I can't believe 30 years have gone by since the Final in Madrid. I wanted to start this thread to honor that great team, but also to look to them as an example of what is still possible for our calcio. I was an 8 year old boy at the time growing up in Western PA. Sure, I spent summers in Italy and my parents spoke Italian at home, but I don't know that I fully realized what I was seeing. ABC was broadcasting the Final. I believe it was their first ever. I didn't have the fortune of seeing the other games in the tournament because, living in PA, we didn't have Univision. I sat down to watch the Final in front of my "big" 26 inch color TV with my dad and the excitement was at a fever pitch. The sad thing is that I took that moment for granted. I didn't realize what kind of greatness that team had just achieved. Sure, I was proud of them and dazzled by their tremendous skill and creativity. But, I remember thinking that this would happen all the time. We all know it doesn't. I'll always have that memory of Zoff lifting the Cup, just as I did when Cannavaro lifted it 6 years ago. My son is only 3 years old now, but I really hope he has the fortune to see an Azzurri team as great as the 82 one someday. FORZA AZZURRI!!!
Italia campione del mondo La notte più bella: 11 luglio 1982 Milano, 11 luglio 2012 Trent'anni fa gli azzurri fecero impazzire tutto il Paese: che magie a Madrid. La Gazzetta le ricorda con un libro di 160 pagine con testi inediti e articoli dell'epoca http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/10-07...e-piu-bella-11-luglio-1982-911807751327.shtml 07/07/2012Calcio L'Italia in trionfo ai Mondiali 1982 http://www.corrieredellosport.it/foto/calcio/2012/07/07-47958_0/L'Italia in trionfo ai Mondiali 1982
This was the best and convincing performance of Azzuri ever! to beat argentina, brazil and germany in the last 3 games of world cup is more convincing than any other world cup winner. usually the winners can get lucky on the route and not face the best teams but this team had to face the top 3 of all time. Like in 2006 italy had to beat australia and ukraine and tied france in final...thats why people wanted to talk shit, but a win like 1982 is something no one can deny being a fluke or lucky.
Still a joy to watch! I was 14 years old and remember it like it was yesterday. The cars honking and noise and parties all night and the next day everywhere you went!
Yeah it was pretty crazy in all the Little Italy's around the world too. Kind of like it was 6 years ago only I think for those of us who lived to see the triumph in 1982, it was a lot more special than 2006 because it was the first in modern times.
When you look at the game today as opposed to 1982, you can see there was a huge difference in the way players approached the ball. I think to a point the players are a little better today only because there is a lot more training , a lot more games and of course, more exposure and money. When you compare the Cup Winners Cup , the UEFA Cup and the Champions League of those days to today's Euro competitions, its a completely different type of style. Still, I happen to have a sort of soft spot for those older teams. I think the ban on foreign players in the 1970's did wonders to help improve the national team. In retrospect, looking back at the 1970 World Cup Final when Italy lost 4-1 to Brazil, someone somewhere decided enough with the foreigners and wanted to concentrate just on rebuilding the national team. After that 4-1 loss in 1970, Italy had sort of a rough go at it. They never qualified for either Euro 72 or 76 and that was sandwiched with a first round exit in the 1974 World Cup. It took until 1978 in Argentina for Italy to get back on track. Marco Tardelli, the MVP of the 1982 WC Final swears to this day that the 4th place team of 1978 was even better than the 1982. Having star players like Paolo Rossi and Roberto Bettega beat eventual champion Argentina on their ground must have been an incredible feat. Also the depth of that team, didn't hurt either. You had a young Daniele Massaro, Franco Baresi and Pietro Vierchowod (my all time favorite)didn't hurt matters. Even the older players like Causio must have created quite an atmosphere in training and in the club house. Enzo Bearzot stuck with Rossi even though he was dry throughout the first round and quarterfinal round. With all due respect to Gigi Buffon, I still happen to think Dino Zoff was the best GK of all time. If the young people of today could only see a glimpse of the way he played at the age of 40, it was like watching a gazelle at work. Incredible. Gaetano Scirea was also one of the greatest sweepers I've ever seen and Fulvio Collovati in that tournament anyway, was on fire as was 18 year old Beppe Bergomi. I'm sure Claudio Gentile would have never gotten away with his antics in today's world of replays and reviews but all the rough play notwithstanding, the guy was one of the toughest defenders (along with Vierchowod later on) I've ever seen. At left back, you had Antonio Cabrini and between him and Maldini , I don't think there ever were any better left backs in the world all time. Ironically, it was Maldini who took Cabrini's spot with the national team later on when Cabrini retired from international duty but it would have been interesting to see how a national team coach would have played them both had they co-existed at the same time. As for the midfield, the tandem of Tardelli, Oriali ,Conti, and Antognoni was one of the most talented I've ever seen. I really don't think there are too many players in Italy today that will even come close to what Bruno Conti could do. Graziani was a work horse. Rossi the hero and goal scorer who made scoring look easy was on fire at the end and even Spillo Altobelli on the bench was the classiest reserve and he also scored in the final coming on for Graziani early on. What memories. Italy's squad vs Brazil where Italy won 3-2 with 3 goals by Rossi. . Standing: Zoff, Antognoni, Scirea, Gentile, Collovati, Graziani, Kneeling: Rossi, Conti, Oriali , Cabrini Tardelli
They were legendary. Defeating the defending WC Champs with Maradona, then beating the overwhelming tournament favorites (and what many consider the most talented Brazilian team of all-time), then a very good Poland team with Boniek, and then the West German machine in the Final. Basically, Italy beat countries that have a combined 10 World Cups between them. As much as I love the 2006 team, you simply can't ignore how great the 82 side was.
After they won WC 82, I think the team experienced somewhat of a setback as they failed to qualify for Euro 1984. I believe a lot of those guys felt they had accomplished quite a lot but to win the tournament and I think it took a lot out of them. Beating Brazil , who IMHO was the best team in the world in that year, was just incredible. I think it was one of the best international matches I've ever seen Italy play if not the best. I don't recall too many others that stood out not even the WC Finals of 1990, 1994 or 2006 and the Euro squads of 2000 and 2012 by comparison do not even close.
The thing that struck me the most about that team was their combination of motor and skill. Guys like Conti, who had as much raw skill as Zico or Falcao, would run their tails off. Players like Tardelli, who that team would consider a ball-winner, was very skilled on the ball. Tardelli was the complete midfielder...strength, pace, ball skills, and a lethal shot. We honestly haven't had a midfielder like him since.
Thought you guys would like this memoir quote from Enzo Bearzot pertaining to Dino Zoff during WC 1982 "He was a level-headed goalkeeper, capable of staying calm during the toughest and the most exhilarating moments. He always held back both out of modesty and respect for his opponents. At the end of the Brazil match, he came over to give me a kiss on the cheek, without saying a single word. For me, that fleeting moment was the most intense of the entire World Cup." - Enzo Bearzot speaking on Dino Zoff after Italy beat Brazil 3-2
As I said before, with all due respect and not taking anything away from Gigi Buffon, I think Dino Zoff was the best GK I ever saw.
It was the first international tournament that I remember, and the one that had the biggest impact on my football watching career, lol 2006 was amazing, but no where close to 2012. Only catching Brazil with a fantastic performance could come close to 1982.