{"id":14684,"date":"2025-12-19T06:45:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T06:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=14684"},"modified":"2025-12-30T08:22:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T08:22:14","slug":"serie-a-team-of-the-century","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/serie-a-team-of-the-century","title":{"rendered":"Best Serie A Team of the 21st Century"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/serie-a-17\">Serie A<\/a> between 2000 and 2025 has been a league of aesthetic extremes. Tactical chess at walking pace, then a 40-yard thunderbolt. A back four arranged like an art installation, then a No.10 deciding he\u2019s bored and inventing something illegal. It\u2019s also an era that contains almost every flavour of greatness: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/ac-milan-227\">Milan\u2019s<\/a> early-2000s elegance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/inter-milan-224\">Inter\u2019s<\/a> surge to the treble, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/juventus-226\">Juventus<\/a>\u2019 relentless 2010s dynasty, and the modern wave that ended long droughts and rebalanced the map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>The Ultimate 21st Century Serie A XI<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#gk-gianluigi-buffon-the-long-haul-superhero\">GK: The long-haul superhero<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#rd-javier-zanetti-the-ultimate-never-drops-below-8-10\">RB: The ultimate \u201cnever drops below 8\/10\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#rcd-fabio-cannavaro-the-defender-who-made-defending-look-fun\">CB: Defender who made defending look fun<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#cd-alessandro-nesta-the-patron-saint-of-clean-defending\">CB: The patron saint of clean defending<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lcd-giorgio-chiellini-the-modern-era-enforcer-with-a-ph-d-in-suffering\">CB: The modern-era enforcer with a PhD in suffering<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#ld-paolo-maldini-the-most-luxurious-safety-blanket-football-ever-produced\">LB: The most luxurious safety blanket football ever produced<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#rcm-gennaro-gattuso-the-human-tackle-and-emotional-thermostat\">CM: Human tackle and emotional thermostat<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lcm-andrea-pirlo-the-leagues-greatest-remote-control\">CM: Greatest remote control<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#am-francesco-totti-romes-eternal-cheat-code\">CAM: Rome\u2019s eternal cheat code<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#rst-zlatan-ibrahimovic-the-leagues-most-entertaining-bully\">ST: The league\u2019s most entertaining bully<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lst-gonzalo-higuain-the-penalty-box-professional-with-a-record-setting-peak\">ST: Penalty-box professional with a record-setting peak<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#fa-qs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gk-gianluigi-buffon-the-long-haul-superhero\">GK: Gianluigi Buffon, the long-haul superhero<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Buffon spanned eras, styles, and squads. In the 2000s, he\u2019s the statement signing who turns Juventus into a fortress. In the 2010s, he\u2019s still there, still elite, still making the ridiculous look routine, anchoring the club through multiple title runs. And in the 2020s, he was still playing professional football like a man refusing to leave the party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What made Buffon special in Serie A was that he never felt like a system goalkeeper. He was the system. Command of the box, reflexes that seemed unfair, and a calmness that could lower an entire stadium\u2019s blood pressure. In a league that has always loved its goalkeepers, Buffon sat on the throne for a quarter-century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udd25 Gianluigi Buffon: The CLEAN SHEET KING! \ud83d\udc51<br \/><br \/>With 500+ clean sheets, he stands ALONE as the only goalkeeper in history to hit this insane milestone. \ud83e\udde4\u26a1<br \/><br \/>A living legend. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/D1m4hBzqYc\">pic.twitter.com\/D1m4hBzqYc<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1906774415138046381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 31, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rd-javier-zanetti-the-ultimate-never-drops-below-8-10\">RB: Javier Zanetti, the ultimate \u201cnever drops below 8\/10\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Zanetti is the rare player who feels impossible to dislike because he\u2019s impossible to fault. Right-back, wing-back, midfield, emergency everything, he played like professionalism had a personal brand ambassador. His Inter career covers multiple versions of the club: the years of nearly, the years of heartbreak, and then the years of everything, capped by the 2009-10 treble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this quarter-century XI, Zanetti\u2019s job is glamorous in the unglamorous way. He gives you width without losing your shape, recovery runs without drama, and leadership without theatre. Every great Italian team needs someone who keeps the lights on. Zanetti powers the whole building.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"726\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-106697529-726x1024.jpg\" alt=\"LECCE, ITALY - NOVEMBER 10:  Javier Zanetti of Inter in action during the Serie A match between Lecce and Inter Milan at Stadio Via del Mare on November 10, 2010 in Lecce, Italy. \" class=\"wp-image-14701\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Giuseppe Bellini\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rcd-fabio-cannavaro-the-defender-who-made-defending-look-fun\">CB: Fabio Cannavaro, the defender who made defending look fun<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cannavaro is the argument that centre-half can be a starring role. He was not built like the stereotype, which made it even more irritating for strikers: he read the game early, jumped passing lanes, and won duels with timing rather than brute force. In the mid-2000s, his peak arrives with a kind of inevitability, and the accolades, *cough cough* Ballon d&#8217;Or, follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udea8 Official \ud83d\udea8<br \/><br \/>Fabio Cannavaro has signed in as new Uzbekistan head coach <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/P0sUJ6ZUUH\">pic.twitter.com\/P0sUJ6ZUUH<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1975190310553600132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">October 6, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cd-alessandro-nesta-the-patron-saint-of-clean-defending\">CB: Alessandro Nesta, the patron saint of clean defending<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Nesta defended like he had extra information. The angles were always right. The timing was always perfect. He rarely looked like he was tackling. He looked like he was simply arriving at the correct location before everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His Milan years in the 2000s gave Serie A one of its defining images: a back line that could be aggressive and elegant at the same time. Nesta was central to that. In a league where centre-backs are judged as harshly as strikers, he passed every test: duels, positioning, composure, and that ability to make chaos feel organised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OnThisDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#OnThisDay<\/a> in 1976 one of the biggest icons in Italian football, Alessandro Nesta, was born <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ixfK401Ksh\">pic.twitter.com\/ixfK401Ksh<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/975643197983600640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 19, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lcd-giorgio-chiellini-the-modern-era-enforcer-with-a-ph-d-in-suffering\">CB: Giorgio Chiellini, the modern-era enforcer with a PhD in suffering<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chiellini is what happens when you combine elite athleticism, tactical intelligence, and a personality designed for 1-0 wins in February. He\u2019s the face of Juventus\u2019 nine-title run in the 2010s, but he\u2019s more than a symbol. He is the mechanism: blocking, grappling, organising, snarling, dragging matches into his preferred terrain. He\u2019s the one who heads away the cross after you\u2019ve lost the ball doing something ambitious. He\u2019s also the one who makes the striker\u2019s afternoon miserable enough that they stop enjoying themselves. In Serie A, that\u2019s an underrated superpower.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"663\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-1235946682-Copy-1024x663.jpg\" alt=\"TURIN, ITALY - OCTOBER 17: Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus (L) and Leonardo Bonucci of Juventus (R) during the Serie A match between Juventus and AS Roma at Allianz Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Turin, Italy. \" class=\"wp-image-14702\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Chris Ricco\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ld-paolo-maldini-the-most-luxurious-safety-blanket-football-ever-produced\">LB: Paolo Maldini, the most luxurious safety blanket football ever produced<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe the greatest player in Serie A history, Maldini at left-back for this period feels like a cheat code because you get the twilight of a career that still looked better than most people\u2019s prime. Even as the sport sped up, Maldini\u2019s decision-making stayed ahead of it. His positioning was a life hack for defending. He did not chase chaos. He prevented it from happening.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-661158752-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Paolo Maldini, AC Milan \" class=\"wp-image-14700\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Adam Davy &#8211; PA Images via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rcm-gennaro-gattuso-the-human-tackle-and-emotional-thermostat\">CM: Gennaro Gattuso, the human tackle and emotional thermostat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gattuso is the antidote to any team drifting into self-indulgence. He is bite, tempo, and refusal to be embarrassed. In Milan\u2019s great sides, he was the one who made the art possible. For every Pirlo pass, there was a Gattuso duel that won the ball back and restarted the whole machine. When Gattuso is on your side, your team feels harder to play against. That matters, especially in Italy, where control is currency.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"686\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-3371138-686x1024.jpg\" alt=\"MILAN - MARCH 23:  Gennaro Gattuso of AC Milan runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final, First Leg match between AC Milan and Deportivo La Coruna held on March 23, 2004 at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, in Milan, Italy. AC Milan won the match 4-1. \" class=\"wp-image-14699\" style=\"width:552px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Stu Forster\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lcm-andrea-pirlo-the-leagues-greatest-remote-control\">CM: Andrea Pirlo, the league\u2019s greatest remote control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pirlo in Serie A is an era-defining presence. He turned matches into slow-motion paintings where he picked the colour. He could play fast without sprinting, break a press without panicking, and create chances without ever looking like he was forcing the issue. The ball did not simply move. It travelled with purpose. Put him next to Gattuso and behind Totti and suddenly the team has both structure and surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udd25 Legends who wore BOTH red &amp; blue in Milan:<br \/><br \/>\u26ab\ud83d\udd35 Inter &amp; \ud83d\udd34\u26ab Milan share some iconic names:<br \/>\ud83c\udfa9 Roberto Baggio<br \/>\ud83c\udf87 Mario Balotelli<br \/>\ud83c\udfa9 Andrea Pirlo<br \/>\ud83d\udc10 Ronaldo Naz\u00e1rio<br \/>\ud83e\ude84 Clarence Seedorf<br \/><br \/>From rival to rival, greatness knows no boundaries. Who\u2019s your favorite? \ud83d\udc40 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/R64PnY4eL2\">pic.twitter.com\/R64PnY4eL2<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1876343784679620939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 6, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"am-francesco-totti-romes-eternal-cheat-code\">CAM: Francesco Totti, Rome\u2019s eternal cheat code<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The top assister of all-time in Serie A (88), Totti is the emotional heart of this whole exercise because he represents something Serie A used to produce in abundance: the superstar playmaker who belongs to a city, a club, a mythology. He was not just a No.10. He was a system, a symbol, and a weekly highlight reel. He can thread passes into feet, clip balls into space, slip a striker through with a disguised touch, or just shoot. He also gives the team its personality. Buffon gives it authority. Maldini gives it class. Totti gives it flair with teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">A happy birthday to former Italy and Roma star, Francesco Totti! \ud83c\udf88\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9<br \/><br \/>So many amazing memories from the one club superstar! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SUm1ZozKZ3\">pic.twitter.com\/SUm1ZozKZ3<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1971992515839721615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">September 27, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rst-zlatan-ibrahimovic-the-leagues-most-entertaining-bully\">ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovi\u0107, the league\u2019s most entertaining bully<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ibrahimovi\u0107 in Serie A is theatre and dominance rolled into one. He brought swagger that bordered on performance art, but he backed it up with production, trophies and 156 Serie A goals. His Inter period aligns with the club\u2019s domestic surge, and his Milan return later in life is one of the great late-career leadership arcs, helping drag a young side into title-winning belief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this team, Zlatan is the gravitational force. He pins centre-backs, wins aerials, creates chances by existing, and still has the technique to score goals that feel like they require a separate rulebook. Pair him with a cleaner, more penalty-box-focused striker and you get the best of both worlds: spectacle and efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"834\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-72291045-1024x834.jpg\" alt=\"MILAN, ITALY - OCTOBER 28: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Inter Milan celebrates scoring during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Inter Milan at the San Siro on October 28, 2006 in Milan, Italy. \" class=\"wp-image-14698\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by New Press\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lst-gonzalo-higuain-the-penalty-box-professional-with-a-record-setting-peak\">ST: Gonzalo Higua\u00edn, the penalty-box professional with a record-setting peak<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Higua\u00edn\u2019s best Serie A years were ruthless. His movement was the main event: that half-yard dart across the defender, that little drift into a shooting lane, that knack for arriving at exactly the wrong moment for a goalkeeper. His 2015-16 season with Napoli, when he broke the modern-era scoring record for a Serie A campaign with 36, is one of the defining striker peaks of the century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He complements Ibrahimovi\u0107 perfectly. Zlatan drops, links, improvises. Higua\u00edn runs, finishes, and lives for the moment the ball arrives at the near post. Give him Pirlo and Totti supplying, and he\u2019s fed like royalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-531641962-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"NAPLES, ITALY - 2016\/05\/14: Napoli's forward Gonzalo Higuain celebrates after scoring his 36th goal in the season during the Italian Serie A football match SSC Napoli versus Frosinone Calcio at the San Paolo stadium where  SSC Napoli beats Frosinone Calcio in 4-0 score. \" class=\"wp-image-14697\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Ciro De Luca\/Pacific Press\/LightRocket via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"f\">Check out the full team here<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS4VhAxCLCN\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS4VhAxCLCN\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS4VhAxCLCN\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by 365Scores (@365scores)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fa-qs\">FAQs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Is it fair to include Maldini when his peak was in the 1990s?<\/strong><br>Yes, because his 2000s level was still world-class, and he remained a defining Serie A figure into the late 2000s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why no full-backs like Cafu or Dani Alves (briefly at Juve)?<\/strong><br>Zanetti and Maldini combine longevity, peak level, leadership, and Serie A identity. You can absolutely argue alternatives, but this pairing is brutally complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why Higua\u00edn over other top scorers like Shevchenko or Del Piero?<\/strong><br>Higua\u00edn\u2019s Serie A peak and record-setting season, plus his production across Napoli and Juventus in the 2010s, makes him a strong 21st-century pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Would this XI work against modern pressing teams?<\/strong><br>Yes. The defence is intelligent and composed, Pirlo can bypass pressure, and the forward pairing gives you both an outlet and a finisher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What formation would you use if you wanted wingers?<\/strong><br>You could shift to a 4-3-3 by moving Totti into a false nine role or using him as a right-sided creator, but the current formation suits the personnel and defensive, controlled Serie A traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>By Nicky Helfgott &#8211; <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NickyHelfgott1\"><em>NickyHelfgott1 on X (Twitter<\/em>)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep up with all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\">latest transfer news<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/premier-league-7\/news\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/premier-league-7\/news\"> football news<\/a> on 365Scores!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Serie A between 2000 and 2025 has been a league of aesthetic extremes. Tactical chess at walking pace, then a 40-yard thunderbolt. A back four arranged like an art installation, then a No.10 deciding he\u2019s bored and inventing something illegal. It\u2019s also an era that contains almost every flavour of greatness: Milan\u2019s early-2000s elegance, Inter\u2019s &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":14704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,3474],"tags":[140,4433,4436,2440,4357,4438,4437,3054,4434,4439,141,4020,4435,38,3231,142,4431,4440,4432,144],"class_list":["post-14684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer","category-serie-a","tag-ac-milan","tag-alessandro-nesta","tag-andrea-pirlo","tag-as-roma","tag-fabio-cannavaro","tag-francesco-totti","tag-gennaro-gattuso","tag-gianluigi-buffon","tag-giorgio-chiellini","tag-gonzalo-higuain","tag-inter-milan","tag-italian-football","tag-javier-zanetti","tag-juventus","tag-paolo-maldini","tag-serie-a","tag-serie-a-best-xi","tag-serie-a-history","tag-serie-a-team-of-the-century","tag-zlatan-ibrahimovic","article_type-discover","entity_type-competition","inspiration-365s-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14684"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14896,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14684\/revisions\/14896"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}