England legend arrived at dinner ‘completely naked,’ which convinced Dino Zoff to let him go back home to his girlfriend.
Dino Zoff met many unique characters during his football career, especially as a goalkeeper before moving into coaching. The Italian legend is best known for his achievements with the national team, winning the European Championships in 1968 and the World Cup in 1982. He also had great success playing for Juventus, helping the team win six Serie A titles.
Zoff shared the field with famous players like Marco Tardelli and Franco Baresi, and later coached stars like Francesco Totti and Antonio Conte. But one player really caught his attention — the colorful English player Paul Gascoigne, whom Zoff came to admire deeply.
As a manager, Zoff led some of Europe’s biggest teams, including the Italian national team, which finished second at the 2000 European Championships, losing to France in the final. He also coached clubs like Lazio, Juventus, and Fiorentina. While he managed many talented players, he also dealt with some unusual personalities — and Gascoigne was one of the most memorable.
In an interview with Repubblica, shared by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Zoff recalled a funny story about Gascoigne’s character. One evening during a team camp, Gascoigne told him in broken Italian that he wanted to go home to see his girlfriend. Zoff tried to explain that wasn’t allowed, but the next day Gascoigne showed up completely naked! Zoff sent him home but admitted it was tough because he wanted to let him play. He said, “Artists should be admired, not judged. Gascoigne was a wonderful talent and a man who touched the hearts of many. I really loved him.”
Gascoigne spent three years playing in Italy with Lazio, joining in September 1992. Although the team did well, finishing fifth and qualifying for European football for the first time in 16 years, Gascoigne struggled to settle in Rome. Before the 1993-94 season, Zoff asked him to lose 13kg or risk losing his spot in the team.
Sadly, Gascoigne’s time in Italy ended on a low note when he broke his leg during training in April 1994 while trying to tackle Alessandro Nesta. After recovering, he clashed with Zoff’s successor, Zdenek Zeman, over fitness rules, and they agreed to part ways at the end of the 1994-95 season.