespo was a key player in the Parma team that won the UEFA Cup in 1999 and the Coppa Italia in 1999 and 2002.

In conclusion, A.C. Parma has had many great midfielders over the years, including Dino Baggio, Massimo Crippa, and Hernan Crespo. These players were instrumental in the success of the club during their time at Parma.

Forwards

Enrico Chiesa

Enrico Chiesa is widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards to ever play for A.C. Parma. He played for the club between 1996 and 1999, and in that time, he scored an impressive 45 goals in 90 appearances. Chiesa was known for his incredible pace, technical ability, and clinical finishing, which made him a nightmare for opposition defenders.

Adrian Mutu

Adrian Mutu was another fantastic forward who played for A.C. Parma. He joined the club in 2000 and spent just one season there before moving on to Chelsea, but in that time, he made a huge impact. Mutu scored 22 goals in 37 appearances for Parma, showcasing his incredible dribbling skills, eye for goal, and ability to create chances out of nothing.

Alberto Gilardino

Alberto Gilardino is one of the most prolific forwards in A.C. Parma’s history, having scored a remarkable 57 goals in just 108 appearances for the club. He played for Parma between 2002 and 2005, during which time he established himself as one of the best strikers in the Serie A. Gilardino was known for his excellent movement off the ball, his clinical finishing, and his ability to score goals from all angles.

Overall, A.C. Parma has had many great forwards over the years, but Enrico Chiesa, Adrian Mutu, and Alberto Gilardino stand out as some of the best. Each of these players brought something unique to the team and helped to establish Parma as a force to be reckoned with in Italian football.