Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
When Col Gaddafi's son played football in Italy's Serie A
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March 18, 2021
9 minutes
Available for over a year
In 2003, Italian top-flight side Perugia made a new and unusual signing: Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the son of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. It was seen as a publicity stunt by headline-hungry Perugia owner Luciano Gaucci, with Gaddafi making just one Serie A appearance, as a substitute in a win against Juventus in 2004. But Gaddafi made a big impression off the field and was renowned for his playboy lifestyle and outrageous spending habits. Former Perugia teammates Jay Bothroyd and Zeljko Kalac talk to Robert Nicholson about one of modern football's most surreal episodes. The programme is a Whistledown Production.
PHOTO: Al-Saadi Gaddafi (centre) training with his Perugia team-mates (Getty Images)