Zola signed his first professional contract with Sardinian team Nuorese in 1984l. Five years later, he signed Napoli in Serie A.
Talented Zola scored two goals as understudy to Diego Maradona as Napoli to win the Italian title in 1990. He helped Napoli to win the Italian Super Cup in 1991 and he made his debut in the Italian national side for Arrigo Sacchi on the same year.
In 1993, Zola left Napoli and joined fellow Serie A side Parma A.C. He won the UEFA Cup with Parma and were runners-up in Serie A and the Italian Cup in 1995.
In 1996, Zola joined Premier division football club Chelsea F.C. He won the FA Cup with Chelsea and is voted the English Football Writers' Player of the Year in 1997. He helped Chelsea to win English League Cup, European Cup Winner's Cup and Super Cup in 1998. He helped Chelsea to win FA Cup again in 2000.
Zola left Chelsea and joined an Italian Serie B club Cagliari in 2003.
Zola won 35 international caps with eight goals. He won his first international cap in November 1991. He last played in World Cup qualifier against England in Rome in October 1997.