Zola: ‘Not easy’ to join Chelsea, Maradona ‘named me as his successor’

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 17: Gianfranco Zola is seen prior to the UEFA EURO 2024 European qualifier match between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium on October 17, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Italy legend Gianfranco Zola admits that joining Chelsea at 30 was ‘not easy,’ but his ‘motivation’ made the difference, and he also reveals that Diego Armando Maradona regarded him as his successor.

Former Parma, Napoli, Chelsea, Cagliari and Italy striker Zola gave an interview with Guerin Sportivo to talk about his playing career.

Zola joined Napoli from Sardinian team Torres in 1989 and played two years alongside Maradona with the Partenopei.

“Diego helped me so much; he named me as his successor, but I already knew nobody could succeed in this feat,” Zola said via TMW.

“It wasn’t easy, and I gave my best. People loved me.”

The relationship with Napoli fans fell apart in the summer of 1993 when Zola joined Parma. The former striker, however, later cleared the air with the Partenopei supporters.

“They had built a solid bond with me, and I had, too. They thought I was running away,” he said.

“The truth was very different. The club was going through a tough time [financially], so they sold Ferrara, Fonseca and others. I immediately made sure it wasn’t my decision. I loved Naples, and Naples kept loving me.”

During his time at Parma, Zola won the UEFA Cup and the European Super Cup. He spent three years at the Tardini before joining Gianluca Vialli at Chelsea in the summer of 1996.

“Three and a half years later, I had the chance to go to Chelsea. I was coming from a European Championship that hadn’t gone well; I accepted this challenge, and the club went along with me,” Zola said.

“It wasn’t easy to start again at 30, but it was all about motivation. It is in those moments that you find yourself drawing resources you didn’t know you had.”

Magic Box made history at Chelsea, winning, among other trophies, two FA Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

A former Italy international, Zola scored ten goals in 35 international appearances with the Azzurri.