From facing down Roberto Donadoni and Ryan Giggs, to man-managing Mario Balotelli, Paolo Tramezzani's life in football has taken him around the world and in touch with some of the game's greats - and he's not done yet.

After a playing career which spanned Italy and England, Tramezzani embarked on a coaching career which has taken him across Europe and Asia - and included a European Championship run with Albania.

After completeling a third stint as manager of FC Sion in Switzerland, where he helped the volatile Mario Balotelli rediscover his best form, Tramezzani is now preparing himself for his next challenge. And it's one which could take him to the other side of the world and Australia.

“I have coached in six different countries and my dream is to have coached in 10 different countries," Paolo tells Tribalfootball.com. "My desire is that I always manage to achieve to improve my teams and my players and this has been always my objective."

While a proud globetrotter, Tramezzani also takes pride in the work he's achieved as a senior coach. As he rattles off some of the major names he's led, the Italian points out he always left a club in better shape than he arrived - except for one.

“The only experience that didn't go as I thought was Livorno in Serie B," he recalls. "The team was in last position, the club had different problems and in the end it failed.

"Despite these factors I am very happy to have worked there because I found a fantastic atmosphere with fantastic people.

"But regarding the beautiful experiences I've had, there's been a lot. Like for example, in Albania because representing a whole nation was another type of emotion and pride. Also another beautiful experience was with Lugano. When I arrived, the team was last on the table and we went onto qualify for the group stage of the Europa League.

"There was also the victory of the Championship in Cyprus (with APOEL), the experience at Hajduk Split, also the experience in Saudi Arabia.

"I've been very lucky to have had beautiful experiences everywhere."

By his own admission, Tramezzani almost stumbled into coaching. After a playing career of over 20 years, the former defender joined Gianni de Biasi's Albania backroom staff. And it was under the former Torino coach that Tramezzani helped Albania stun Europe and reach Euro 2016.

“I became a football coach by chance because I had different plans for my future," he admits. "I started my football coaching courses because I had opened a football school for kids. My desire and passion to become a coach started also from the experience I had in Albania as part of the staff of De Biasi.

"From there I developed the desire to become a first team coach and to manage teams and to challenge myself every day."

That desire to challenge himself now sees the 52 year-old entering his twelth year in coaching. And for all the players he's encountered during that time there are three who immediately stand out.

Leeds United cult hero Ezgjan Alioski, now playing in Turkey with Fenerbahce, worked with Tramezzani at Lugano. And his old coach says for pure talent, a young Alioski could've been anything.

He says: “The first important and talented player which I can think of is Aliovski, the player from North Macedonia. He was with me at Lugano.

"But I also had Marko Livaja, who I worked with at Hajduk Split and then there was also Mario Balotelli..."

Tramezzani says of the former Manchester City and Inter Milan striker: "For me, he has a great heart and is a wonderful person.

"But beyond that, for me, he is the most talented Italian player (we have).

“We had a wonderful relationship, Mario is a wonderful person and it is always a pleasure to speak with him regarding football matters - and also other things.

"I have a strong connection with him."

Like Balotelli, Tramezzani came through the youth system at Inter before a short spell with Piacenza would see him scouted and signed by Tottenham.

“It was 1998. I had two years of playing in Serie A with Piacenza and this offer came to me from Tottenham.

"Also I was a Tottenham fan, and there was Nicola Berti there, my old teammate at Inter. It was a beautiful experience going and playing there despite the fact that I had suffered a serious injury - I had two operations on my achilles tendon."

Despite the playing frustrations in London, as Tramezzani says, he found the experience invaluable. And just as he did in Italy, he found himself up against some of the great wingers of the day.

"I had the chance to play with lots of important players like Walter Zenga, David Ginola, Sol Campbell.

"And in terms of my most difficult opponents there are a lot of players like Roberto Donadoni and Ryan Giggs. Another difficult one who caused me a lot of problems was (Gianluigi) Lentini, who played with Torino and Milan. Those three were definitely memorable opponents!"

From trying to thwart genius as a player, to reviving such qualities as a manager, in over 30 years in the professional game, he has seen it all. Well, almost all. It's six countries down and four to go. Where to next for Paolo Tramezzani?