Maldini, Cesare (Trieste, 5/2/32)
Although he started out as a full-back, the stylish Milan defender found his true calling as a sweeper where his class made him one of the outstanding players of his generation. He was snapped up from Triestina as a 20-year-old and went on to play in 347 games for the Rossoneri, grabbing four League titles and the European Cup along the way. His intelligence for the game was underlined when he took over the Italy Under-21 coaching job and guided them to three successive Euro Championship wins in 1992, 1994 and 1996. His time at the helm of the full international team, however, saw them fail to impress at France ‘98.
Maldini, Paolo (Milan, 26/6/68)
It is hard for a player to outshine a famous father but that is precisely what Cesare Maldini’s boy has achieved. A Serie A debutant at 16, he was swept straight into the national team before he turned 20 and won League titles, European Cups and World Club Cups by the hatload. A tall, elegant full-back, he is also physically incredibly strong which allows him to play at the centre of defence with similar ease. Recently broke the Serie A record for appearances of 570 held by Dino Zoff, has made a record 122 European Cup starts and goes from strength to strength. His only regret is the lack of a major honour with the national team.
Mancini, Roberto (Jesi, 27/11/64)
Probably the most talented player of his generation, but a suspect temperament stopped him hitting the heights he might have reached for the national team. A gifted dribbler, intuitive passer and stunning scorer, he was the heart of Sampdoria’s glory years of the 1980s and early 1990s. Struck over 100 goals in over 400 Serie A appearances before turning to management with Coppa Italia success at Fiorentina, Lazio and his current charges, Inter.
MANTOVA (Founded: 1911. Stadio Danilo Martelli - Capacity: 12,000)
Created by the fusion of Vis et Virtus and Gruppo Del Calcio, the boys from Mantua have a respectable Serie A record. They have played seven seasons at the top and managed 48 wins during this time. Their last appearance came in 1972 and since then the club have suffered severe financial problems that even forced them into amateur football. But now they are back in Serie B and itching for a historic return to the top.
Maradona, Diego Armando (Lanus, Argentina, 30/10/60)
Rarely in Italian football does a player come to overshadow his club and possibly the whole of Serie A, but that was a feat achieved by this diminutive Argentine with golden feet during the late 1980s. An outstanding talent as a teenager - to such an extent that he made his international debut at 16 - he flopped in his first European outing when he signed for Barcelona. Napoli took the plunge in 1984 and never looked back as El Pibe d’Oro - The Golden Child - took them to unprecedented honours winning two Italian titles, the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup. His dribbling skills were without equal, his free-kicks were deadly and his ability to set up teammates like Antonio Careca was astounding. At Napoli he played 188 League games and scored 81 goals while at international level he starred in his country’s World Cup win of 1986.
Marini, Giampiero (Lodi, 25/2/51)
A midfielder full of endeavour who covered his defensive duties well, he was something of an unsung hero of the 1982 World Cup victory in Spain. His appearances as substitute often included valuable contributions as he did in more than 250 League games for Inter.
Marocchi, Giancarlo (Imola, 4/7/65)
This enterprising midfielder first came into the spotlight as a teenage talent at Bologna in Serie B where his performances persuaded Juventus to sign him in 1988. He enjoyed a successful career with the Bianconeri before closing his playing days back with Bologna.
Maschio, Humberto (Avellaneda, Argentina, 20/2/33)
An attacking midfielder of outstanding touch, he played for Bologna, Atalanta, Inter and Fiorentina in the 1960s. His Italian ancestry permitted him to play two games for Italy - the last of these being the ill-fated Battle of Santiago with Chile in 1962.
Massaro, Daniele (Monza, 23/5/61)
First starred in Serie A with Fiorentina but got his real taste of success with Milan in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was viewed as the perfect support man for Marco van Basten and when the Dutchman was out with injury the goals of San Massaro - St Massaro - helped his team win another championship. He also enjoyed a lengthy Italy career spanning some 12 years and including 15 caps.
Matthaus, Lothar (Erlangen, Germany, 21/3/61)
A hard-driving midfielder who regularly got amongst the goals, he was the inspiration behind Inter’s last championship win of 1989 when they set a record points total for an 18-team Serie A. A consistent performer with a ferocious shot, he took his country to the World Cup in 1990 and picked up over 100 caps in an impressive career. In Italy, his influence was immense - particularly in his opening seasons with Inter - as he picked up a trophy in 1989 (League), 1990 (Italian Super Cup) and 1991 (UEFA Cup).
Mazzola, Alessandro (Turin, 8/11/42)
His name is forever linked with the most impressive period of Inter’s history and he was the most influential player of that time. A striker who turned his skills to an attacking midfield role, he was capable of both scoring and setting up goals which made him difficult to deal with for any defence. The son of Torino legend Valentino Mazzola and trained by Inter superstar Giuseppe Meazza, the frail looking boy had football in his blood and made his Serie A debut as a teenager. During his long career with Inter he won four championships, two European Cups and two World Club Cups and was also Italy’s top scorer in 1965. At international level he played 70 games and netted 22 goals although his difficult co-existence with another superstar of the day, Gianni Rivera, led to the ridiculous situation of them being swapped around during the 1970 World Cup by Coach Valcareggi. Still, there was the satisfaction of European Nations triumph for this outstanding talent in 1968.
Mazzola, Valentino (Cassano d'Adda, 26/1/19 - Died 1949)
The greatest player of the early post-war generation and heart and soul of the Great Torino team. He was both powerful and skilful which made him a lethal scorer from midfield and a great breaker-up of the opposition’s play. His skills came to the fore with Venezia where he helped to push them close to the League title and secured that club’s solitary Coppa Italia success in 1941 before making the move to Torino along with teammate Ezio Loik. It was there that he won five championships on the trot and made his way into Vittorio Pozzo’s Italy team where he collected 12 caps and four goals. He was surely destined to write his name even larger on the history of Italian football when he perished the whole Torino team in the air crash of 1949.
Meazza, Giuseppe (Milan, 23/8/10 - Died 1979)
One of the most famous players of the early years of Italian football, his scoring achievements are second to none. He started as a teenager with Inter in the late 1920s and over a lengthy career with them scored 238 Serie A goals in 348 games. He finished as top scorer on no fewer than three occasions (1930, 1936 and 1938) and was rarely out of Italy’s top five scorers in a season. Surprisingly his talents brought him little domestic reward - two League titles and a Coppa Italia success. But internationally he was much better rewarded, playing a part in both World Cup victories of 1934 and 1938.
Menti, Romeo (Vicenza, 5/9/19 - Died 1949)
Another member of the Torino team that died at Superga in 1949, he was a dashing right-winger who started with his hometown club before moving to Fiorentina and on to Torino. His skills brought him five goals in just seven international matches and some 86 Serie A strikes. The stadium in Vicenza bears his name to this day.
Meroni, Luigi (Como, 24/2/43 - Died 1967)
One of the most talented footballers of his era and also with one of the most tragic stories to tell. An idol of the Torino fans, this gifted right winger lived the lifestyle of the 1960s and was a typical hero of that beat generation. At a club desperate for success he was seen as a sign of good things to come when he made his way into the national team. But just as great success seemed to beckon he was struck by a car outside his house and killed at the age of just 24.
MESSINA (Founded: 1945. Stadio San Filippo - Capacity: 40,200)
This side from Sicily looked to have enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame in the 1960s when they managed back-to-back Serie A seasons. In 1964 they managed to avoid relegation with a 14th place finish, but the following year they tumbled back into Serie B. The eventually returned to the top in 2004 and, after a tempestuous summer, retained that status this season.
Mihajlovic, Sinisa (Vukovar, Croatia, 20/2/69)
Shy and retiring are not too words in anybody’s mind when they speak about this imposing defender. Shot to fame in the great Red Star Belgrade team of the early 1990s before Roma brought him to Italy. Spells at Sampdoria and Lazio - where he won the Scudetto - led him to Inter late in the career where he mixed great free-kicks with more dubious moments of fame.
MILAN (Founded: 1899. Stadio Giuseppe Meazza - Capacity: 85,443)
One of Italian football's big three and a side that has challenged Juventus as the biggest in the peninsula in recent years with a string of domestic, European and worldwide successes. The club was originally made up of a number of English ex-pats and Swiss along with a few local Italians. They immediately made an impact with a first championship in 1901 and followed this with successes in 1906 and 1907. But after such a flying start the Rossoneri went through a decidedly dodgy patch and were not to return to the top of Italian football until after the Second World War. Milan revived their fortunes with three Swedes - Gunnar Gren, Nils Liedholm and the club’s record scorer Gunnar Nordahl. With this sort of power they were never likely to be far away from honours and League titles came in 1951, 1955, 1957 and 1959. The club had established themselves as a major modern force in Italian football and were ready to take their challenge to Europe which they did with a further championship win in 1962. Milan went raging into Europe and swept away reigning champions Benfica in a thrilling European Cup Final in 1963 to become the first Italian team to take that trophy. It was to prove to be a competition they developed something of a taste for over the years. By this time a young star by the name of Gianni Rivera was emerging to command the Milan midfield for almost 20 years. By the late 1960s Milan were ready for even greater glory and picked up the Coppa Italia in 1967, Cup-Winners Cup and Italian Championship in 1968 and the European Cup and World Club Cup in 1969. Decline came with relegation to Serie B in a match fixing scandal and then again through bad results in the early 1980s. These were tough years to follow the club and it was not until media magnate Silvio Berlusconi took over the presidency of the side in the mid-1980s that they returned to the top. Putting his faith in unknown Coach Arrigo Sacchi and Dutch talent like Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, the Rossoneri took the Scudetto in 1988 and then back-to-back European Cups and World Club Cups. They went on to become a dominant force in Europe and at home under Fabio Capello and the trophies, both domestic and European, continued to pile up even after he left.
MODENA (Founded: 1912. Stadio Alberto Braglia - Capacity: 21,000)
The club’s best years came in the immediate post war period when they enjoyed four consecutive seasons in the top flight out of the 13 they have managed in total. This was also the time when they managed their best Serie A finish with a third place spot in 1947 behind the great Torino team. They were back at the top level between 2002 and 2004 and are looking good to bounce back again this season.
Montella, Vincenzo (Pomigliano D’Arco, 18/6/74)
The little hitman has never really got the recognition his hefty goals tally has merited. First caught the eye at Empoli, Genoa and Sampdoria before going on to Roma to help bring the Scudetto their way in 2001.
Montero, Paolo (Montevideo, Uruguay, 3/9/71)
His name became synonymous with red cards but he was a stalwart of a highly successful Juve team between 1996 and 2004. Prior to that he had come to Serie A attention with some solid displays for Atalanta.
Monti, Luisito (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 15/5/01 - Died 1983)
This giant Argentine import was a vital part of the famous Juventus side of the 1930s as he commanded the midfield with awesome power. He signed for the Turin giants at the age of 30 from San Lorenzo but went on to have eight seasons with the Bianconeri, playing 225 Serie A games and scoring 20 goals. The quality of his play had the Italian Football Federation looking up his ancestry and they soon unearthed his Italian origins. Having played 17 times for Argentina including in the 1930 World Cup Final defeat to Uruguay, he made his debut for Italy in 1932 and was an essential element of the historic first World Cup win in 1934.
Montuori, Miguel (Rosario, Argentina, 24/9/32)
A talent discovered by a Fiorentina-mad priest in Chile, he helped the Tuscan side to their first championship in 1956 in his first season with the side. An attacking, left-sided midfielder he had a gift for goals and managed 22 strikes in a memorable 1958-59 campaign. In total he spent six seasons with the Viola, playing 162 Serie A games and scoring 72 times.
Monzeglio, Eraldo (Vignate Monferrato, 5/6/06 - Died 1981)
A double World Cup winning right-back in 1934 and ‘38, he was a cool and accomplished performer for both club and country. His career started with provincial Casale, but he joined Bologna in 1926 and it was with the Rossoblu that he won his only domestic honours with the Scudetto in 1929. In total he played over 350 Serie A games and also appeared some 35 times for his country.
Morini, Francesco (San Giuliano Terme, 12/8/44)
A no-nonsense central defender, his name is linked to Juve’s great successes of the 1970s where he picked up five League titles, a Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup. He was signed by the Bianconeri from Sampdoria in 1969 and went on to play ten years for the Turin side. In total he played 388 Serie A games without ever striking a single goal.
Moscardini, Giovanni ‘Johnny’ (Prestwick, Scotland, 1897 - Died 1985)
This battling Scottish-Italian returned to Italy after World War One and played nine times for his country, scoring seven goals. He was a star for Tuscan sides Pisa and Lucchese before being catapulted into the Italian national team where he kept up his tremendous scoring rate.
Muccinelli, Ermes (Lugo di Romagnana, 28/7/27)
Although lightweight looking, this right-winger was part of a devastating Juve attack of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He played some 334 Serie A games with the Bianconeri and Lazio and scored 89 goals over his 13 years in the top flight.
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