13 Facts About Ciro Ferrara

Ciro Ferrara had previously coached Juventus and the Italy national under-21 team.

Ciro Ferrara graduated the primavera youth squad in 1984, and began to earn first team call-ups that season.

Ciro Ferrara made 14 total appearances with the club in his first full season.

Ciro Ferrara scored one of Napoli's goals as they won the 1989 UEFA Cup final.

Ciro Ferrara is considered one of the best central defenders of his generation, not relinquishing his starting position for the club for the next ten years.

Ciro Ferrara captained the team from 1995 to 1996 and became one of the most experienced and decorated players of the past two decades, winning eight Serie A championships, six of which were with Juventus, and two with Napoli.

Ciro Ferrara made just four Serie A appearances in his final season with the club.

In June 1987, Ciro Ferrara debuted for the Italian senior squad in a friendly match against Argentina.

An elegant yet powerful and aggressive defender, Ciro Ferrara was known throughout his career for his composure, anticipation, technical skills, ball-playing ability, versatility, and class, which enabled him to play anywhere along the back-line, both in the centre, as a man-marker, or as a full-back, usually on the right flank, and allowed him to adapt to various formations and systems.

Ciro Ferrara was considered to be a complete, experienced, consistent, cautious and successful defender, with a good positional sense, who was quick, athletic, strong in the air, a good tackler, and who excelled at reading the game and marking his opponents; these skills enabled him to be effective in both a man-marking and a zonal marking defensive system.

Ciro Ferrara was part of the Italian technical staff for the 2006 World Cup.

In July 2008, Ciro Ferrara took the UEFA Pro License coaching badges following training at Coverciano, Florence.

On 22 October 2010, Ciro Ferrara was announced as new head coach of the Italy under-21 team, with former teammate Angelo Peruzzi his assistant.