Curated playlist
Sportspeople of Italian descent
- Manu GinóbiliManu Ginóbili was picked 57th in the NBA draft and still reached the Hall of Fame.
- Lionel MessiLionel Messi's first Barcelona contract was written on a paper napkin. He was 13 at the time.
- Hulk HoganHulk Hogan held the World Wrestling Federation championship for 1,474 days during his first reign. That is the third-longest run in the history of the title. The man under the bandana and the blond moustache was born Terry Gene Bollea.…
- Diego MaradonaDiego Maradona punched in one World Cup goal, then dribbled past five English players for another.
- Emiliano MartínezEmiliano Martínez tossed the ball away before a World Cup final shootout. He made France's Tchouaméni walk to fetch it.
- Diego ForlánDiego Forlán was 45 years old when he received a wildcard into the main doubles draw of the 2024 Uruguay Open in Montevideo. It was his first professional ATP tournament. The man walking onto the court had spent two decades as one of the…
- Gabriel BatistutaGabriel Batistuta, Argentina's top scorer, once asked a doctor to amputate his legs.
- Enzo FernándezEnzo Fernández scored for Argentina at the World Cup, then put the ball in his own net.
- Guillermo StábileGuillermo Stábile played in the 1930 World Cup because the starting striker had an anxiety attack.
- Mario KempesMario Kempes scored the 105th-minute winner in the 1978 World Cup final against the Netherlands.