Giuseppe Dossena

Italian footballer and manager

Giuseppe Dossena (; born 2 May 1958) is an Italian football manager and former football player, who played as a midfielder. He played for several Italian clubs throughout his career, in particular Torino and Sampdoria, where he won several titles. At international level, he represented the Italy national football team, and was a member of the Italian squad that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

Dossena began his playing career for Torino in 1976, and moved to Pistoiese the following season. He subsequently played for Cesena and Bologna, before returning to Torino in 1981, where he remained until 1987; it was during this second spell with the club that he was a member of the Italy national team, even earning a call up for the Italy squad at the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He then played for Udinese, Sampdoria and Perugia, where he retired in 1992. Dossena is mostly remembered for his time with Sampdoria, where he achieved notable domestic and international success, winning the 1988–89 Coppa Italia, the 1989–90 European Cup Winners' Cup, the 1990–91 Serie A title, and the 1991 Supercoppa Italiana, also losing out on the 1990 European Super Cup final to European Cup winners and Serie A rivals Milan.

Primarily a playmaker, Dossena was a hard working, creative team player, renowned for his stamina, vision, technique, and passing ability in midfield, although he was also known for his ability to make attacking runs and strike from distance.

Later, he started a managing career at international level, coaching Ghana for two years (1998–2000), and then being assistant of Cesare Maldini in Paraguay's appearance at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Between 2000 and 2001, he coached Ittihad Jeddah of Saudi Arabia. He later worked as an analyst for Italian public broadcasting company RAI. In July 2002, Dossena was appointed the new manager of Albania national team, becoming the first foreigner manager of the team since Hungarian Miklós Vadas in 1953. His spell at The Red and Blacks lasted for only three months, during which he led the national team in only two matches: the first was a 1–1 draw against Switzerland and the second was the 4–1 loss to Russia.