Alessandro Del Piero is widely considered one of the most influential and fascinating playmakers of the modern era. As an inventive striker, he has been a key player in world-class teams alongside Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Baggio.

Del Piero has done it all, from the 1996 Champion's League cup, the Intercontinental Cup and eight Scudetti Serie A Championships with Juventus, to Italy's controversial 2006 World Cup victory, with that penalty and that headbutt. He has also suffered it all-the agony of several runners-up trophies, of debilitating injuries and Juventus's relegation. An extremely versatile forward and a free kick specialist, he has played 796 matches and scored 316 goals with Juventus and the Italian national team.

In Playing On, now translated for the first time into English, Del Piero offers the wisdom and insights of a man who's been through everything. In his introduction, specially written for this edition, he writes about why he chose to play in Sydney after his retirement from Juventus, even though he had many enticing offers from Italy and from many European and South American teams. He says he re-signed for a second season at Sydney because he has been rejuvenated by his experience of playing in Australia: 'I realised at once, after just a few days Down Under, that I had made the right choice. On and off the field.'