The members of my Sampdoria five-side-team played together during the club’s most successful period, from 1984-1994.
It would have been easy to pick an ultra-attacking side with four forwards. But to maintain some kind of balance there was no room for Blucerchiati icons Fabio Quagliarella and Francesco Flachi, while none of Doria’s star foreigners made the cut either.
It’s worth mentioning a host of greats – Ernst Ocwirk, Toninho Cerezo, Srecko Katanec, Trevor Francis, Graeme Souness and David Platt – yet with only five places available it was impossible to include any of them.
Instead, I opted for an all-Italian line-up featuring a quintet of indisputable Samp icons.
Gianluca Pagliuca (1987-1994)
The greatest goalkeeper in Sampdoria’s history was an easy choice as No 1. A generational talent with extraordinary agility and rapid reflexes, he was present for the majority of the club’s historic triumphs.
In another sporting life the spectacular shot-stopper could have been a gymnast or acrobat. Although he had a passion for basketball, he became a high-flyer in the Doria goal when Serie A ruled the world. A specialist in saving penalties, he made a miraculous stop to deny Inter’s Lothar Matthaus from 12 yards in a title showdown at San Siro in May 1991 as Samp claimed a thrilling victory to all but seal their first Scudetto.
Not content at being just another brick in the Blucerchiati defence, he was nicknamed “The Wall”. He possessed all the qualities to excel in the small-sided version of the game and was even utilised as a wandering libero under the great Swedish coach Sven-Göran Eriksson.
In seven seasons at Samp, he won the club’s first and only Italian championship, as well as the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the Coppa Italia three times and the Italian Super Cup.
Pietro Vierchowod (1983-1995)
Physical, tenacious and unrelenting, the man christened “The Tsar” was not just a formidable central defender. The brilliant stopper – whose nickname referenced his Ukrainian immigrant father – actually began his career as an attacker before gradually moving back to the position where he made his name.
More than a one-man defence, Vierchowod could easily switch positions in fast-paced fives games. At his peak, he reckoned he could run the 100m in less than 11 seconds, his blistering pace an invaluable asset at a time when every world-class striker plied their trade in Serie A.
Praised and feared in equal measure by the likes of Diego Maradona, Marco van Basten and Gabriel Batistuta, Vierchowod never turned down the opportunity to rampage forward. He claimed a mightily impressive 39 goals in 493 appearances for the Genoa-based club over 13 years.
Along with Pagliuca and the attacking right-sided full-back Moreno Mannini, who would be an automatic pick in any other all-time Samp team, the triumvirate remained steadfast as Samp stunned calcio to win the Scudetto in 1990-1991.
He was a permanent fixture at the back as Doria claimed the European Cup Winners’ Cup and four Coppa Italia titles.
Attilio Lombardo (1989-1995 and 2001-2002)
Few players are more suited to the stamina-sapping demands of five-a-side football than the instantly recognisable winger.
A Sampdoria staple during the Football Italia days he featured on the Channel 4 show’s opening titles in a state of impassioned celebration.
Given the moniker “Popeye”due to his apparent likeness to the cartoon character, he often ran a relay race of his own up and down the right flank supporting the magnificent duo of Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli.
A legitimate star in his own right, he remains a symbol of a time when Samp challenged the established elite in Italian football. Equipped with a constantly recharging internal battery, Doria relied on his speed, mobility and energy in both Serie A and Europe.
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A provider and scorer of crucial goals, the underrated winger with the endearing sense of humour jokingly put on a wig in the Marassi dressing room when the underdogs from Genoa revelled in their first Serie A title. And though the long-serving midfielder Fausto Pari, who played 401 games over nine seasons, deserves a shout-out when discussing any combination of the finest Blucerchiati players, the flank-hugging Doria symbol cannot be denied a place in any team of Samp greats.
Roberto Mancini (1982-1997)
A must-pick on my Samp fives teamsheet.
The legendary fantasista transformed Sampdoria from ambitious outsiders to genuine contenders as they reached the pinnacle of Serie A and European competition in his 15 seasons at the club. It is unlikely that anyone will surpass his record of 567 appearances for the Blucerchiati.
He arrived as a highly-rated teenager from Bologna in the summer of 1982 and claimed multiple honours as well as 171 goals while wearing the most beautiful jersey in the world. An on-field coach years before he entered the dugout, he enjoyed a close relationship with the one-of-a-kind president, Paolo Mantovani.
The more temperamental half of the Gemelli del Gol alongside his strike partner and best pal, Vialli, he oscillated from moments of outrageous skill to prolonged bouts of bitter complaining. Nevertheless, as the creative heartbeat of Sampdoria, the versatile forward often seemed content to set up his teammates rather than take all the glory for himself.
A passing master with unlimited vision, his flawless technique and ability to conjure ways out of tight spaces make him an ideal attacker for five-a-side football.
Gianluca Vialli (1984-1992)
The superstar striker who catapulted Sampdoria to their only Scudetto remains my favourite player of all time.
The Blucerchiati supporters adored him so much that they sang he was better than Pelé and I rate him as one of the greatest Italian forwards in the history of calcio. In tandem with his goal-twin Mancini, he propelled Doria to unimaginable heights. From thunderous volleys to perfectly executed overhead kicks, he scored magical, memorable goals.
The majestic attacker struck twice in extra-time as Samp won the 1989-1990 European Cup Winners’ Cup on an unforgettable night in Gothenburg. But his crowning glory followed a season later when he claimed 19 goals in 26 games as Samp stunned the big boys to win Serie A in 1990-1991.
He could have played in any era, and well before the modern obsession with pressing, often sprinted back to help out in defence. There is no doubt he would have fired in goals from all manner of improbable angles in the fives version of the game.
Admired and respected in equal measure, the charismatic forward tragically passed away in January 2023, but he will never be forgotten among the Samp tifosi.
