Claudio Ranieri could not hold back the tears when making his return to the Cagliari bench 31 years after that historic run from Serie C to Serie A.
The 71-year-old tactician has been all over the world since that first experience in Sardinia, where he earned back to back promotions from the third tier to the top flight from 1988 to 1991.
He won the Premier League at Leicester City, worked in Spain, England, France and Greece, but returned to Cagliari on January 1.
Serie B was on a break until today, so this was the first time Ranieri walked out onto the pitch and saluted the Sardinian supporters ahead of their game with Como.
He could not hold back the tears and was visibly moved by the occasion, as well as the welcome he received from the supporters.
Ranieri signed a contract to June 2025, intending to create a long-term project on the island.