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Veni, Vidi, Vici: When Italian Football Ruled Europe
A celebration of the late 1980s and 90s, when Italian football dominated Europe. This book is a must-read for anyone who experienced Italian football through Channel 4's groundbreaking 1990s coverage.
It was an era when ten different Italian teams played in major European finals, when the greatest players strutted their stuff in Italy's stadiums, cheered on by colourful fans with flares and tifos. Inside you'll read
The effect the Heysel disaster had on European football, including Italian football's relative weakness before HeyselThe turbulent times of Maradona at Napoli, including his and Italy's experiences at Italia '90The influx of foreign talent into Italian football, including the Dutch trio as part of Sacchi's Milan revolution and three Germans at InterThe dominance of Italian clubs in Europe, including the likes of Sampdoria, Torino, Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio and Parma alongside Napoli, Milan, Inter and Juventus
This evocative book will take those who remember the era on a nostalgic journey through Italian splendour, while those who don't will wish they had been there. It was a time when Italian football was the ultimate in cool.
It was an era when ten different Italian teams played in major European finals, when the greatest players strutted their stuff in Italy's stadiums, cheered on by colourful fans with flares and tifos. Inside you'll read
The effect the Heysel disaster had on European football, including Italian football's relative weakness before HeyselThe turbulent times of Maradona at Napoli, including his and Italy's experiences at Italia '90The influx of foreign talent into Italian football, including the Dutch trio as part of Sacchi's Milan revolution and three Germans at InterThe dominance of Italian clubs in Europe, including the likes of Sampdoria, Torino, Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio and Parma alongside Napoli, Milan, Inter and Juventus
This evocative book will take those who remember the era on a nostalgic journey through Italian splendour, while those who don't will wish they had been there. It was a time when Italian football was the ultimate in cool.
320 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2025
2 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 5, 2025
Fantastic read, reelly enjoyed learning more about Serie in late 80s-90s and loved the writing style of shorter chapters focusing on specific teams, players or subject matters. Definitely recommend for football fans.
October 13, 2025
Not a definitive account of Italian football, but a very enjoyable read about the heyday of Italian football
November 14, 2025
short version of my review for When Saturday Comes magazine October 2025 - Veni Vidi Vici: When Italian Football Ruled Europe – Dominic Hougham (Pitch, £16.99)
It’s now 15 seasons since an Italian club last won the Champions League, a barren spell that feels astonishing when set against the era Dominic Hougham revisits in Veni Vidi Vici. His book is a lively, affectionate chronicle of Serie A’s golden age, when Italian football dominated Europe between 1988 and 1999 and ten different clubs reached major finals.
British fans who remember Channel 4’s Gazzetta years will find plenty of nostalgic thrills. Hougham deftly sketches the shift from Europe’s traditional powerhouses to Italy’s resurgence, driven first by Trapattoni’s Juventus and Maradona’s Napoli, then supercharged in the 1990s by vast investment, relaxed foreign-player rules and bold, sometimes chaotic ownership.
The cast is irresistible: Sacchi’s all-conquering Milan; Lippi’s Juventus; Mancini’s Sampdoria; Gazza’s wild Roman adventure. Hougham captures both the brilliance on the pitch and the “Wild West” energy off it, from flamboyant stars like Weah and Asprilla to power-brokers such as Berlusconi and Moggi.
There are engaging diversions into Italia ’90, Baggio’s USA ’94 heartbreak and Parma’s rise and fall. Vivid, detailed and steeped in colour, this is essential reading for anyone who loved – or wants to understand – why Serie A once bestrode world football.
It’s now 15 seasons since an Italian club last won the Champions League, a barren spell that feels astonishing when set against the era Dominic Hougham revisits in Veni Vidi Vici. His book is a lively, affectionate chronicle of Serie A’s golden age, when Italian football dominated Europe between 1988 and 1999 and ten different clubs reached major finals.
British fans who remember Channel 4’s Gazzetta years will find plenty of nostalgic thrills. Hougham deftly sketches the shift from Europe’s traditional powerhouses to Italy’s resurgence, driven first by Trapattoni’s Juventus and Maradona’s Napoli, then supercharged in the 1990s by vast investment, relaxed foreign-player rules and bold, sometimes chaotic ownership.
The cast is irresistible: Sacchi’s all-conquering Milan; Lippi’s Juventus; Mancini’s Sampdoria; Gazza’s wild Roman adventure. Hougham captures both the brilliance on the pitch and the “Wild West” energy off it, from flamboyant stars like Weah and Asprilla to power-brokers such as Berlusconi and Moggi.
There are engaging diversions into Italia ’90, Baggio’s USA ’94 heartbreak and Parma’s rise and fall. Vivid, detailed and steeped in colour, this is essential reading for anyone who loved – or wants to understand – why Serie A once bestrode world football.
November 22, 2025
Італійський футбол кінця вісімдесятих і дев'яностих досі живе у спогадах як епоха, коли все було просто крутіше. Коли найкращі гравці світу їхали не в Англію чи Іспанію, а в Серію А. Коли італійські клуби методично розбирали європейську конкуренцію, а телеканал Channel 4 робив із неділі справжнє свято для британських уболівальників. Dominic Hougham у книзі "Veni, Vidi, Vici" повертає читача в цей золотий вік кальчо —із залізною логікою, фактами та відчуттям особистого захоплення автора, який сам провів роки, ловлячи кожен матч і кожну історію з Апеннінського півострова. Головна теза проста: італійський футбол домінував не через випадковість, а завдяки унікальному збігу обставин, талантів і... чужої трагедії.
Hougham —не випадкова людина у світі футбольної журналістики. Штатний дописувач These Football Times, автор книги про найбільші матчі чемпіонатів світу, він не просто пише про кальчо —він його живе. Його численні виступи у подкастах про італійський футбол дев'яностих свідчать: це особиста пристрасть, а не просто тема для книги. Hougham пише для тих, хто пам'ятає, як у 1992 році Channel 4 почав показувати Серію А в прямому ефірі, перетворивши італійський футбол на культурний феномен у Великій Британії. Але книга буде цінною і для молодших читачів, які знають Серію А лише в її сучасному, не найкращому вигляді. "Veni, Vidi, Vici" —це спроба пояснити, як італійський футбол став тим, чим він був, і чому це так раптово закінчилося.
Hougham —не випадкова людина у світі футбольної журналістики. Штатний дописувач These Football Times, автор книги про найбільші матчі чемпіонатів світу, він не просто пише про кальчо —він його живе. Його численні виступи у подкастах про італійський футбол дев'яностих свідчать: це особиста пристрасть, а не просто тема для книги. Hougham пише для тих, хто пам'ятає, як у 1992 році Channel 4 почав показувати Серію А в прямому ефірі, перетворивши італійський футбол на культурний феномен у Великій Британії. Але книга буде цінною і для молодших читачів, які знають Серію А лише в її сучасному, не найкращому вигляді. "Veni, Vidi, Vici" —це спроба пояснити, як італійський футбол став тим, чим він був, і чому це так раптово закінчилося.
September 1, 2025
Dominic Hougham is an excellent author. I started watching the Italian Serie A in 1991. I was just starting secondary school then. AC MILAN were the team to watch because of the famous Dutch trio, Van Basten, Gullit and Rikjaard. Roberto Baggio also dazzled and Martin Tyler…what a legend. This book brings back fond memories.
September 17, 2025
I am a Pitch Publishing Author as well, so I always support my publisher (unless it's a blue side of Glasgow or Manchester team. We have needed more books on Italy during the 80's and 90s. Dominic hit that great. Long sections on Sampdoria and Parma really set off this book as one of the best. Do your good deed of the year and buy it.
October 27, 2025
A great read of the golden age of Italian football. Well researched, full of great stories..
Highly recommend for fans that can remember the Channel 4 shows
Highly recommend for fans that can remember the Channel 4 shows
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews