England legend showed up ‘completely naked’ to dinner, convincing Dino Zoff to grant his request to return home to girlfriend

Dino Zoff encountered a whole host of one-off characters throughout his footballing life, particularly during his time as a goalkeeper before turning to coaching.

The Italian legend will be remembered for his exploits with the national team, helping them win the European Championships in 1968 and the World Cup in 1982. Meanwhile, he was incredibly successful at Juventus as a player, helping the club claim six Serie A titles.

Zoff played with iconic players like Marco Tardelli and Franco Baresi, and he also coached the likes of Francesco Totti and Antonio Conte.

Yet, one player stood out to the Italian legend, with Zoff falling in love with the maverick from England.

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Dino Zoff recalls bizarre moment at training camp with England legend

Zoff managed some incredible talents during his time as a manager, as he was in charge of some of the biggest teams in European football.

He guided the Italian national team to second place in the 2000 European Championships, losing in the final to France.

During his time with Italy, but also with Lazio, Juventus, and Fiorentina, he has managed some of the greatest talents to grace the sport. However, he also managed some of the most peculiar individuals, too, with Zoff detailing a story about one player he absolutely adored.

Speaking to Repubblica, but reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Zoff detailed just one story that details the character of England legend Paul Gascoigne.

It also explains why individuals like the Italian legend loved Gascoigne, not just for his obvious footballing talent.

Zoff said: “One evening, we were on retreat; he came to me and in his improbable Italian said, 'I'm going home.' He wanted to run to his girlfriend: I tried to explain to him that it wasn't the case. Words in the wind. The next day, while we were eating with the team, I glimpsed a figure through the glass: 'Mister, I know you need me; I arrived, but I didn't have time to get dressed.'

“He was completely naked. I sent him home, but it cost me. I would have let him play because artists are to be admired, not judged. Gascoigne was an incredible talent and a man who moved and touched people. I loved him very much."

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Paul Gascoigne’s time in Italy

The England legend spent three years in Italy with the Serie A club Lazio, making his debut in September 1992; however, he never truly settled in Rome.

In his first season, the Eagles finished fifth, earning European football, which was deemed a success, as it was the first time in 16 years they would be competing on the continent.

However, problems started to arise before the start of the 1993-94 season, as Zoff told him to lose 13kg by the start of the campaign, or he would lose his first-team place.

His time in Italy would have a sad ending as in April 1994, he broke his leg in training whilst attempting to tackle Alessandro Nesta.

Upon his recovery, he was disgruntled with Zoff's successor Zdenek Zeman's stern fitness approach, and both club and player decided to part ways at the end of the 1994–95 season.