1. Once dubbed the "new Gigi Meroni", Lentini began his senior career with hometown club Torino in 1986, with whom he won a Serie B title and the Mitropa Cup; in 1992, Lentini became the then-most expensive player when he joined Milan in a transfer worth a reported 18.5 billion Italian lire, where he won three Serie A titles, three Supercoppas Italiana, and the UEFA Champions League.
Gianluigi Lentini suffered a serious car crash in 1993, which derailed his career.
Gianluigi Lentini returned to Torino the following year and scored six goals as they won the Serie B title and were promoted to Serie A Under new coach Emiliano Mondonico and the transfer outlay by owner Gian Mauro Borsano to acquire Rafael Martin Vazquez to compliment a team containing Lentini and other academy products Luca Marchegiani and Giorgio Bresciani, Torino won the Mitropa Cup in 1991 and finished in fifth place.
However, Torino's financial difficulties led to Gianluigi Lentini signing for Milan on a reported four year contract for a then-world record transfer fee of 18.5 billion Italian lire in 1992; Borsano reportedly pocketed an estimated 7.5 billion lire from the transfer.
Gianluigi Lentini was dragged from the wreckage seconds before it caught fire and was placed in an induced coma for two days; he fractured his skull and damaged an eye socket.
Gianluigi Lentini left in 2001 and subsequently played several seasons in the lower divisions with various other clubs, including Cosenza, the phoenix club Cosenza, Canelli, Saviglianese, Nicese and Carmagnola, before retiring in 2012, aged 43.
Gianluigi Lentini initially made two appearances with the Italy national under-21 football team between 1987 and 1990, making his debut on 29 November 1989; he was a member of the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, under manager Cesare Maldini, eventually finishing the tournament in third place.
Gianluigi Lentini later become a regular member of Arrigo Sacchi's Italy side during the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, although he would miss out on the final tournament due to his inconsistent performances following his serious car crash in August 1993.
Gianluigi Lentini was capped on 13 occasions in total, making his last appearance on 6 November 1996.
Gianluigi Lentini was highly regarded for his creativity, his excellent technical ability, agility, speed, balance, and his dribbling skills, as well as his crossing ability, which made him an extremely effective attacking threat on the wing, and allowed him to beat opponents in one on one situations and subsequently provide assists for his teammates.
Gianluigi Lentini was married to Alexandra Carlsson, a model from Sweden; their son, Nicholas, was born in 1996.