Veni, Vidi, Vici: When Italian Football Ruled Europe

by Dominic Hougham

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.

Genres: Football

320 pages, Paperback

Published June 2, 2025

Reviews

[Keen Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s highly unlikely that if it wasn’t for English teams being banned for five seasons (Liverpool for six) that Italian teams would have enjoyed anywhere near the same level of continental success. As any English fan will tell you, their teams were dominating the European stage for around a decade with no less than 7 of the 9 European cup competitions from 1977 – 85, going to an English side. This is even more incredible when you see that these were won by three different sides (Liverpool 4 Notts Forest 2 Aston Villa 1) before they were kicked out. But on the other hand, unlike the current EPL - an English league playing host to mostly foreigners, the Siere A of the era was actually an Italian league played mostly with home grown Italians, with there being a two foreigner limit, only increased to three from the 1988-89 season – so the successes was overwhelmingly an Italian one.

Unfortunately you cannot disregard or dismiss the massive role and impact that corruption has played in Italian football. It’s not as if we’re talking about one or two incidents or scandals either, we’re talking about a long and deeply established culture of corruption which is so inextricably linked to the country and their approach to the game, that you simply cannot separate the two.

This is something that for decades has taken on different forms at different times, involving high level politicians, match referees, team managers, the mafia and of course so many of the Italian players themselves. Bribery, back handers and betting are so intertwined in its history it’s like a garish wallpaper forever in the background, add to this drug doping, fan violence and the sheer dark cynicism that so many have brought to the game. Although its so often crass and blatant, that people are conditioned to work round it and pretend it’s not there, until it surfaces again in yet another scandal which cannot be ignored and then the Italians can indulge in the pretend game that next time will be different.

But corruption aside, this is mostly about what happens on the pitch and there is a lot to enjoy about this book and those of a certain vintage will remember many of the highlights and low lights featured in here. Hougham has a nice enough style, and apart from the odd mistake here and there (Mourinho's Roma didn't win the Europa League in 2022, it was the Conference League) but overall he does a good job of conjuring up drama and maintaining interest throughout most of this and the quality greatly outweighs any shortcomings.

[Marcus Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a definitive account of Italian football, but a very enjoyable read about the heyday of Italian football

[Rob Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Захарченко Віктор · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Olubunmi Adewumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Stephen Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Davide Longo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read, one of the best football books on the market, particularly if you love italian football. Extremely easy to read and well put together, what a decade of great football and superstar players all playing in one fantastic league Serie A

[Chris Oakland · Rating 5 out of 5]

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