Walter Zenga

Lore & Background

Zenga was part of the Italian squad that finished fourth at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and was the starting goalkeeper for the Italian team that finished third in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, keeping a World Cup record unbeaten streak until broken by Unai Simón in 2026. A three-time winner of the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper Award, he was voted the eighth best goalkeeper of the past quarter-century by IFFHS in 2013, and placed 20th in the World Keeper of the Century Elections in 2000. After retiring, he briefly became an actor in an Italian soap opera and a pundit on Italian TV. Since 1998 he has worked as a head coach, managing clubs in the United States, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and England.

Reader's Guide

Zenga joined Inter Milan in 1982 after starting his professional career in 1978 with Salernitana in Serie C1, also playing for Savona and Sambenedettese. He became Inter's starting goalkeeper in the 1983–84 season, conceding only 23 goals. He won the Serie A title with Inter in 1988–89, and the UEFA Cup in 1991 and 1994. He transferred to Sampdoria in 1994, then to Padova two years later. In 1997, he joined the New England Revolution in MLS, where he was named MLS Player of the Month for September 1997, a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, and won the team's MVP award. He retired on January 15, 1998, and later became the Revolution's head coach on August 24, 1998.

Did You Know?

• Zenga saved penalty kicks from Roberto Baggio and Michel Platini during his career.
• In 1997, Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci presented Zenga with a bottle of 'Mayor’s Own Marinara Sauce' at a fan event.