The Top 10 – Panini Calciatori 1993-1994

Gabriel Batistuta, widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of his generation, was known for his exceptional goal-scoring ability strength, and clinical finishing ability. One of the best strikers of a ball football has seen. He generated incredible power, often leaving the goalie planted!

Playing for Fiorentina during the Serie B 1993/94 season, Batistuta continued to demonstrate his lethal striking instincts, scoring 16 goals and helping Fiorentina to an instant return to the Serie A. It was unexpected that Fiorentina would go down to the Serie B and Batistuta showed he was a class above.

Batistuta was especially know for being extremely loyal to Fiorentina, often opting to stay at the club despite interest from the big clubs. Throughout his career, he consistently showcased his ability to score goals from various positions on the pitch, scoring 56 in 78 for Argentina and 248 club career goals. I especially like this sticker as it’s in the classic calciatori Serie B style. Not often you see a player like Batigol in a Serie B sticker!

Ruud Gullit was a Dutch footballer renowned for his athleticism, technical quality and intelligence on the field. Playing primarily as a midfielder, he possessed excellent ball control, vision, and passing ability. Gullit was also known for his physical strength and aerial prowess, making him a threat both defensively and offensively.

Gullit had a legendary career at AC Milan, winning 3 Serie A titles and 2 UCL titles! In the Serie A 1993/94 season, Gullit transferred to Sampdoria and had a very successful season. Sampdoria finished third with Gullit scoring 15 goals from midfield! Additionally, Gullit led them to th Copa Italia (Italian Cup Competition) title.

It was a great individual season and, I think, a great sticker to show that!

Gianfranco Zola, known for his exquisite technique, creativity, and flair, was a key player for Parma during the Serie A 1993/94 season. Zola had just transferred to Parma from Napoli, where he spent 4 successful seasons. He hit the ground running at Parma, scoring 18 goals, operating primarily as an attacking midfielder or second striker.

Zola’s exceptional dribbling ability, close ball control, and vision made him a constant threat in the final third. His agility and quick feet allowed him to navigate through tight spaces and evade defenders with ease. Zola possessed a keen eye for goal and was capable of scoring from distance with his accurate shooting and precise free kicks.

Zola went on to become a Chelsea legend, signing in 1996 and playing over 300 games for the English side. He captivated the Premier League with his sublime technique and gave Chelsea fans many moments to remember. This is a great sticker and represents Zola’s best ever season in terms of goal output.

Paolo Maldini, widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time (if not the greatest) was an instrumental figure for AC Milan during the Serie A 1993/94 season. AC Milan won the title only conceding 15 goals all season. Their defence was stacked with legends such as: Baresi, Costacurta, Tassotti, Panucci and, the biggest of them all, Maldini.

Maldini showcased exceptional defensive skills, including superb tackling, interception, and positional awareness. His ability to read the game allowed him to anticipate opponents’ movements and snuff out attacks effectively. Maldini was also known for his composure on the ball and precise passing, enabling him to initiate attacks from the back and contribute to Milan’s build-up play. Furthermore, his leadership qualities and strong aerial presence made him a commanding presence in defence.

A nice sticker in what was a great season for this legendary defender!

Roberto Baggio, often referred to as “Il Divin Codino” (The Divine Ponytail), was a legendary forward in Italian football. Known for his exceptional dribbling ability, vision, and creativity, Baggio was a prolific goal scorer and playmaker. Operating primarily as an attacking midfielder or second striker, he possessed remarkable ball control and agility, allowing him to dribble his way to spectacular goals. Baggio’s technical proficiency and eye for goal made him a constant threat in the final third, capable of scoring goals from various positions and angles.

In the Serie A 1993/94 season, Baggio helped Juventus to a second place finish, scoring 17 goals. Often deployed with Ravanelli or Vialli, Baggio and co formed a scary attacking line. His performances sa him finish second in the Ballon d’Or.

Baggio is one of Italy’s most popular players and is a highly collected player. His rookie sticker from Calciatori 1985/86 sells for very big money, we are talking thousands if graded well! This is a nice sticker in the Juve kit representing a great individual season from Roberto.

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Giuseppe “Beppe” Signori possessed exceptional finishing skills, intelligence in positioning, and a keen eye for goal. He was renowned for his ability to find space in the box and capitalise on scoring opportunities with precision and accuracy. Signori was also adept at making intelligent runs off the ball, exploiting defensive gaps, and finishing with both feet and his head. His lethal combination of speed, agility, and clinical finishing made him a constant threat to opposing defences.

In the Serie A 1993/94 season, Signori enjoyed a remarkable campaign, emerging as the league’s top goal scorer winning the golden boot with 23 goals. His contributions helped Lazio secure a 4th place finish in the league standings.

His time at Lazio as a whole was amazing; he was a goal machine! It must be taken into account that he was putting up huge numbers in what was the golden era of Italian football, where all the best defenders played. For Lazio in the Serie A, Beppe scored 107 in 152 games! He won the golden boot 3 times in his 5 full seasons at Lazio.

Here is a sticker where he won one of those golden boots and was at the top of his game.

Roberto Di Matteo operated primarily in central midfield and was renowned for his tenacity, work rate, and ability to dictate the tempo of the game. He possessed excellent passing range and vision, allowing him to orchestrate attacks and create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Di Matteo was also known for his defensive contributions, demonstrating strong tackling ability and positional awareness to disrupt opposing attacks and regain possession.

During the Serie A 1993/94 season, Di Matteo played as a two way box to box midfielder for Lazio. They had a solid campaign finishing fourth. His all-around skill set and tireless work ethic made him a valuable asset. His time at Lazio saw him enter the Italian National Team and get a reputation as one of the top two way midfielders.

Like Zola, Di Matteo moved to Chelsea in 1996. He was a top midfielder for Chelsea, playing 175 appearances. Unfortunately he retired at the age of 31 after suffering a triple leg break in the UEFA Cup. Although he retired at 31, it should be noted he fought to return for 18 months but ultimately gave up. Considering this, his retirement was basically at the age of 29! A very unfortunate story – who knows how successful he would have been. Maybe He could have been of use for Mourinho when he came a few years after he retired!

A really nice rookie sticker with a story to tell!

Francesco Toldo was an Italian goalkeeper known for his agility, shot-stopping ability, and commanding presence. Standing tall between the posts, Toldo possessed excellent reflexes and anticipation, allowing him to make acrobatic saves and deny opponents’ scoring opportunities. He was also known for his bravery and willingness to come off his line to claim crosses and high balls, providing assurance to his defence.

Toldo is regarded as one of the greatest keepers of his generation! He only has 28 caps for Italy, but one must consider he was in the same era as Buffon, competing for the number 1 spot. Toldo stayed at Fiorentina for 8 seasons, playing 336 games before moving to Inter Milan in 2001. He spent 9 seasons at Inter playing 234 times, winning 5 Serie A titles and a Champions League title!

Not often a goalie ranks this high on my lists. A top goalie and a top rookie sticker!

Filippo Inzaghi, known for his predatory instincts and clinical finishing, was a prolific striker and probably the ideal poacher! Inzaghi possessed remarkable goal-scoring prowess, often finding himself in the right place at the right time to capitalise on scoring opportunities. His ability to anticipate rebounds and loose balls in the penalty area made him a constant threat to opposing defences.

Inzaghi excelled in making intelligent runs off the ball, exploiting gaps in the defence and creating space for himself to receive passes or take shots on goal. His knack for scoring decisive goals in crucial moments earned him a reputation as a clutch performer. There is an ongoing joke which says Inzaghi was born offside – stemming from him standing on the shoulder of defenders.

Inzaghi had a solid season for Verona in the Serie B 1993/94, scoring 13 goals. His breakout season would come two years later at Atalanta, where he scored 24 Serie A goals. He would then move onto Juventus and AC Milan, scoring over 200 goals at the two clubs.

This is an iconic rookie sticker of one of the great Italian strikers!

Fabio Cannavaro is the best rookie sticker in Panini Calciatori 1993/94.

Fabio Cannavaro is one of the greatest defenders ever and the only defender to ever recieve the Ballon d’Or! Known for his impeccable positioning, timing of tackles, and ability to read the game, Cannavaro was a stalwart at the heart of the defence. His anticipation and awareness allowed him to nullify opposition attacks effectively, making crucial interceptions and clearances to thwart scoring opportunities. Cannavaro’s tenacity and physicality enabled him to win aerial duels and battles for possession against even the most formidable opponents.

The Serie A 1993/94 season was a breakout season for him as he established himself as an up and coming defender in Italian football. Cannavaro has had a huge career, playing for big teams such as: Napoli, Parma, Juventus, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. He won the Serie A 2 times with Juventus (both revoked for match fixing) and two La Liga titles with Real Madrid. Cannvaro was a vital cog in the 2006 Italian team that won the World Cup. He led the team in the heart of defence and subsequently won the 2006 Ballon d’Or.

A huge rookie sticker and a huge player!