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Walter Zenga
WalterZenga.jpg
Zenga coaching Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2016
Personal information
Full name Walter Zenga
Date of birth (1960-04-28) 28 April 1960 (age 65)
Place of birth Milan, Italy
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Siracusa (club manager)
Youth career
1969–1971 Macallesi 1927
1971–1978 Inter Milan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1994 Inter Milan 328 (0)
1978–1979 → Salernitana (loan) 3 (0)
1979–1980 → Savona (loan) 23 (0)
1980–1982 → Sambenedettese (loan) 67 (0)
1994–1996 Sampdoria 41 (0)
1996–1997 Padova 21 (0)
1997–1998 New England Revolution 22 (0)
1998–1999 New England Revolution 25 (0)
Total 530 (0)
International career
1984–1986 Italy U21 15 (0)
1984 Italy Olympic 1 (0)
1986–1992 Italy 59 (0)
Managerial career
1998–1999 New England Revolution (player/coach)
2000–2001 Brera
2002–2003 Naţional București
2003 Naţional București (technical director)
2004–2005 Steaua București
2005–2006 Red Star Belgrade
2006–2007 Gaziantepspor
2007 Al-Ain
2007 Dinamo București
2008–2009 Catania
2009 Palermo
2010 Al-Nassr
2011–2013 Al-Nasr
2013–2014 Al-Jazira
2015 Sampdoria
2015–2016 Al-Shaab
2016 Wolverhampton Wanderers
2017–2018 Crotone
2018–2019 Venezia
2020 Cagliari
2023–2024 Persita Tangerang (technical director)
2024 Emirates
2024– Siracusa (club manager)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Italy
FIFA World Cup
Third 1990 Italy
UEFA European Championship
Third 1988 West Germany
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Second 1986 UEFA
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Walter Zenga is a famous Italian football manager and former player. He was born on April 28, 1960, in Milan, Italy. Zenga is known as one of the best goalkeepers of his time. He played for many years as a goalkeeper for Inter Milan and the Italian national team.

During his playing career, Zenga was part of the Italian team that finished third in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He set a World Cup record by not letting any goals in for a very long time. He also won the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award three times. After he stopped playing, Zenga became a football manager. He has coached teams in many different countries around the world.

Playing Career Highlights

Walter Zenga started his professional football journey in 1978. He played for smaller teams like Salernitana and Savona. In 1982, he joined Inter Milan, one of Italy's biggest clubs.

Becoming Inter Milan's Star Goalkeeper

Zenga quickly became the main goalkeeper for Inter Milan in the 1983–84 season. He was very good at stopping goals, letting in fewer goals than any other goalkeeper that year. Fans loved him because of his skills and his passion for the team. He became known as one of the best goalkeepers in Italy.

In 1986, Giovanni Trapattoni became Inter's manager. Zenga, along with teammates Giuseppe Bergomi and Riccardo Ferri, became key players for both Inter and the Italian national team. In the 1986–87 season, Zenga was recognized as the best goalkeeper in Italy. He only conceded 17 goals in 30 matches.

Winning the League and UEFA Cup

The 1988–89 season was one of the best for Inter Milan and Zenga. The team, with new players like Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthäus, won the league title. They set a record with 58 points. Zenga again had the best record, letting in only 19 goals.

Inter Milan also had success in Europe. They won the UEFA Cup in 1991 and again in 1994. These were big achievements for the club. Zenga was at his peak during these years. He was named the best goalkeeper in the world by IFFHS for three years in a row (1989–1991). He was famous for his amazing saves and quick reactions.

Time with New England Revolution

In 1997, Zenga moved to the United States to play for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer. He made his debut with a win. He quickly became a fan favorite. He even won the MLS Player of the Month award in September 1997.

Zenga helped the Revolution reach the playoffs for the first time in their history. He was a finalist for the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award. He also played in the 1997 MLS All-Star Game. In 1998, he became the team's head coach. He later became the league's first player-coach in 1999.

International Career for Italy

Walter Zenga played 58 times for the Italy national football team between 1987 and 1992. He had an amazing record, conceding only 21 goals in those games. This means he kept a clean sheet (no goals conceded) in over 70% of his matches.

Playing in Major Tournaments

Zenga was part of the Italian team at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Italy finished fourth in that tournament. He was also the starting goalkeeper for the Italy under-21 team in 1986.

He became Italy's main goalkeeper for the 1988 UEFA European Championships. Italy reached the semi-finals of the competition.

Zenga was the first-choice goalkeeper when Italy hosted the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He helped the team finish in third place. During this tournament, he set a record that still stands today. He kept five clean sheets in a row, going 518 minutes without letting in a goal. This amazing streak ended in the semi-finals against Argentina.

How Walter Zenga Played

Walter Zenga was known as a very athletic and strong goalkeeper. People called him Deltaplano (which means "Hang glider"). This nickname came from his amazing ability to stop shots. He was quick, elegant, and agile, making spectacular saves.

He also had another nickname, L'Uomo Ragno ("Spider-Man"). This nickname came about in 1992. Zenga sang a song called Hanno ucciso l'Uomo Ragno ("Someone killed Spider-Man"). This made people start calling him Spider-Man. Zenga was also known for his strong mindset and leadership on the field.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Walter Zenga became a football coach. He started as a player-coach for the New England Revolution in 1998.

Coaching in Europe and the Middle East

Zenga moved to Romania in 2002. He managed Naţional București and then Steaua București. With Steaua București, he won the Romanian league title in 2005. He also led them to the Round of 16 in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup.

In 2005, he became the coach of Red Star Belgrade in Serbia. He led them to win both the national league and the national cup in 2006. He then coached teams in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. In 2008, he returned to Italy to manage Catania. He helped them stay in Serie A, Italy's top league.

He later coached Palermo in Italy. After that, he managed several clubs in the Middle East, including Al-Nassr and Al-Nasr.

Return to Italy and England

In 2015, Zenga returned to Italy to coach Sampdoria. In 2016, he took on a new challenge, becoming the head coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers in England. He made several new signings and had a strong start with the team. However, he left the club later that year.

He continued to coach in Italy, managing Crotone and Venezia. In 2020, he became the head coach of Cagliari. As of 2024, he is the club manager for Siracusa.

Personal Life

Walter Zenga has five children.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other1 Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Salernitana (loan) 1978–79 Serie C1 3 0 0 0 – – 3 0
Savona (loan) 1979–80 Serie C2 23 0 0 0 – – 23 0
Sambenedettese (loan) 1980–81 Serie C1 33 0 0 0 – – 33 0
1981–82 Serie B 34 0 4 0 – – 38 0
Total 67 0 4 0 – – 71 0
Inter Milan 1982–83 Serie A 0 0 5 0 0 0 – 5 0
1983–84 30 0 5 0 6 0 – 41 0
1984–85 25 0 10 0 8 0 – 43 0
1985–86 30 0 4 0 10 0 – 44 0
1986–87 29 0 9 0 8 0 – 46 0
1987–88 26 0 11 0 6 0 – 43 0
1988–89 33 0 5 0 5 0 – 43 0
1989–90 31 0 4 0 2 0 1 0 38 0
1990–91 32 0 4 0 12 0 – 48 0
1991–92 31 0 6 0 2 0 – 39 0
1992–93 29 0 5 0 – – 34 0
1993–94 32 0 5 0 12 0 – 49 0
Total 328 0 73 0 71 0 1 0 473 0
Sampdoria 1994–95 Serie A 34 0 4 0 8 0 1 0 47 0
1995–96 7 0 0 0 – – 7 0
Total 41 0 4 0 8 0 1 0 54 0
Padova 1996–97 Serie B 21 0 1 0 – – 22 0
New England Revolution 1997 Major League Soccer 22 0 – – 2 0 24 0
1999 25 0 – – – 25 0
Total 47 0 – – 2 0 49 0
Career total 530 0 82 0 79 0 4 0 695 0

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Italy 1986 3 0
1987 10 0
1988 10 0
1989 10 0
1990 14 0
1991 8 0
1992 4 0
Total 59 0

Managerial Statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
New England Revolution United States 24 August 1998 30 September 1999 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&071.&&&&&071 &&&&&&&&&&&&&088.&&&&&088 −17 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.11000036.11
Brera Italy 31 October 2000 18 January 2001 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?"..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?".? 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?"..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?".? !— &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.11000011.11
Naţional București Romania 24 July 2002 10 September 2003 &&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&067.&&&&&067 &&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056 +11 &&&&&&&&&&&&&042.55000042.55
Steaua București Romania 1 July 2004 20 May 2005 &&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&057.&&&&&057 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 +26 &&&&&&&&&&&&&052.50000052.50
Red Star Belgrade Serbia 22 July 2005 12 June 2006 &&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&0102.&&&&&0102 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 +66 &&&&&&&&&&&&&076.74000076.74
Gaziantepspor Turkey 1 August 2006 3 January 2007 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 &&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029 −1 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.10000038.10
Al Ain United Arab Emirates 7 January 2007 30 June 2007 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 −1 &&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040.00
Dinamo București Romania 3 September 2007 24 November 2007 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 +9 &&&&&&&&&&&&&046.15000046.15
Catania Italy 1 April 2008 30 June 2009 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024 &&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056 &&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064 −8 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032.00
Palermo Italy 1 July 2009 23 November 2009 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 +1 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.71000035.71
Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia 11 May 2010 24 December 2010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 +14 &&&&&&&&&&&&&043.75000043.75
Al-Nasr United Arab Emirates 6 January 2011 13 June 2013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&094.&&&&&094 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 &&&&&&&&&&&&0162.&&&&&0162 &&&&&&&&&&&&0142.&&&&&0142 +20 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.30000038.30
Al Jazira United Arab Emirates 21 October 2013 14 May 2014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051 +9 &&&&&&&&&&&&&042.86000042.86
Sampdoria Italy 11 June 2015 10 November 2015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 +0 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.71000035.71
Al-Shaab United Arab Emirates 1 December 2015 20 February 2016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 −19 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010.00
Wolverhampton Wanderers England 30 July 2016 25 October 2016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 −1 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.29000035.29
Crotone Italy 8 December 2017 19 June 2018 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 −7 &&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&9000026.09
Venezia Italy 12 October 2018 5 March 2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 −4 &&&&&&&&&&&&&026.32000026.32
Cagliari Italy 3 March 2020 2 August 2020 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 −5 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&8000023.08
Emirates United Arab Emirates 5 January 2024 23 April 2024 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018 −10 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.29000014.29
Total &&&&&&&&&&&&0536.&&&&&0536 &&&&&&&&&&&&0214.&&&&&0214 &&&&&&&&&&&&0126.&&&&&0126 &&&&&&&&&&&&0196.&&&&&0196 &&&&&&&&&&&&0811.&&&&&0811 &&&&&&&&&&&&0728.&&&&&0728 +83 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.93000039.93

Awards and Achievements

Walter Zenga has won many awards and titles throughout his career as both a player and a coach.

Player Honors

Inter Milan

Italy National Team

Individual Awards

  • IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 1989, 1990, 1991
  • UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year: 1990
  • MLS Player of the Month: 1997
  • Inter Milan Hall of Fame: 2018

Coach Honors

Steaua București

Red Star Belgrade

  • Serbia and Montenegro SuperLiga: 2005–06
  • Serbia and Montenegro Cup: 2005–06

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Walter Zenga para niños

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