The King of Turin

Italy's forward Alessandro Del Piero signals number one after he scored the equalizing goal against Mexico during match 43 group G of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea Japan 13 June, 2002 in Oita, Japan. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. AFP PHOTO GABRIEL BOUYS

Alessandro Del Piero has been the star of the Juventus side he led to five Italian league championships, though to the rancour of appreciating hordes his sublime skills have latterly failed to secure him an automatic place in the Italy side.

Italian Alessandro Del Piero sits on the field after the Euro 2000 soccer championship final France vs Italy in Rotterdam, 02 July 2000. France won 2-1 in extra time, on golden goal rule. AFP PHOTO/MICHELE LIMINA (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

So impressed were the Juventus coaching staff when Del Piero came into the side in the 1993-94 season that they sold their golden boy Roberto Baggio. Detractors of that audacious sale have often since seen its wisdom. In one purple patch in the 1997-98 season 'Alex' bagged 32 goals in just 21 matches.

That irresistible form made him a cornerstone in Cesare Maldini's Italy side for the 1998 World Cup, where they fell at the quarter-final stage in a penalty shoot-out to eventual champions France.

Good luck, bad luck

Italian forwards, Alen Boksic (L) and Alessandro Del Piero (R) hold the Intercontinental Cup after beating River Plate of Argentina 1-0 in the Toyota European/South American Cup in Tokyo 26 November. AFP PHOTO

Del Piero had already won Italian league titles in 1995, 1997 and 1998 and would do so again with a largely rebuilt side in 2002 and 2003.

In the 1996-97 season Juventus also won the Champions League, beating Ajax on penalties after a 1-1 draw. They were a memorable sight, with Gianluca Vialli and Fabrizio Ravanelli also in the forward line.

Juventus were practicing a policy of 'Vinci vendi' (win and sell) and that pair moved on as new stars such as Zinedine Zidane were brought in.

However, Del Piero and company lost the next two Champions League finals to Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively, an agonising experience for any player.

Early in the 1998-99 campaign he suffered an even crueller blow when a knee ligament injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Supersub

At Euro 2000 Italian coach Dino Zoff brought him off the bench in four matches when Italy were looking for a late goal. In the end it was France who got a late goal in the final to again break Italian hearts.

Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni (R) and Alessandro Del Piero (L) practice during a training session at Dome Sapporo Stadium, 02 June 2002. Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni said 01 June that he would play with a 4-4-2 system against Ecuador in their first match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea Japan 03 June at Sapporo when the 'Azzurri' get their World Cup campaign underway. Trapattoni, speaking to journalists at Italy's training camp here, confirmed that his starting line-up would be the same as the 4-4-2 he played in a friendly match with local favourites Sendai earlier in the week. AFP PHOTO GERARD JULIEN

Juventus' captain forward Italian Alessandro Del Piero (R) kicks the ball despite Milan AC defender Georgian Kakha Kaladze during their European Champions League Final Match at Old Trafford Stadium, 28 May 2003 in Manchester. AFP PHOTO PAUL BARKER

At the 2002 World Cup and in qualification for Euro 2004 his role as supersub has continued under current coach Giovanni Trapattoni, who prefers to start matches with Christian Vieri and Filippo Inzaghi.

At club level Del Piero is on another fine run having won the Italian League in 2002 and 2003. He also made it to the Champions League final in 2003, scoring a brilliant goal in the 3-1 burial of Real Madrid in the semi-final second leg.

Though losing the final to AC Milan on penalties was yet another bitter pill to swallow.