Ciro Ferrara: The Dependable and Dexterous Defender Who Was Part of Two Italian Dynasties

As the first half of the 1989 UEFA Cup final neared its conclusion, Diego Maradona's corner was easily cleared by a gaggle of Stuttgart defenders at the near post. Before the ball could bounce, the ingenious number ten looped a header into the six yard area.

A blur of blue and white came screaming into the scene, meeting the dropping ball with a crisp volley, so powerful both his feet were in the air as the net bulged. Ciro Ferrara wheeled away in celebration, his face contorted into a mask of furious joy while both arms were locked in fierce V as his teammates surrounded him.

Ferrara's wonderfully taken goal in the second leg of the final made it 4-2 on aggregate, swinging the tie back in Napoli's favour. Despite a late scare from the Jürgen Klinsmann-inspired hosts, the Italians held on to claim their first - and so far only - European title.

After the final whistle, Ferrara was overcome by the occasion. While Maradona cradled his head in his lap, Napoli's breathless captain told the swarm of microphones jabbed his way: "Ciro's a Neapolitan! He deserves it more than everyone! He scored a goal!" He then led away his emotional teammate and close friend to celebrate long into the night.

The Naples-born centre back spent a decade at his hometown club during the most successful era of their history, when Napoli was, as Ferrara would put it, 'Maradona's Napoli'.

Yet, as little as three years before he made his debut in 1984 - the season Maradona arrived in southern Italy - Ferrara was bound to a wheelchair after being admitted to hospital with Osgood-Schlatter disease.

Fortunately, Ferrara swiftly recovered and by the title-winning season of 1986/87 was a fixture of Napoli's backline. Living in the flat below Maradona, Ferrara brought a blend of grace and assurance at centre half while his neighbour pulled the strings in attack.

Few have filled the role of defensive 'stopper' with as much class and professionalism as Ferrara, a player who possessed an abundance of technical elegance in place of sheer brute force.

Of the 11 major trophies Napoli have won in their near-100 year history, Ferrara was an integral part in five of these triumphs. Yet, by the summer of 1994, with Maradona long gone and their highest heights behind them, Napoli decided against renewing their homegrown star's contract.

Instead, Ferrara followed Napoli's manager Marcello Lippi to Juventus. Two figures that would become woven into the history of Juve's European apogee. Yet, the pair were not joining the Juventus of today's perennial champions. Before Ferrara's arrival, the Old Lady had gone eight seasons without lifting the top flight title - their longest drought since the Second World War.

The duo's impact was immediate. In his debut season in Turin, Juve finished ten points clear with Ferrara featuring in all but one league outing. By what sets them apart from today's nine in a row incarnation was that Lippi's Bianconeri were able to translate their domestic success to the continent's most coveted competition.

Having seen Edgar Davids' limp effort saved, Ferrara strode forward for Juve's first spot-kick of the penalty shootout in the 1996 Champions League final. After a quick puff of the cheeks, Ferrara spanked his effort into the side-netting, giving a little fist pump before showing off that familiar straight-armed point.

Juventus converted their remaining attempts to claim just the second (and, to this date, last) European Cup in the club's long and illustrious history.

On their way to the final the following year, Juve resumed their rivalry with Ajax in the semis as Ferrara's versatility was put on full display. Having played the 1996 showpiece at centre back, Lippi shifted Ferrara out to full back where he performed superbly as Juve ran out 6-2 winners on aggregate.

Juventus reached a third consecutive Champions League final the following year, marking them out as one of the defining teams of the era. Yet, while they possessed glittering attacking talents such as Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero, this Juventus were unquestionably a side built on a resolute rearguard.

Across Ferrara's first nine seasons at the club - between 1994 and 2003 - Juve conceded less than a goal per game in seven different league campaigns, winning five Scudetti and reaching four Champions League finals.

The firm but fair Ferrara has no shortage of admirers throughout the game's greatest forwards, with the likes of Zbigniew Boniek, Ryan Giggs and the legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo among those to have named him one of the toughest defenders they have ever faced.

Ferrara was a dependable and dexterous stalwart for two of Italy's giants at the peak of their powers, in a wonderful career spanning three decades.