3 – Gennaro Gattuso
Gennaro Gattuso is evidence of just how much more matters in football than pure technique. ‘Ringhio’ (meaning ‘growl’) was never a fine player. He never scored a beautiful goal for the Azzurri, nor was he ever seen to dribble around an adversary. We cannot recall a single touch of skill that he left us with. And yet his contribution to the game was immense, and when playing at his best, he could have made it as a starter in almost any team.
Gattuso was a mediano, roughly translated as a defensive midfielder. His man-marking abilities and his tenacity were worthy of any Italian central defender, and his stamina appeared to be endless, matched by none in the course of this decade but Simone Perrotta. While the spectrum of his individual skills was rather limited, his defensive sharpness was such that he allowed coaches tremendous flexibility when shaping their midfield – he could cover for offensive fullbacks or rescue troubled playmakers. Add to all of the above a psychological resolve and a warrior spirit that could drag an entire team forward through thick and thin, and you have a truly memorable player.
When Gattuso played side by side with his AC Milan team-mate Andrea Pirlo, as in the glorious 2006 campaign, it made for the perfect central midfield combo, providing an infinite range of offensive and defensive options. Though Gattuso peaked in 2006 (and coming off an injury, no less), he played in three other tournaments as well, including a strong 2002 showing. Undisputedly one of the decade’s midfielders.
