Italian All-Time Draft Selection Thread

Well, it's Monday in everyone but my own team's timezone, so we're 1.5 hours early, sue us.

With the second pick of the Italian All-Time Draft, "I Divini FC" select:

Franco Baresi.

Nickname: The Golden Boy
Position: Sweeper (libero)
Career span: 1978-1997
AC Milan - Caps: 444, goals: 12
Italy - Caps: 81, goals: 1, World Cups: 1982, 1990, 1994



Franco Baresi, born in Travagliato, is one of very few players at top international level to have spent an entire career at one club. He made his debut for AC Milan in 1978 and won the Serie A already in his first full season the following year. Franco was one of these players that didn't look very impressive physically compared to what you would expect from a central defender. He usually operated as a sweeper behind the defensive line, and controlled the pace of the game from there. He read the game impressively well, which was the main reason to why he was so outstanding.

It took some time for him to break into the national team because Enzo Bearzot, the coach at the time, preferred the Juventus trio Cabrini, Gentile and Scirea in defence. The latter occupied the sweeper's position in the World Cup winning team of 1982. Baresi was included in that squad, but never played a minute in Spain which he didn't like. He then rejected to play for Italy as long as Bearzot was in charge which made him miss the 1986 World Cup. Bearzot then retired and Baresi once again said yes to the Azzurri. Italy reached the semifinals at Euro 88, Franco's first tournament with Italy, and another semifinal in their own World Cup in 1990. Italy lost to Argentina on penalties, but beat England in the bronzematch.

Baresi was captain when Italy travelled to America for the World Cup in 1994. At 34, he knew this was his last chance to win the World Cup, but an injury in the first round against Norway made him miss several matches and he wasn't ready until the final against Brazil, where he played the game of his life. Brazil evenutally won on penalties and Franco missed one of the penalties for Italy. It was his 81st and final match for Italy.

He played three more years for Milan before retiring, having won six Serie A championships, three European Cups and two World Club Cups among his many titles. AC Milan paid tribute to him by making his number 6 jersey immortal. No player in the future will ever wear that jersey again for Milan.

- Taken from footballdatabase.com

Video of Baresi's testimonial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdzU5IYkeDY&search=Franco Baresi

Honors:
European Champions Cup (1989, 1990, 1994)
European Super Cup (1989, 1990, 1994)
Intercontinental Cup (1989, 1990)

Italian League (1979, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996)

 

Gianni Rivera



"The Golden Boy"

Born: Alessandria, 18/8/43
Clubs: Alessandria 1958-60 (26 apps, 6 goals) Milan 1960-79 (501 apps, 122 (goals)
Serie A debut: Alessandria-Inter, 2/6/59 (1-1)
Last Serie A match: Lazio-Milan, 13/5/79 (1-1)

Position : Playmaker

Trophies won

• 4 x Italian cup
• 3 x Italian title
• 2 x Cup Winners Cup
• 2 x European Cup
• 1 x European Player of The Year
• 1 x European Player of The Year runner-up
• 1 x World Cup runner-up
• 1 x Italian League Top Scorer
• 1 x Intercontinental Cup
• 1 x European Championship

Ballon d'or award: 1


Giovanni (Gianni) Rivera (born August 18, 1943 in Alessandria) was an Italian football player, the European Footballer of the Year in 1969. He is widely considered to be one of the best players in the history of the game.
He was nicknamed The Golden Boy of Italian football. He is the product of Alessandria's youth soccer academy. He debuted in Serie A for Alessandria against Internazionale. That was on June 2, 1959; he was only fifteen years old. He only played for his first club twenty six matches in which he scored six goals. After one year, he was bought by AC Milan with a record transfer fee for that time, $200,000, and he was only sixteen years old. In 1962 he won the first scudetto with AC Milan and on May 13, 1962, at eighteen years, he played his first match for the Italian national team against West Germany at the World Cup in Chile, a game that finished with a goalless draw, 0-0.
Due to their win of the 1962 scudetto, AC Milan qualified for the European Cup in 1962, a European Cup which they have finally won, beating Benfica 2-1 in the final with a Rivera in great form as he was awarded the second place in the famous Ballon d'or award, won by the Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin.
In the 1967/1968 season, Rivera won with AC Milan both the title and the Cup Winners' Cup. In 1968, he played for Italy as they won at the European Championship. Next season, Rivera takes AC Milan to win the Champions Cup as he finally gets the Ballon d'or award.
He played with the Squadra Azzurra (Italian national team) in the 1970 World Cup hosted by Mexico, where they reached the final, losing against Brazil, 4-1. He also played in the 1974 World Cup when the Italians were knocked out by Poland, 2-1. That was the end of Rivera's career at the national team for which he played in sixty games scoring fourteen goals.
Rivera took AC Milan in two Cup Winners' Cup finals, one in 1973 and another in 1974; the first one was won and the second one lost. He also won with the red-and-black team two consecutive Italian titles, in 1972 and 1973. AC Milan also won several Italian Cups in the 70's but without Rivera in most of them who was banned because of his statements against the Italian referees.
Rivera won his last scudetto of his career as a player in 1979 with AC Milan, this also being the tenth title for The Devils. Totally, he played for AC Milan in Serie A 501 matches and scored 122 goals.



- Biography provided by Wikipedia

 

Giacinto Facchetti
Club: Inter
Born: Treviglio (Bergamo), 18/7/42
Position: Defender
Serie A debut: Roma 0-2 Inter, 21/5/61
Club: Inter
International debut: Turkey 0-1 Italy (Istanbul), 27/3/63
Last International game: England 2-0 Italy (Wembley), 16/11/77
International caps: 94
International gls: 3

Honours:
4 Scudetto (1963, 65, 66, 71)
2 European Cups (1964, 65)
2 World Club Cup (1964, 65)
1 Coppa Italia (1978)
1 European Nations Cup (1968)
World Cup runners-up (1970)


There was an air of nobility about Giacinto Facchetti. A tall, elegant and imposing defender in his playing days, he rarely seemed to lose his cool. Even in the history of a giant club like Inter his name will long be remembered. As well as being an outstandingly talented player, Facchetti also had the good fortune to be around at the best moment in the Nerazzurri’s story.

Mention the 1960s now to an Inter fan and they still get all misty-eyed. Their scoring full back was a major part of those magical times. But it nearly didn’t happen for the boy from Treviglio. As a teenage talent he was on the brink of a deal with Atalanta - much closer to home. In the end the bigger club vying for his talents got its way, as usual, and a great career as a symbol for the team from the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium had begun.

It didn’t all go smoothly to start with, but it was the legendary Helenio Herrera who spotted how vital Facchetti could be to his team. He catapulted the youngster into becoming a first team regular and from then on he barely missed a game. Herrera recalled: "I could see that this big, tall player with an eye for goal was ideal for the left full back slot."

And so it proved to be as the Inter man became something of a role model for the modern wing-back with an outstanding scoring record. Almost 60 Serie A goals at a time when Italian football was at its most defensive is a pretty impressive return. Little wonder Herrera was happy to put his young star straight into the first team.

Make no mistake, Facchetti was not just about attacking - along with Tarcisio Burgnich, Aristide Guarneri and Armando Picchi he formed one of the most formidable back lines ever seen in the Italian game. It was from this base that Inter - fuelled by the funds of oil giant Angelo Moratti - went on to conquer the world.

A first Scudetto came in just his third season at the club. And 1963 was also the year he established himself as a first team regular. Inter then went on to take that success to another level with triumphs across the globe. It was the only response supporters would accept having had to watch city rivals Milan become the first Italian team to take the European Cup.

Facchetti and his teammates responded with back-to-back European Cups and Intercontinental Cups the following two seasons. Another two League titles in 1965 and 1966 confirmed this as the golden age of Internazionale and Facchetti was a huge part of that. Indeed in one season he struck 10 League goals which was the kind of return any striker of the day would have been proud of. His consistency was of the kind that any Coach would love to build a side around.

It was inevitable that this sort of display would push his talents into the Italy team and after a disappointing World Cup in 1966 he enjoyed success with the Azzurri too. Although 1970 was to end in heartache at the hands of Brazil, in between times the boys in blue won the European Nations Cup for the one and only time.

"It is the fondest memory of many of my teammates and myself," admitted Facchetti years later. "For 30 years Italy had not won any title at national level. We got to the semi-final against Russia and it finished 1-1 after extra time and it took the toss of a coin to get us into the Final," he recalled. "A coin is not the best way to decide things but I think it rewarded the team who deserved to get to the Final."

That match with Yugoslavia took a replay to decide after a draw in the first game. Eventually Italy won through thanks to goals from Riva and Anastasi. "I think that is my best memory with the national side," said Facchetti. There were still more fine moments to come - most notably a fourth League title in 1971 - but it was clear that the days of the great Inter team were ending. Yet Facchetti’s career extended to the eve of the 1978 World Cup and in the process he set a string of records.

His 476 League games for Inter were only recently surpassed by that other great defender, Giuseppe Bergomi. And his 94 caps for his country were also a record until Dino Zoff and, more recently, Paolo Maldini came along. But it is as Italian captain that his record is still without equal. He led his country on no fewer than 70 occasions, which is a remarkable testimony to his quality and leadership ability.

Facchetti became an important symbol for both club and country. In many ways he changed the way the world thought about defenders with the attacking strength he brought to the game. His dynamic forward runs paved the way for the pressing game of the future. His late career switch to sweeper also cleared a path for other greats like Gaetano Scirea and Franco Baresi who followed in Il Capitano’s footsteps.

These skills were clearly something that a club like Inter were loathe to ignore when he retired from the game. He has carved out a role for himself in the new Millennium as a right hand man for new President Massimo Moratti. His coolness in a crisis has obviously come in useful in recent times.

Nowadays Facchetti occupies an important overseas role for the club keeping an eye out for players who might make as big an impact as he did. His most recent mission was to try to secure the services of Daniel Passarella as next Inter Coach. Although the signs do not look encouraging nobody should bet against Giacinto Facchetti. He generally won most of his battles on the field of play and those combative qualities still stand him in good stead today.

1960-1961 Inter A 3 1 3rd
1961-1962 Inter A 15 - 2nd
1962-1963 Inter A 31 4 1st
1963-1964 Inter A 32 4 2nd
1964-1965 Inter A 32 2 1st
1965-1966 Inter A 32 10 1st
1966-1967 Inter A 34 4 2nd
1967-1968 Inter A 28 7 6th
1968-1969 Inter A 30 6 4th
1969-1970 Inter A 28 5 2nd
1970-1971 Inter A 30 5 1st
1971-1972 Inter A 27 4 5th
1972-1973 Inter A 29 1 4th
1973-1974 Inter A 28 2 4th
1974-1975 Inter A 23 - 9th
1975-1976 Inter A 28 3 4th
1976-1977 Inter A 27 1 4th
1977-1978 Inter A 18 - 5th

Bio from Calcio Italia

 

GIUSEPPE MEAZZA





Born: 23 August 1910 in Milano.

Died: 21 August 1979 in Rapallo.

Nickname: ‚Peppino’, ‚Balilla’.

Position: Centre forward, inside left.

Caps:
Italy 54 (1930-1939) / 33 goals

League Games:
Italy 463 (1927-1947) / 274 goals

Domestic Cup Games:
Coppa Italia 18 (1935-1947) / 14 goals

Trophies & Tournaments:
World Cup winner: 1934, 1938
Mitropa Cup finalist: 1933
Italian Champion: 1930, 1938
Italian runner-up: 1933, 1934, 1935
Italian Cup winner: 1939
Italian Cup finalist: 1942*

* did not play in final.

Giuseppe Meazza was an Italian footballer playing mainly for Inter in the 1930s, scoring 243 goals in 361 games for the club. He is still considered by many to be one of the greatest Italian players of all-time, along with legends such as Giacinto Facchetti, Gianni Rivera, Paolo Maldini and Roberto Baggio.

Meazza was the first Italian football player who became famous worldwide, and was the first player with personal sponsors. He was also famous for sleeping at a brothel the night before a match.

The San Siro, the principal stadium in his native city of Milan, which is today shared by Inter and crosstown rivals AC Milan, is now officially called Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. However, in the spirit of the rivalry between the two clubs, Milan supporters continue to call the ground San Siro.

Meazza still holds the record for the most goals scored in a debut season in Serie A, with 31 goals in his first season (1929-30). The year before, when Serie A didn't exist, and the Italian Championship was composed of 2 leagues (North and Central-South) with playoffs, Meazza played 29 matches, scoring 38 goals at the age of 18 years.

He won two national championships with Inter in 1930 and 1938, and was runner-up in 1933, 1934 and 1935; the Italian Cup in 1939; and was top-scorer of Serie A 3 times (1930, 1936, 1938). He was also top-scorer in the pre-Serie A year of 1929. Later in his career he played also with A.C. Milan, Juventus and Atalanta Bergamo.

Biography taken from wikipedia.

Season - Club - Games – Goals – [Caps / Goals]
1927/28 Internazionale............33 / 11
1928/29 Internazionale............29 / 38
1929/30 Internazionale............33 / 31 [ 5 / 6 ]
1930/31 Internazionale............34 / 24 [ 5 / 5 ]
1931/32 Internazionale............28 / 21 [ 3 / 1 ]
1932/33 Internazionale............32 / 20 [ 6 / 5 ]
1933/34 Internazionale............32 / 21 [ 8 / 5 ]
1934/35 Internazionale............30 / 18 [ 3 / 5 ]
1935/36 Internazionale............29 / 25 [ 5 / 1 ]
1936/37 Internazionale............26 / 11 [ 5 / 2 ]
1937/38 Internazionale............26 / 20 [ 8 / 3 ]
1938/39 Internazionale............16 / 04 [ 6 / 0 ]
1939/40 Internazionale............00 / 00
1940/41 AC Milan....................14 / 06
1941/42 AC Milan....................23 / 03
1942/43 Juventus...................27 / 10
1944.... Varese Sportiva..........20 / 07
1944/45 ...............................no matches
1945/46 Atalanta Bergamo.......14 / 02
1946/47 Internazionale............17 / 02

Note: In 1929, Internazionale was renamed AS Ambrosiana and in 1933 in AS Ambrosiana-Inter.

 

Team: I Bimbi d'Oro
Pick: 1st
Overall: 7th
Player: Gaetano Scirea
Position: Libero

Honors:

7 x Serie A Championship: 1974-1975, 1976-1977,
1977-1978, 1980-1981, 1981-1982, 1983-1984, 1985-1986
2 Italian Cup: 1978-1979, 1982-1983
1 x European Cup: 1984-1985
1 x Cup Winners Cup: 1983-1984
1 x UEFA Cup: 1976-1977
1 x European Super Cup: 1984
1 x Intercontinetal Cup: 1985
1 x World Cup: 1982

Profile from Planet World Cup:

Scirea made his Serie A debut for Atalanta in the beginning of the
1972/73 season, but was transferred to Juventus only a couple of
years later. He made his name there as one of the best and most
respected defenders in the world game through more than a decade.
He was a gentleman on and off the field and never got sent off or
suspended in his long career, much thanks to his ability to read the
game. He won every possible honour with Juve including all three
European Cups and seven “Scudettos” (Italian Serie A titles). Scirea
also played at the same high level for Italy in three World Cups. The
first in 1978 where he and Italy beat eventual winners Argentina in
the first round, but had to settle for fourth place having lost to Brazil
in the bronzematch.

Gaetano experienced a wonderful summer in 1982. Spain hosted the
World Cup and Italy won having struggled a lot early on drawing all
three first round games to Poland, Peru and Cameroon. Then followed
four straight wins over defending champions Argentina, the favourites
Brazil, Poland and then West Germany in the final. Scirea set up ***'s
goal in the final and his presence in defence was invaluable.

Italy failed to reach their level of 1982 when the World Cup was held
in Mexico four years later now with Scirea as captain. France and Juve
colleague Platini knocked them out in the second round. This tournament
also marked the end of his international career.

Gaetano Scirea died in a tragic car accident in Poland in 1989 while
scouting for Juventus, and at Stadio Delle Alpi they have named the
end after him where all Juventus' most fanatical supporters are. A
model professional, Scirea was well-liked by everyone involved in soccer,
even Juve's worst enemies, as he always was abiding the rules and
appeared with class on the field. Even today, more than a decade after
his death, you can see banners and hear fans sing songs with his name
at Stadio Delle Alpi.

 

Piazza D'Armi - 1st Pick

GIGI RIVA





Luigi Riva - 07.11.1944 – 1.80m – Forward

Palmares:

1x Serie A Championship (1969-1970)
1x European Championship (1968)
3x Serie A Top Scorer (1966-67 / 1968-69 / 1969-70)
Azzurri: 42 Games, 35 Goals – Record Goalscorer
Born: Leggiuno, 7/11/44
Position: Striker – Inside Left
Serie A debut: Roma 2-1 Cagliari, 13/9/64
Last Serie A game: Cagliari 1-3 Milan, 1/2/76
Club: Cagliari
International debut: Hungary 2-1 Italy, 27/6/65
Last international game: Italy 1-1 Argentina, 19/6/74

Rombo di Tuono

Luigi Riva was the man who symbolised Italy’s revival after World Cup disaster in 1966.
Changes were inevitable and Cagliari’s left-footed striker found himself carrying the hopes of his country. ‘Gigi’ responded, spearheading an Italian attack that lifted the 1968 European Championship trophy and reached the World Cup final in Mexico two years later. Known as ‘Rombo di Tuono’ - Sound of Thunder - because of his powerful, all-action style, Riva is Italy’s all-time record marksman with 35 goals in 42 matches. It could - and should - have been more but Riva twice broke his leg in the early 1970s which hampered his career.

But Riva is really remembered for scoring the 21 goals during the 1969-70 season that virtually won Cagliari their first and - so far - only Scudetto. Riva is considered to be the finest forward Italy has ever produced. Strong, fast and brave, he boasted a left-foot that produced an Exocet shot. It was so powerful that it broke the arm of a child spectator when one of his efforts flew into the crowd.

He began his career as a left-winger and was plucked from Serie C side Legnano by the legendary Coach Fulvio Bernardini, then at Cagliari. He converted Riva to centre forward but it was his successor, the late Manlio Scopigno, who reaped the rewards. Riva was Serie A capocannoniere on three occasions - in 1967, 69 and 70 - as the unfashionable islanders were turned from also-rans to one of Italy’s top sides.

During his 12 years at the Stadio Sant’Elia he scored a record 164 goals - 156 of them in Serie A. He was the ideal catenaccio striker, clinically finishing off so many of his team’s counter-attacking moves. He scored all types of goals but was renowned for his overhead kicks.

He made his first appearance for his country in 1965 but he shot to international fame three years later during the European Championships in Italy which the Azzurri won. Riva scored the first goal in Italy’s 2-0 win over Yugoslavia in the final and he arrived in Mexico for the 1970 World Cup as Italy’s great, white hope.

It was a mixed tournament for ‘Rombo di Tuono,’ one of many European players to struggle with the high altitude. In the first round he fired blanks as Italy scored only one goal in three games. But he broke his duck against the hosts in the quarter-finals. His two goals in the 4-1 win demonstrated his immense physical power, holding off Mexico’s defenders before pulling the trigger.

Arguably his most memorable goal for Italy came in the very next game, that epic semi-final with West Germany which ended 4-3 in Italy’s favour after extra-time. Riva scored the Azzurri’s third, controlling Angelo Domenghini’s cross at the first attempt, turning his marker Berti Vogts before firing - with his left foot, naturally - a low shot past Sepp Maier.

It was the best goal of the match and one of the goals of the tournament. The final was disappointing for Riva and Italy, beaten 4-1 by the brilliant Brazilians.

For an hour Italy were a threat and Riva had his moments, testing Felix with a stinging 30-yard shot and then seeing a header scrape the crossbar. But like his teammates he faded in the last half-hour as the semi-final, played only two days previously, took its toll. Back in Serie A, Cagliari made a poor job of defending their title, not helped by Riva missing most of the season with a broken leg. He bounced back in 1971-72 with 21 goals.

Not for the first time Riva was being linked with a move to one of the big clubs - Juventus reputedly offered Cagliari a whopping £3m for his services - but he stayed at the Sant’Elia. But as the 1970s wore on, Cagliari’s championship-winning side began to lose their looks. They finished 10th in 1974 and 10th again in 1975. Then came the unthinkable in 1975-76. The Rossoblu were relegated after finishing bottom of Serie A. Riva was their potential saviour but the team’s hopes realistically ended at the Sant’Elia in February 1976, during the 3-1 defeat by Milan when Riva was carried off with a broken leg, which left him out for the remainder of the season. That was his last game. ‘Rombo di Tuono’ deserved much better.

The Azzurri’s all-time top scorer and the key to Italy’s European Championship victory in 1968. Almost single handedly won Cagliari their first and only Scudetto with his pace, power and presence in front of goal.


Season Team Division Games Goals League Position
1962-1963 Legnano C 23 6 -
1963-1964 Cagliari B 26 8 2nd
1964-1965 Cagliari A 32 9 6th
1965-1966 Cagliari A 34 11 11th
1966-1967 Cagliari A 23 18 6th
1967-1968 Cagliari A 26 13 9th
1968-1969 Cagliari A 29 20 3rd
1969-1970 Cagliari A 28 21 1st
1970-1971 Cagliari A 13 8 7th
1971-1972 Cagliari A 30 21 4th
1972-1973 Cagliari A 26 12 8th
1973-1974 Cagliari A 25 15 10th
1974-1975 Cagliari A 8 2 10th
1975-1976 Cagliari A 15 6 16th

 

Round 2, Pick 1, Overall pick 9

Claudio Gentile



The man who neutralized Maradona and Zico

Born: September 27th 1953, Tripoli, Lybia

Position: Central defender, man marker, right-back, defensive midfielder

Height / weight: 182cm / 80kg (unofficial 178 / 71)


Probably the greatest man marker ever to make his way on to a football pitch, there was little escape from his attentions. Gentile proved a formidable partner for Gaetano Scirea at the heart of the Juventus and Italy defence throughout the 1970s and into the World Cup in 1982. His finest hour came when winning the 1982 World Cup against the likes of Maradona and Zico, but he also picked up six domestic League titles, two Italian Cups, the European Cup-Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Cup with the Bianconeri. He played 71 times for Italy and at the end of his career he moved to Fiorentina for three seasons before finishing off with Piacenza in Serie B. Currently Italy’s U-23 Coach. - Football Italia
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Azzurri Career (1975-1984)
71 caps (14th all time) / 1 goal
World Cup games: 7 / 1978, 6 / 1982
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Gentile started his career as a full back but soon switched to the role of central defence after signing for Juventus FC in 1973. In over a decade in Turin, Gentile won two major european club competitions, six scudettos, and two italian cups. During this time he also earned 71 caps for Italy. In 1984 he moved to Fiorentina where he spent three further years in Serie A, before retiring from football in 1988 after one further season for Serie B side Piacenza.

Gentile's finest hour came on July 11, 1982 when he produced an immaculate defensive display alongside fellow defender Gaetano Scirea, as Italy defeated West Germany 3-1 to lift the 82 World Cup in Spain. Gentile came to international in the 2nd phase match against holders Argentina, when he man-marked Diego Maradona out of the game by kicking and flooring him constantly throughout the game. In Italy's next match against favourites Brazil he first performed a violent tackle from behind on Zico and later ripped the Brazilian's shirt in half during a tussle.

There are many humorous stories involving Gentile within the footballing world. One is that during the Ballon d'Or (European Footballer of the Year) awards ceremony in the late 1970s English centre forward Kevin Keegan was announced as the winner. As Keegan walked towards the host to collect his award he passed the seat where Gentile was sitting. As Keegan walked past Gentile is reported to have stuck out his foot and tripped up Keegan. As Keegan was getting to his feet Gentile reputedly whispered into his ear, "You wouldn't have won any award if i had been marking you".

Gentile currently coaches the Italy Under-21 National Team, a position he has held since October 2000. He had a well-publicised falling out with Antonio Cassano whilst the Real Madrid player was eligible to play for his team. However his stint has been a successful one and his coaching career appears to be heading in the same direction as his playing career once did. – Wikipedia
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Club career
Season – Club – Games - Goals
1971-1972 Arona 34 / 4
1972-1973 Varese 34 / 1
1973-1974 Juventus 13 / 0
1974-1975 Juventus 29 / 0
1975-1976 Juventus 22 / 1
1976-1977 Juventus 29 / 1
1977-1978 Juventus 28 / 3
1978-1979 Juventus 30 / 0
1979-1980 Juventus 26 / 2
1980-1981 Juventus 27 / 0
1981-1982 Juventus 27 / 2
1982-1983 Juventus 28 / 0
1983-1984 Juventus 24 / 0
1984-1985 Fiorentina 29 / 0
1985-1986 Fiorentina 19 / 0
1986-1987 Fiorentina 22 / 0
1987-1988 Piacenza 20 / 0
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Without a shadow of a doubt, the former defender will be remembered for his brilliant marking of Maradona in the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain ™, which Italy duly won in style. – FIFA.com
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Debut for Juventus in Serie A: 02/12/1973 (Juventus - Verona 5-1)
Debut for Juventus in Italian Cup: 29/08/1973 (Juventus - Ascoli 3-1)
Debut for Juventus in European Cup: 02/10/1974 (Juventus - Vorwarts 3-0)

Games for Juventus in all competitions: 414 (12th all time) / 10
League games for Juventus: 283 (20th all time) / 9
Italian Cup games for Juventus: 66 / 0
European Cup games for Juventus: 65 / 1
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They don’t build defenders like this anymore. Uncompromising stopper who became a regular for the Bianconeri in his second season in Turin. Signed from Varese, Gentile made man marking an art form. Like Cuccureddu won six Serie A titles. Gentile played a starring role in the 1982 World Cup triumph. - Football Italia



Trophies & Tournaments
World Cup winner: 1982
European Cup Winners Cup: 1983-1984
European UEFA Cup: 1976-1977
League Title: 6 / 1974-1975, 1976-1977, 1977-1978, 1980-1981, 1981-1982, 1983-1984
League Second: 4 / 1973-1974, 1975-1976, 1979-1980, 1982-1983
League Third: 1978-1979
Italian Cup: 2 / 1978-1979, 1982-1983

 

Team: Bimbi d'Oro
Pick: 2nd
Overall: 10th
Player: Giancarlo Antognoni ('l'angelo viola')
Position: Regista

Profile and honors

Born: Marsciano (Perugia), 1/4/1954
Ht/Wt: 1.79/80kg
Serie A debut: Verona 1-2 Fiorentina, 15/10/72
Clubs: Astimacobi, Fiorentina, Lausanne
International debut: Holland 3-1 Italy, 20/11/74
Last international: Czechoslovakia 2-0 Italy, 16/11/83
International caps: 73
International goals: 7

Honours:
Italian Cup 1976
World Cup 1982

Commentary from Football Italia:

Giancarlo Antognoni is one of Italy's best players, debuting for the
national team at the tender age of 20 and amassing 73 caps before
he retired from international duty at age 28. A prodigy and a calcio
genius, his passing, touch, and vision, make him a legend.

For Italian football, July 11, 1982 will be remembered forever. The years
leading up to that World Cup Final had all been shaped for that glorious
day. The 1982 tournament had seen Italy go on a wonderful run. Argentina
were beaten. The 1970 defeat by Brazil in the Final was avenged in the
second group stage. Paolo Rossi scored six breathtaking goals and who
could forget Marco Tardelli’s glorious celebration? They were all fabulous
moments, all to be stashed away for rainy day renewal. But for myself and
many Fiorentina fans, the day was mixed with sadness. One of the players
who had done so much to put Italy into the Final, the Viola’s Giancarlo
Antognoni, could not play.

Witnessing Antognoni bamboozle the Poles in the semi-final three days
previously was one of the tournament’s most abiding memories. Sadly, an
old leg injury reared it’s ugly head after the Polish match and poor Giancarlo
along with the likes of George Best, Eusebio and Jimmy Greaves became
one of the world’s best players never to play in a World Cup Final. After
earning 73 caps he perhaps could have eventually overtaken Dino Zoff’s
record of 112, but a series of injuries took their sad toll.

He was still only 28 when he played his last game for the Azzurri. The
most serious of those injuries that eventually affected his international
career came during a game with Genoa. Goalkeeper Martina caught the
midfielder right on the head. It left Giancarlo with a double fracture of
the skull. So severe was the collision that apart from the internal bleeding,
it also caused Antognoni’s heart to stop beating for almost half a minute.
Luckily the Tuscan terror was strong and fit and he survived to continue
his glorious career.

Born in Marsciano not far from the centre of Perugia in Umbria on April 1,
1954, Giancarlo was nobody’s fool. His first team was Serie D outfit
Astimacobi, based on the outskirts of Turin, for whom he made his debut
on his 16th birthday. He made a big impression and in that same 1970-71
season, the blond bomber played five more times.

The following season he became a regular first-teamer, playing 22 games
and scoring three times. In 1971 he was called up into the Italian junior
side who trained at Coverciano, the Azzurri training centre in Tuscany. The
centre is little more than an Antognoni free kick away from Fiorentina’s
stadium. It was there that his elegant touch, his youthful power and his
all round athletic approach, won him a place in the team.

Naturally Fiorentina had their scouts out there in force and his ability
soon came to the attention of the then Viola Coach, Sweden’s ex-Milan
star Nils Liedholm. With big interest from several other major clubs,
Liedholm persuaded young Giancarlo over the summer of 1972, that
Fiorentina were his best bet. Astimacobi demanded £150,000 and they
got it. For Fiorentina it would prove to be the best money the club has
ever spent. With a reputation for a certain Nordic coldness, Giancarlo
was naturally wary of the lauded Coach. But the pair eventually became,
if not firm friends, certainly well disposed towards each other. The Swede
was beginning to heat Fiorentina up again after the club had gone off the
boil only three years after winning the League title in 1969. Yet in 1971
the Viola finished 13th, just one place above the relegation zone.

Something needed to be done quickly and at the start of the 1972-73
season Liedholm placed his faith in youth, pushing youngsters like
Antognoni, Nevio Scala, Domenico Caso and Moreno Roggi into the first
team. A few games into the new season, Liedholm took the blinkers off
Giancarlo and let him loose on Serie A. Making his debut at Verona on
October 15, Fiorentina picked up the points in a 2-1 win as Antognoni
played a starring role. That evening over Tuscany, there was a new
planet beginning to line up in the Florentine firmament.

That game started a love affair that blossomed with the club’s devoted
and dedicated fans. Antognoni became a bona fide thoroughbred hero to
the Viola faithful and was and still is worshipped to the beautiful blue
Tuscan heavens. They were in love with a highly gifted player, whose
two magical feet made him one of Italy’s all-time complete players. His
all-round ability to dictate play, pass with unswerving accuracy and
dribble past bedazzled defenders made him unapproachable.

He orchestrated Fiorentina’s midfield for the whole of his 15 years with
the club but a price had to be paid. The price for this one club loyalty
was wining just one Italian Cup in 1976. In those one and half decades
Antognoni played in 412 games, 341 of them in Serie A. He is fifth in
the club’s all time top scorers charts behind Gabriel Batistuta, Kurt Hamrin,
Miguel Montuori and Alberto Gallasi with 61 goals.

He made his international debut as an enthusiastic 20-year-old in the
3-1 defeat by Holland in a European Nation’s Cup qualifier. Also earning
his second cap in that game was another Viola youngster, Moreno Roggi.
The Azzurri manger Fulvio Bernardini, like Fiorentina, started putting his
faith in youth, a move that saw several of Liedholm’s protégées win
international caps. He introduced several more young bloods over the
next few games and in Antognoni’s second game another Fiorentina
youngster, Vincenzo Gueri also made his debut. In amongst
Bernandini’s ‘ragazzi’ at that time were Claudio Gentile and Francesco
Graziani, players who would join Antognoni in the 1982 World Cup Finals
eight years later.

Giancarlo’s last cap was awarded in the 2-0 defeat by Czechoslovakia
on November 16, 1983 but in between he captained the Azzurri four times.
Altogether he scored seven times for his country but set up many, many
more. A classical ‘regista’ he gave cohesion and quality to the Azzurri and
his undoubted playmaking ability went a long way in carrying them right
to that legendary 1982 Final.

In 1987 Antognoni accepted an offer to play for Swiss outfit Lausanne.
For the next two seasons the Swiss First Division gained many new fans
as busloads of Fiorentina supporters, unable to go long without seeing
their maestro, travelled up to see him every other week.

After two years of exile he returned to his beloved Florence to play in
a farewell game - the Italian ‘82 team versus the Rest of the World. In
that game he gave a speech to his devoted fans in the Stadio Artemio
Franchi with a voice racked with emotion. He told the crowd, of which I
was fortunate to be one of: "I could have gone to Roma or Juve, perhaps
won three or four titles, even a Champions’ Cup. But at my farewell there
wouldn’t have been 40,000 people shouting their love for me. It is your
love that is important, and this is the reason I could never have thought
of leaving."

The crowd, as emotional as Giancarlo, broke into spontaneous applause
which lasted a full five or six minutes. The game started with a backdrop
sound echoing round the open elements of the stadium that made it seem
if three times the amount of fans were there. Then when Giancarlo scored
in the 73rd minute from an exquisitely taken penalty, the ground simply
erupted. An unreal atmosphere of magic gripped the stadium. Waves of
emotion hung in the air and tumbled down over the terraces. Hard bitten
Florentines - who have a reputation for coldness - wept openly.

Shortly before the final whistle Giancarlo left the field also with tears
pouring from his eyes. He threw some flowers into the fanatical Curva
Fiesole and a big bunch of balloons lifted into his beautiful Tuscan sky,
emblazoned with one word, the legend, ‘Antonio.’ This is how the fans
remember the player that was Giancarlo Antognoni, a man who wore his
purple heart on his sleeve. He was their idol and a prince amongst princes.

For 15 years Antognoni was more than just a football player for Fiorentina.
He was not only the flag bearer but he was the symbol of a winner for the
fans.

Other clubs had winning teams and successful seasons in Europe. But
Viola fans had Giancarlo Antognoni, the eternal illusion of a winning future
and for those fans a quick chorus of: "Voi vincete lo Scudetto, ma noi
abbiamo Antognoni" - you may win the title but we have Antognoni -
was completely unanswerable.

 

Round: 2
Pick: 12



VALENTINO MAZZOLA
Born: Cassano D’Adda (Milan), 26/1/19. Died: 1949.
Position: Attacking midfielder.
Serie A debut: Lazio 1-0 Venezia, 31/3/40
Clubs: Venezia, Torino
International debut: Italy 4-0 Croatia, 5/4/42
International caps: 12
International goals: 4

Honours:
5 Scudetto (1943, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949)
2 Coppa Italia (1941, 1943)
1 Serie A Capocannoniere (1947)

Valentino Mazzola was a robust figure as the game in the immediate years around World War 2 required. An inspirational character, he was also gifted with great skills and a scoring ability which was second to none in the era in which he played.

Valentino’s footballing story began with the Alfa Romeo factory team in Milan, but it was only when military service took him to Venice in 1939 that he really started to break through. The lagoon team were starting to build an interesting side - which would take their one and only major honour in 1941 with the Coppa Italia. It was there that Mazzola teamed up with his ‘twin’ attacker Ezio Loik. Born on the same day, they both transferred to Torino in 1942 and would both die in the plane crash of 1949.

Before that terrible day Valentino established himself as the greatest player of his generation. Five League championships, a couple of Italian Cups and over 100 Serie A goals, despite the disruption of the war, were the hallmark of his quality. He was killed at the age of 30 when there was still surely a lengthy international career ahead of him and his Grande Torino teammates. In his last interview before the crash he shared his view of the game with a local Portuguese reporter.

"I have to say that I consider football to be a very simple game," he said. "You will win as long as you don’t always play in the same way. You have got to add some variations to make your game more dynamic. There has to be room for improvisation outside of classical tactics. But I am of the opinion that modern football must be above all a team game."

His theories have been echoed in the sport throughout the rest of the century and beyond.

Despite suffering from illness, Mazzola was determined to attend a match he had organised for Torino in Lisbon. On the return journey from the game, the aircraft carrying Mazzola and the rest of the team crashed, killing everyone on board and leaving only one first-team player at Torino alive.

 

MARCO “SCHIZZO” TARDELLI






Born: September 24, 1954

Position: Defensive Midfield

Serie A debut: Juventus 2-1 Verona, 5/10/75

Last Serie A game: Inter 1-0 Fiorentina, 26/4/87

International debut: Italy 3-1 Portugal, 7/4/76

Last cap: Italy 1-2 Norway, 25/9/85

International caps: 81

International goals: 6


Clubs:
1972 - 1974 : Pisa Calcio (Italy)
1974 - 1975 : Como Calcio 1907 (Italy)
1975 - 1985 : Juventus F.C. (Italy)
1985 - 1987 : Internazionale Milano F.C. (Italy)
1987 - 1988 : FC St. Gallen (Switzerland)
Tardelli played 376 games with Juventus and scored 51 goals.

Honors:

World Cup (1982)
Scudetto (1977, 78, 81, 82, 84)
Coppa Italia (1979, 83)
European Cup (1985)
Cup-Winners’ Cup (1984)
UEFA Cup (1977)
European Super Cup (1984)

The expression on Marco Tardelli’s face, just after scoring Italy’s second goal in the 3-1 World Cup final triumph over West Germany in 1982, is one of the competition’s most enduring images - like 17-year-old Pele crying after winning the trophy in 1958, or the Cruyff turn in 1974. It illustrates the ecstasy, the unmatchable joy of scoring in the biggest football match of all.

Seconds after seeing his ferocious 20-yard drive beat Harold Schumacher, Tardelli picked himself off the floor, began shaking his head and waving his fists before bursting into tears as he rushed to embrace his compatriots on the substitutes’ bench. It was fitting that the hard-tackling Juventus midfielder should score in the final. He was Italy’s man of the match that balmy July night in Madrid.

His goal against the Germans - one of six he scored for the Azzurri - rounded off a marvellous tournament for Tardelli who emerged as one of the stars of Espana’82. There, on the hard, sun-soaked pitches of Spain, he demonstrated the qualities that would earn him 81 appearances for Italy and make him a lynchpin of the Juventus midfield for a decade.

Born in Capanne di Careggine, near the Tuscan town of Lucca, Tardelli began his career in 1972, as a full-back with Serie C club Pisa before moving to Como in Serie B two years later. After just one year in Lombardy, Juventus took him to Turin and during his time with the Bianconeri he won all three European trophies - the UEFA Cup in 1977, the Cup-Winners’ Cup in 1984 and the European Cup in 1985. As well as those triumphs in Europe he won five League titles and two Italian Cups - all with Juve.

Many believe Italy has never properly replaced Tardelli, whose last appearance for the Azzurri came in September 1985, in a 2-1 home defeat against Norway. It was a sad way to end his international career. He was a complete midfield player, Italy’s answer to Johannes Neeskens, the midfielder who epitomised Holland’s ‘Total Football’ during the 1970s.

Tardelli - at his peak one of the hardest men in European football - was a midfield workhouse renowned for his ferocious tackling. His commitment could not be questioned and he boasted a competitive streak second to none. But the man from Lucca frequently lent himself to the attack and had an uncanny knack of steaming into the opponent’s penalty area from midfield to score, as England found to their cost in a European Championship match in 1980 which Italy won 1-0.

Another important Tardelli strike came three years earlier in the UEFA Cup final of 1977 where Juve met Athletico Bilbao. It ended 2-2 with Juve winning on away goals, Tardelli scoring the first-leg winner in Turin. His sudden bursts forward earned him the nickname ‘Schizzo’ - which means spurt. He was also a tremendously versatile player and Juventus Coach Giovanni Trapattoni, who converted him to a midfielder, used him in various positions.

Tardelli’s rise was nothing short of meteoric. One year after leaving Pisa in the Third Division he was playing for the reigning champions of Italy and in his very first season with the Bianconeri he made the national team. Azzurri Coach Enzo Bearzot, rebuilding after the disaster of the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, was looking for new blood and was impressed by the 21-year-old’s displays in the Stadio Comunale. So on April 7, 1976 Tardelli played in the friendly against Portugal, fittingly in Turin. The Azzurri won 3-1 and since that day ‘Schizzo’ became one of Bearzot’s figli prediletti - favourite sons. He travelled to Argentina for the 1978 World Cup and played in six of Italy’s seven matches as the inexperienced Azzurri defied the pessimists to finish fourth.

The midfield hard-man, with his cold, brown eyes and wiry frame, was one of Italy’s best performers and in the first match, against France in Mar del Plata, he marked French midfield maestro Michel Platini out of the game. After the promise shown in South America, Tardelli and his teammates were expected to win the European Championships of 1980 which were staged in Italy. Tardelli was one of the few Italian players to perform as they finished a disappointing fourth.

But it was in Spain where Tardelli confirmed his greatness. Italy’s emergence in the second round coincided with his growing influence. In the 2-1 victory over Argentina in Barcelona, the game that really launched the Azzurri’s challenge for the trophy, Tardelli scored Italy’s brilliant second goal. Breaking through the middle of the pitch, he overlapped Paolo Rossi who slipped him the ball. Tardelli then beat Fillol with a low, hard shot with his right foot from the edge of the area.

Along with Franco Baresi and Giuseppe Bergomi, who also played 81 times for the Azzurri, Tardelli is the fourth most-capped Italian player of all time. Only Paolo Maldini, Dino Zoff and Giacinto Facchetti have played more games. After 10 years at Juventus and after the tragic Heysel Stadium disaster where 39 people lost their lives, he joined Inter in 1985.

Approaching his 31st birthday ‘Schizzo’ was past his best. In his two years at the San Siro he notched up 43 appearances but could not help the Nerazzurri win a trophy. He ended his playing career in Switzerland, with San Gallo, where he spent one season. In 1988 he finally hung up his boots before turning his hand to management.


"The most complete Italian Midfielder in history"--Fifa

 

With the second pick of the third round, I Divini FC choose:

Francesco Totti



Nickname: Er Pupone, Prince
Position: Withdrawn striker (Fantasista), forward
Career span: Mar. 28, 1993 -
AS Roma - 327 caps, 127 goals -
Italy - 50 caps - 9 goals -

Francesco Totti (born 27 September 1976 in Rome) is an Italian football player, who currently plays for AS Roma in Serie A and the Italian national team. A creator as well as a scorer of goals - Francesco Totti can operate from a variety of attacking positions but it is in the free role behind the strikers that his skill and technique are best showcased. He is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the modern game.

Totti was born in Rome, in the San Giovanni city neighbourhood. His parents are Enzo and Fiorella Totti. Unlike other children his age who preferred to watch cartoons, Totti was always more interested in watching football matches instead. Totti constantly played football with older boys. He refused a big deal from AC Milan while waiting for a deal from his favorite club AS Roma, finally joined the junior team for AS Roma in 1989.

Hugely talented as a teenager, Totti scored in Italy's 4-1 defeat by Spain in the final of the UEFA European Under-18 Championship in July 1995. In the final of the Under-21 competition in 1996, Totti opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw against the Spanish before triumphing on penalties.
Totti made his senior Azzurri debut in the Euro 2000 qualifying victory against Switzerland on 10 October 1998. He played in the finals tournament and scored against Romania and Belgium and played in the finals, losing to France. Although he was on the losing side, Totti was named Man of the Match in the final. Also in this tournament, the world saw one of the best penalty kicks ever taken. In the semi-final against the Netherlands, the game went to a shootout. With Italy scoring their first two, and the Netherlands missing their first two, Totti stepped up to take Italy's third kick. With a stadium full of the Netherlands supporters silent, Totti stepped up and cheekily chipped the ball into the right-hand side of the net, while a helpless Edwin van der Sar dove to the left.
More disappointment followed at the 2002 World Cup, with Totti failing to make a significant impact and then being sent off as Italy controversially lost to the South Korea in the second round, when he received a dubious second yellow card for alleged penalty area diving by the refree Byron Moreno.
At Euro 2004, Totti garnered negative media attention when he spat at Christian Poulsen, a midfielder for Denmark who had sledged him for the whole match. Known to wind up opponents - especially Italian players - Poulsen did not receive much sympathy from Italian quarters. Totti was subsequently banned until the semi-finals, but did not play in the tournament again, as Italy failed to qualify for the next round.

Totti was just 16 when he made his first appearance for AS Roma in a 2-0 away victory at Brescia on March 28, 1993. He scored four goals in 21 outings in 1994/95 and over the ensuing seasons became a team regular. He was named Italy's Player of the Year in 2000 and in 2003. The following season (2000/1) he helped AS Roma secure their first league title since 1983, having scored 13 Serie A goals. In the 2001/02 campaign Roma finished runners-up to Juventus, but Totti returned with a personal-best of 14 goals during the 2002/3 season.
2003/04: Playing in a more advanced role, Totti hit a career-high 20 goals as Roma finished second in Serie A behind A.C. Milan, many considered Roma as the better team in that season, and had the best football style.
2004/05: A very disappointing season. Although the only bright side was to finish second in the Italian Cup and qualify for the UEFA Cup, this season had Roma to replace 4 coaches starting with the departure of Fabio Capello and the resignation of Rudi Voller and Luigi Del Neri and an emergency call up for Bruno Conti. And with Roma almost being relegated, nevertheless Totti scored 12 goals.

Totti is married to Ilary Blasi, a former model, considered one of the most beautiful celebrities in Italy, who currently works as annoucer and host on several RAI TV shows. The couple had their first baby, named Christian, on early 2006. Totti, who always loved kids, hoped that his first baby would be a boy, so as to continue his legacy, as he said.
Totti also runs a Football school, named Number Ten, and has his own Motor bikes team called "Totti Top Sport".
His best friend is his brother, Riccardo. However, Totti always says that his brother was the better player when they were kids, but he was unlucky on his way. Riccardo now is Totti's agent.
Totti has had many hardships with people during his sporting career. One of those people is Lazio's captain Paolo Di Canio, who exploits the age-old rivalry between Lazio and Roma and always insults Totti, and their "Derby" match twice every season is well-known around the world for its tough play, which normally includes fights between the fans and the players themselves!
He also had a bad relationship with his previous coach Fabio Capello, who is currently coach of Juventus F.C., a heavy rival team of AS Roma. Totti accused Capello of being a traitor for leaving Roma suddenly without a warning, and left the Roman team in a very bad shape which had them almost relegated to the second division in 2004-2005 season. He even called him once an "un-true man", while praised his current coach Luciano Spalletti defining him "a real man", and pointing that he will never play for Fabio Capello again. This famous problem started on Capello's last days with Roma: according to Totti, his behaviour to most of the players changed, and once advised the younger players not take Totti as their role model player, but to take Brazilian Emerson as an idol for his hard work. Several months later, Capello, Emerson and Frenchmen Jonathan Zebina all left AS Roma for rivals Juventus suddenly. As of today, Totti and the Roma fans still treat those three men as traitors who left the club.

A goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, Totti allowed two books to be published containing jokes made at his expense to raise money for the children's charity. He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.
Totti's idol player in his childhood was Roma's ex-captain Giuseppe Giannini, who he considers as his elder brother: he always wished to just shake hands with Giannini, and was one of his biggest fans. Several years after, Totti himself had the opportunity to play alongside Giannini on the pitch with the AS Roma jersey.
Totti is famous for his chip shots, called in Italian il cucchiaio (in english, "spoon"). He has scored many beautiful goals using this technique. His famous early goals using this technique was in a shoot-out vs. Holland in the Euro 2000 semi-final when he scored on Netherland's keeper Edwin van der Sar, he also scored a second famous one 2 years later against Lazio in the derby, which ended 5-1 to the Romans at the time they played their best football.
Often referred to as a "dumb Roman", Totti released a book of jokes about himself, with the proceeds going to charity. The book was a hit and a bestseller for many months.
Totti criticised former teammate Antonio Cassano who recently departed to Real Madrid for failing to leave without even saying goodbye. Antonio Cassano was also vice captain at AS Roma up until a few months before his departure.
On December 2005, Totti annouced that he is 90% sure to retire from international football after the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, explaining that he wants to focus more on AS Roma.
On 19 February 2006, while playing in the Italian Championship against Empoli F.C., he suffered a leg injury fracturing his left fibula and severing the interconnecting ligaments with the malleolus. He was operated the same night by Prof. Mariani, a renowned Italian orthopedic surgeon. There is fear he might have to skip the Football World Championship 2006 in Germany, althogh fears that he may be left out if fit just before the world cup have been quashed by the Italian coach, who has been quoted as saying he hopes he can pick Totti.
Totti has also met other superstars from other sports including WWE Wrestling's longest-reigning World Heavyweight Champion, Batista and football legend Diego Maradona.
Pele also said during a Fifa World Cup conference that Francesco Totti is the best player in the world right now. That statement was also backed up by Michel Platini one of the greatest footballers in History.

- Bio from wikipedia.org

 

3rd pick of the 3rd round and overall pick #19 for Azzurri All-Stars:

DINO ZOFF





Dino Zoff is one of the best goalkeepers the world has ever seen. He has set lots of records in Italian and world football. For instance he is the oldest player to win the World Cup. In 1982 at the age of 40 he could collect the trophy as captain of Italy's team. And he is also the goalkeeper to have kept a clean sheet the longest time, from September 1972 to June 1974 (1142 minutes!) he was unbeaten. Haiti, of all nations, ended the run in the 1974 World Cup.

Zoff played most of his career in Napoli and Juventus and he played for Italy a record 112 times. In 1968 he was a member of Italy's European Championship winning team, but he was dropped for the Mexico World Cup two years later. Albertosi was preferred in goal in the tournament where Italy were runners-up. In 1974 Zoff was back in Italy's team, but despite his superb run of no goals conceded, Italy went out in the group stage. By the 1978 World Cup Zoff and Italy were among the favourites, they even beat the eventual winners and host nation Argentina in the group stage. But in a decisive final round match against Holland, Arie Haan's 40 yard shot sent Italy out. They played Brazil in the bronze match and lost there too.

But 1982 was to be Zoff's year, in his final World Cup he had success. After a slow start with only draws in the group stage, Italy then beat Argentina, Brazil, Poland and West Germany in consecutive matches and became worthy champions. As many other players, Zoff stayed in football after he finished playing and he has, among several jobs, been manager of Lazio in Rome and is now (Dec 99) national team coach for Italy.


Playing career

Zoff's career got off to an inauspicious start, when at the age of fourteen he had trials with Inter Milan and Juventus, but was rejected due to a lack of height. Five years later, having grown by 33 centimetres, he made his Serie A debut with Udinese, though Zoff made only four appearances for Udinese before moving to Mantova in 1963.

In 1968, Zoff was transferred to Napoli. In the same year he made his debut for Italy, playing against Bulgaria in the quarter final of the 1968 European Championships. Italy proceeded to win the tournament, Zoff taking home a winners' medal after only his fourth international appearance.

Left out of the Italian starting eleven in the 1970 World Cup, Zoff resumed his success after signing for Juventus in 1972. In eleven years with Juventus, Zoff won the Serie A championship six times, the Coppa Italia twice and the UEFA Cup once. However, Zoff's greatest feat came in the 1982 World Cup, where he captained Italy to victory in the tournament at the age of 41, making him the oldest ever winner of the World Cup.

Zoff holds the record for the longest stretch (1142 minutes) without allowing any goals in international football, set between 1972 and 1974. He also held the records for the oldest Serie A player and most Serie A appearances (570 matches) for more than 20 years, until the season 2005/2006 when the record were broken by S.S. Lazio goalkeeper Marco Ballotta and A.C. Milan defender Paolo Maldini respectively.
[edit]

Coaching career

After his retirement as a player, Zoff went into coaching, joining the technical staff at Juventus, where he was head coach from 1988 to 1990. In 1990 he was sacked, despite winning the UEFA Cup. He then joined Lazio, where he became president in 1994.

In 1998 Zoff was appointed coach of the Italian national team. Using a more open and attacking style than usually used by Italian sides, he coached Italy to a second-place finish in Euro 2000, suffering a cruel extra-time defeat at the hands of France in the final. A few days later Zoff resigned, following strong criticism from A.C. Milan president and politician Silvio Berlusconi.

Zoff returned to Lazio, but resigned following a poor start to the 2001/02 season. In 2005, he was named the coach of Fiorentina. But after saving the team from relegation on the last day of the season, Zoff was let go.

Career overview

Clubs

* 1961 - 1963 Udinese
* 1963 - 1967 Mantova
* 1967 - 1972 Napoli
* 1972 - 1983 Juventus


Club honors

* 1973 Serie A
* 1975 Serie A
* 1977 Serie A
* 1977 UEFA Cup
* 1978 Serie A
* 1979 Italian Cup
* 1981 Serie A
* 1982 Serie A
* 1983 Italian Cup


International appearances

* 1968 to 1982 for Italy (112 appearances in all, 59 as captain)
* 3 World Cup Finals

International honors

* 1968 European Championship
* 1982 World Cup


Teams coached

* 1988 - 1990 Juventus
* 1990 - 1994 Lazio
* 1997 Lazio
* 1998 - 2000 Italy
* 2001 Lazio
* 2005 Fiorentina


Coaching honors

* 1990 Italian Cup
* 1990 UEFA Cup

 

Lupi Diavoli 3rd pick and 20th pick overall



Antonio Cabrini

Born: 08.10.1957
Height: 1.78
Position: Fullback

Honours:

6 x Serie A Championship :
1976-1977, 1977-1978, 1980-1981, 1981-1982, 1983-1984, 1985-1986 2 x Italian Cup : 1978-1979, 1982-1983 1 x UEFA Cup : 1976-1977 1 x Cup Winners Cup : 1983-1984 1 x European Cup : 1984-1985 1 x European Super Cup : 1984 1 x Intercontinental Cup : 1985 1 x World Cup : 1982 International Record : 73 Caps, 9 goals
(http://soccer-europe.com/Biographies/Cabrini.html)

Total Goals scored: 33 (inlcuding 9 for the Azzuri which is a national record for a defender)



One of the revelations of the 1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina, Antonio Cabrini began his long international career in the Azzurri's opening 2-1 victory over France in Mar del Plata on 2 June. It was a baptism of fire for the young newcomer, but his unflappable character saw him through and he never looked back.
Knowing his players as intimately as he did, Italy’s then coach Enzo Bearzot had not the slightest doubt about Cabrini's ability to cope. Despite his age and inexperience, the elegant defender was started at left-back and fully justified his manager's faith by going on to make the role his own for the next decade.
To hold down such a specialist position in the national team at the age of 20 was all the more remarkable considering that the Cremona-born prodigy had made his professional debut for Juventus just 16 months before – against Lazio on 13 February 1977. Before that, he had taken the well-worn local route of turning out for Cremonese and later Atalanta, where he was playing when the Turin giants came calling in 1976.
Plying his trade with the dominant force in Serie A and the team that provided the backbone of the Squadra Azzurra probably helped him break into the international arena so quickly, but there is no denying that Cabrini was an exceptional player. Moreover, he was one of a handful of pioneering full-backs who emerged to revolutionise the role around that time.
Indeed, not only was the handsome Antonio the natural successor to Italy legend Giacinto Facchetti, he revitalised his role in the side. Faultless defensively and a tireless ball-winner, he was also supremely gifted going forward and loved nothing more than surging down the flanks before whipping in a pinpoint cross or shooting at goal himself.
In total, he scored 33 times during his career, including nine goals for his country in 83 appearances (44 wins, 23 draws and 18 defeats). To emphasise that achievement, the next most prolific defender in Italian history is Paolo Maldini, who struck seven times but from 126 appearances.

 

Team: Squadra Incognito(Spartak, Hawkz)
Round: 3rd
Overall: 21st



José João Altafini
24.07.1938, Piracicaba [ SP ]
Forward
International caps: Brazil 8 caps/4 goals, Italy 6 caps/5 goals

Clubs
1954-1956: XV de Piracicaba-SP
1956-1958: Palmeiras-SP
1958-1965: Milano AC - Italy
1965-1972: Napoli - Italy
1972-1976: Juventus di Torino - Italy
1976-1979: Chiasso - Switzerland
1980-1981: Mendrisio Star - Switzerland

Honours
Roca Cup: 1957
Italian League: 1959, 1962, 1973, 1975
FIFA World Cup: 1958
European Champion's League: 1963

Italian league's top scorer: 1962
European Champions League's top scorer: 1963

José João Altafini (born July 24, 1938 in Piracicaba, Brazil) was a Brazilian-born Italian footballer. He is the joint-third highest scorer in Serie A history (along with Giuseppe Meazza) with 216 goals.

Altafini played for a number of Brazilian teams, including Palmeiras, before he began his career in Italy with AC Milan in 1958. He made his debut on September 21, 1958, and, in his first season, he played 32 games and scored 28 goals, winning the title along the way. His first league goal came on October 5 in a win against Bari. Milan won the title again in 1962, when Altafini was the league's joint top scorer with 22 goals in 33 games.

In 1965, Altafini joined Napoli, where he stayed until 1972. In 1972, Napoli ironically lost 2-0 in the final of the Coppa Italia to Altafini's previous club, Milan.

After his time at Napoli, he joined Juventus and lost another cup final in 1973. He did, however, win two more league titles: in 1973 and 1975. By the time he left Juventus in 1976, Altafini had played 459 games in Serie A and had scored 216 goals, although he had scored most of these in the early part of his career. In fact, he only scored 53 goals in his last 8 seasons in Italy, whereas he had scored 134 in his first 8.

He joined Chiasso and then Mendrisio Star (both in Switzerland) after leaving Italy and played for four more seasons before retiring at the age of 42.

Born in Brazil, Altafini played international football for both Brazil and Italy. In Brazil he was nicknamed 'Mazzola' for his resemblance to the Turin forward Valentino Mazzola. He played in the 1958 World Cup for winners Brazil, but didn't play in the later stages, having been replaced by Vava. His Italy debut came against Israel on October 15, 1961, a game in which he also scored. He played in the 1962 World Cup for Italy, where they were knocked out in the first round.

From Wikipedia

 

Team: I Bimbi d'Oro
Pick: 3rd
Player: Bruno Conti
Position: Centocampista/ winger
Caps: 47 (5 goals)



Many say that Bruno Conti was the outstanding player of the 1982
World Cup. He scored the goal of the tournaments vs. Peru, menaced
defenses with his dribbling and creativity, and in the final vs. Germany
drew a penalty and set up the third, clinching goal.

Bio

Conti was born March 13, 1955 in Nettuno, province of Rome, and is an
Italian ex-soccer player and coach who was coach of the Serie A team
A.S. Roma from 14 March 2005 to 30 June 2005.

During his domestic league career, he played for AS Roma from 1973 to
1990, winning the scudetto in 1983 and Coppa Italia four times. Following
the depature of coach Luigi Del Neri, Conti moved up from his position as
head of the club's youth teams to first team coach during the 2004-2005
season. Conti does not possess a coaching licence however World Cup
winners are exempted from taking coaching exams. Remarkably, he led Roma
to the Coppa Italia final, and to a UEFA Cup berth. His short term role as
caretaker manager finished when A.S. Roma appointed Luciano Spalletti
as coach.

Versatile and capable with both feet, Conti could play as a left or right
winger or wide man in a more conservative midfield.

 

Piazza D'Armi 3rd pick:

Giampiero Boniperti

Birthplace: Barengo, Italy 1928, Italy

Position: Striker, attacking midfielder (winger)

Club: Juventus 1946-1961, a true one club man



JUVENTUS:
He arrived at Juventus aged 16, with the reputation of a big goal scorer, seeing as he had scored 11 goals in one match. After a try-out in which he scored seven goals, the journalist Carlin wrote: "A boy wonder is born to Juve". He began as a centre forward, then he moved to inside forward, to side midfielder and right wing, demonstrating great tactical flexibility .A legendary figure in Italian football, and the history of Juventus, where he played 444 League games over 15 years. A forward who could also play as an attacking midfielder, Boniperti was the heart of the Juventus side throughout the 1950s and picked up five Scudetti for his troubles. In 1948 at the age of just 20 he was the League’s top scorer ahead of Valentino Mazzola. He was a complete player,

His 178 strikes for Juventus remained a club record for a long time before a certain player passed that record in January this year

Also became President of the club before quitting in the 1990s.

First match in serie A: 02-03-1947: Juventus-Milan 1-2
First goal in serie A: 08-06-1947: Sampdoria-Juventus 0-3

Season – Club - Games Goals
1946/47 Juventus (ITA) 6 5
1947/48 Juventus (ITA) 40 27
1948/49 Juventus (ITA) 32 15
1949/50 Juventus (ITA) 35 21
1950/51 Juventus (ITA) 38 22
1951/52 Juventus (ITA) 33 19
1952/53 Juventus (ITA) 29 7
1953/54 Juventus (ITA) 30 14
1954/55 Juventus (ITA) 27 9
1955/56 Juventus (ITA) 31 6
1956/57 Juventus (ITA) 24 4
1957/58 Juventus (ITA) 34 8
1958/59 Juventus (ITA) 26 8
1959/60 Juventus (ITA) 31 7
1960/61 Juventus (ITA) 28 6
--------------------------------------
TOTAL 444 178


Azzurri

Caps Goals Date Venue Opponent Score

2 1 22.05.49 Firenze Austria 3-1
12 1 25.11.51 Lugano Switzerland 1-1
21 2 24.01.54 Milano Egypt 5-1
23 1 17.06.54 Lausanne Switzerland 1-2
25 1 16.01.55 Bari Belgium 1-0
27 1 18.12.55 Roma West Germany 2-1
38 1 10.12.60 Napoli Austria 1-2

First match in the italian national team: 09-11-1947: Austria-Italy 5-1


A great player and leader who was unfortunate to play with the Azzurri in one of the worst periods for the Italian National Team (1947 - 1960). Although considered by many as one of the best Italian players of all time, he never won any major individual award. Making his debut in the Azzurri after playing only 14 matches in the Serie A, he played a total of 38 games in Azzurro, 24 of them as Captain, and scoring 8 goals..

Note: Only Italian for the game of the Centenarian of the Football Association, Wembly, England. Giampiero Boniperti played skillfull on the wing made two goals.