GIOVANNI RIVERA Born: 18 August 1947 in Valle San Bertolomeo (Regione Piemonte). Nicknames: Gianni, Golden Boy. Position: Inside left. Caps: Italy 60 (1962-1974) / 14 goals League Games: Italy 529 (1959-1979) / 128 goals Domestic Cup Games: ‘Coppa Italia’ 70 (1959-1979) / 26 goals European Cup Games: 70 (1961-1979) / 13 goals European Footballer of the Year: 1962 (6th), 1963 (2nd), 1964 (9th), 1965 (7th), 1968 (9th), 1969 (winner), 1970 (10th), 1973 (8th) Trophies & Tournaments: World Cup participation: 1962, 1966, 1970 (2nd), 1974 European Championship: 1968 (winner)* European Champions Cup-Winner: 1963, 1969 European Champions Cup finalist: - European Cup Winners Cup: 1968, 1973 European Cup Winners Cup-finalist: 1974 Fairs/UEFA-Cup Finalist: never World Club Cup-Winner: 1969 Italian Champion: 1962, 1968, 1979 Italian runner-up: 1961, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1973 Italian Cup winner: 1967, 1971, 1972, 1977 Italian Cup runner-up: 1975 Top League Goal Scorer: 1973 * did not participate in final(s) Season - Club - Games – Goals – [Caps / Goals] 1958/59 US Alessandria............01 / 00 1959/60 US Alessandria............25 / 06 1960/61 AC Milan....................30 / 06 1961/62 AC Milan....................27 / 10 [ 3 / 0 ] 1962/63 AC Milan....................27 / 09 [ 3 / 2 ] 1963/64 AC Milan....................27 / 07 [ 6 / 3 ] 1964/65 AC Milan....................29 / 02 [ 5 / 1 ] 1965/66 AC Milan....................31 / 07 [ 9 / 3 ] 1966/67 AC Milan....................34 / 12 [ 3 / 0 ] 1967/68 AC Milan....................29 / 11 [ 4 / 0 ] 1968/69 AC Milan....................28 / 03 [ 3 / 0 ] 1969/70 AC Milan....................25 / 08 [ 7 / 2 ] 1970/71 AC Milan....................26 / 06 [ 2 / 0 ] 1971/72 AC Milan....................23 / 03 [ 2 / 0 ] 1972/73 AC Milan....................28 / 17 [ 7 / 1 ] 1973/74 AC Milan....................26 / 06 [ 7 / 2 ] 1974/75 AC Milan....................27 / 03 1975/76 AC Milan....................14 / 01 1976/77 AC Milan....................27 / 04 1977/78 AC Milan....................30 / 06 1978/79 AC Milan....................13 / 01 International Club Games 1961/62 AC Milan......Fairs-Cup..01 / 00 1962/63 AC Milan......EC.I.........07 / 01 1963/64 AC Milan......EC.I.........01 / 02 1964/65 AC Milan......Fairs-Cup..00 / 00 1965/66 AC Milan......Fairs-Cup..04 / 01 1967/68 AC Milan......EC.II........10 / 01 1968/69 AC Milan......EC.I.........07 / 02 1969/70 AC Milan......EC.I.........03 / 02 1971/72 AC Milan......UEFA-Cup.08 / 04 1972/73 AC Milan......EC.II........09 / 00 1973/74 AC Milan......EC.II........06 / 00 1974/75 AC Milan......EC.II........00 / 00 1975/76 AC Milan......UEFA-Cup.03 / 00 1976/77 AC Milan......UEFA-Cup.03 / 00 1977/78 AC Milan......EC.II........01 / 00 1978/79 AC Milan......UEFA-Cup.05 / 00
Rivera is one of those players I always thought should have been much better than he actually was (and that's not to say he wasn't a great player). He had all the talent to be one of the greatest of all time, but for some reason it never seamed to totally click - there were moments of sheer genius, but too often he never seemed to fully apply himself. That said, at his best he was just a pleasure to watch, unfortunately his best was never frequently the level he played at.
You summed it up nicely. That`s about how I see him, too. Could have achieved more than what he did, I think he lacked mental strength. Though he and Milan were pretty hot in the late 60s.
I find Rivera and Roby Baggio being the unluckiest pair when it comes to Squadra Azzurri as I think they were pushed by the so called football politics. Rivera (now day a left wing politician influenced by the back then left wing Milan) who thorughout his football career was head to head with the press, was a figure who would love or hate him. He was blamed by some journalist of the lack of fighting for ball of a header, which was the decisive pass to the North Korean Park Doo-Ik's goal at the '66 WC and at WC70 he as blamed for the weak trying to chest the goal of Gerd rather the final goal that he scored. As for Buddhist Roby Baggio.....he was pushed away ever since he missed that PK at the WC94 and barely making the squad with an injured Del Piero (still DP was starting the most of the matches), when Roby was the shining soul at the squad (like River always had came off the bench for the second half to replace Mazzola). He now doesn't even get invited to most of any celebrations in (AC) Milan, because he is on the opposite side of politics (left wing) of Berlusconi who turned Milan to a central right club from left. Rivera also managed to do a great job with Milan when he took a deeper role (more defensive like nowdays Albertini or Pirlo) in the early/mid 70's, then his usual "Trequarista" role. Nowdays the media makes a huge deal about Adu making the MLS at the age of 14, but Rivera made his debut at the age of 15 when football was much rougher then these days in Serie A not Minor League Soccer!
Rivera was a great at AC Milan but his career with the Azzurri should have been much better. 14 goals in 60 matches is a poor return and he was never given enough match time, especially at Mexico 70. BongartzUndRivera, at least Roby Baggio managed to shine in a World Cup. Baggio's performances at USA 94 were better than anything Rivera had achieved at any World Cup. Compared to Rivera, Baggio hasn't had to put up with as much pain as Rivera did, in terms of selection for Italy.
Well of course Roby B. had a much better spell with the Azzeurri. The reason I brought up Roby B. is that he as well could have been treated in a better way after WC94, almost not making WC98 (being a sub as well at most of the matches) and not making Euro2000 and WC02. Somhow he seemed to be never liked by big coaches. Anyway Rivera's weak performance at the WC74 against Argentina (1-1 tie)came to an end when he was substituted by Causio at the 66th minute. P.S. Did you know that Enzo Scifo (very similar midfielder) was subed at the 65 minute on his last match (at WC98 against S. Korea) for his country which also ended 1-1?