Boy wonder Del Piero already an Italian old master

May 7th, 1996
Rete!

ROME - In Italy, a land where soccer skills are rated on a par with artistic genius, 21-year-old attacking midfielder Alessandro Del Piero is already considered an old master. 

Before the boy wonder drew gasps of awe with six goals for Juventus in the Champions' League this season, the club's owner Giovanni Agnelli had already nicknamed him after an Italian Renaissance painter -- "Pinturicchio.'' 

But Del Piero, who has played for Italy at under-21 and senior level as well as the military team during a meteoric rise to stardom this season, is known above all as a cheerful "bravo ragazzo,'' a good kid. 

His robust language on the pitch might occasionally be enough to make the Mona Lisa blush -- he was recently reprimanded by a Franciscan monk camapigning against swearing in soccer -- but Del Piero's artistry is undeniable. 

He says level-headedness has kept him cool in the face of stardom and a new $6 million contract with Juventus, and he hopes it will help him achieve his most cherished goals. 

"In the year 2000, I would like to look back having won a European Cup, a World Cup and having been named European player of the year,'' Del Piero, who comes from the northeastern town of Treviso near Venice, said recently. 

"But above all I hope I'm still the balanced person that I am today, because that's the most important value in my life.'' 

This year, France Football named him fourth, the highest-ranked Italian, in its "Golden Ball'' awards decided by soccer journalists while World Soccer readers listed Del Piero runner-up to club team mate Gianluca Vialli. 

Del Piero, in just his first season as a regular starter for Juventus, began with Padova's youth side at the age of 10 and made his debut for the then-serie B squad six years later. 

At 18, he moved to Turin where he proved a quick understudy to Roberto Baggio, showing a glimpse of things to come when he replaced the injured hero of Italy's 1994 World Cup squad in a key match against Parma that year and scored three goals. 

He went on to replace Baggio as permanent number 10 after the "Divine Ponytail'' signed for AC Milan last year, and his goals have showcased his talent in Serie A and Champions' League this season. 

Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi now says Del Piero, who is at his best when attacking from the left side of midfield, holds an "untouchable'' place in his team along with Milan defender Paolo Maldini. Injury-plagued Baggio may be merely a spectator.
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