Sampdoria

Lore & Background

Sampdoria's roots trace to two clubs founded in the late 1890s: Società Ginnastica Sampierdarenese (founded 1891, football section 1899) and Società Andrea Doria (founded 1895). In 1927, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria merged under the name La Dominante, wearing green and black striped shirts. That club lasted three seasons, then absorbed Corniglianese and competed as Foot Ball Club Liguria. Both clubs reverted to their original names in 1931. After World War II, both were in Serie A, and on 12 August 1946 they merged to create Unione Calcio Sampdoria. The first chairman was Piero Sanguineti, soon replaced by Amedeo Rissotto; the first head coach was Giuseppe Galluzzi. The club's blue shirt with white, red and black bands reflects the union of Andrea Doria (blue) and Sampierdarenese (white, red, black).

Reader's Guide

Sampdoria's fiercest rivalry is with Genoa CFC, known as the Derby della Lanterna. The club's most successful era was under owner Paolo Mantovani (from 1979) and head coach Vujadin Boškov (from 1986). Under Boškov, Sampdoria won the Coppa Italia in 1988, the Cup Winners' Cup in 1990, and the Scudetto in 1991. Key players of that Scudetto-winning team included Gianluca Pagliuca, Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini, Toninho Cerezo, Pietro Vierchowod, and Attilio Lombardo. After Paolo Mantovani's death in 1993, his son Enrico took over; in the 1993–94 season Sampdoria won another Coppa Italia and placed fourth in Serie A.

Did You Know?

• The club's nickname blucerchiati means 'blue-circled'.
• Sampdoria won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1990 by defeating Anderlecht after extra time.
• The club reached the European Cup final in 1992, losing to Barcelona at Wembley Stadium.
• Sampdoria's only Scudetto came in the 1990–91 season, finishing five points ahead of second-placed Internazionale.