1966: Born in Oliena, Sardinia on July 5.

1984: Signs first professional contract with Nuorese for whom he scores 10 goals in 31 appearances.

1987: Remains in Sardinia and signs for Serie C outfit Sassari Torres and nets 21 times in 88 games for the club.

1989: Zola joins Serie A side Napoli where he serves as an understudy to Diego Maradona. Zola later admitted the Argentina international was a huge influence on his career. He said: "I learned everything from Diego. I used to spy on him every time he trained and learned how to curl a free-kick just like him."

1990: April - Features as part of the Napoli side - inspired by Maradona - who win the Scudetto title for only the second time in their history.

August - Helps Napoli win the Italian Super Cup with a 5-1 win over Juventus.

1991: March - Maradona receives a 15-month ban from the Italian league after testing positive for cocaine and Zola assumes the playmaker role and gets more first-team opportunities.

November - Arrigo Sacchi calls Zola up to the full Italy squad and he makes his debut for the Azzurri in an international friendly against Norway.

1993: Napoli finish a disappointing 11th in Serie A at the end of the 1992/93 season and Zola leaves Naples for Parma.

1994: February - Helps Parma to a 2-1 aggregate victory over AC Milan in the Uefa Super Cup and strikes up a strong partnership with Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla.

June - Part of Italy's squad for the World Cup in the USA which reaches the final but Zola only features in the 2-1 extra-time victory over Nigeria in the last 16 of the tournament.

1995: Plays in both legs of Parma's 2-1 win over Juventus in the Uefa Cup final and helps the Gialloblu finish runners-up in Serie A and the Coppa Italia.