Reflections on 2006, 1982, and the insanity of the past week (or so)

Discussion in 'Italy: National Teams' started by RandyNA74, Jul 11, 2006.

  1. RandyNA74

    RandyNA74 Member

    Jun 9, 2004
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    SSC Napoli
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    I have yet to really sit down and summarize the 1982 experience and the impact it had on my life and that of those around me. Now I find myself in the embarrassing predicament of having to comment on not one but two World Cup wins in my short lifetime. While I can’t really sit here and put Sunday’s win in the proper context just yet, I can tell you what is going through my mind right now.

    Winning this trophy represents Italy’s successful exorcism of its past. It was a win which somehow made sense of all the previous heartbreaks, almost one by one going back about 40 years, and cured us of our suffering. More recently and directly, having won this final against France exorcised the demons of Euro 2000, where a late, freak goal by France in the last 10 seconds of the game forced overtime and eventually cost Italy a trophy which had already been decorated with banners the colors of the Italian flag and sat on the sidelines, waiting for the formality of playing out the last couple of minutes of the game before being awarded. And how ironic that the hero for France on that day ended up being the villain on this day. David Trezeguet sentenced Italy in 2000, and threw Italy a lifeline in 2006 with his missed penalty. And speaking of France, this win also included “revenge” for the 1998 quarterfinal which the French won against the Italians on penalties. And speaking of penalty kicks, the specter of losing two World Cup finals on penalties presented itself as the referee blew the whistle to end the second overtime half last Sunday. “It’s almost Baggio time,” a friend cared to text-message me. But 2006 isn’t 1994, and Del Piero, whose introduction at Juventus back in 1994 was the beginning of the end of Baggio’s time at the same club, was in no mood to have history repeat itself. And while we’re at it, let’s throw in the 1990 semifinal lost to Argentina also on penalty kicks for good measure.

    As the tournament progressed, it seemed that Italy’s chances to go all the way got better and better as time went on. France struggled in the group stage and finished second to Switzerland, presenting an appetizing bracket for Italy who would only have to deal with “big” teams in the semifinals – assuming it made it that far. But in a corner of all our minds, while we knew that on paper the team could go far, the specter of our haunted past was never far away. Because all the defeats on penalties or in the dying seconds of the game always meant that for however good Italy may have been, we always had to concede the way to someone else. It was always someone else’s turn. And as the tournament progressed, and both Italy and France got better and better with each passing game, an Italy-France final became a very real possibility. Those of us who dared to dream soon ran into a nightmare. If France went all the way to the final, which it was well on its way to doing after resounding wins over Spain and Brazil, the final would be Zidane’s last game. Flashback to 1970. An outstanding Italy makes it to the final of the first World Cup hosted in Mexico. Mexico’s first World Cup, and Pele’s last. There was only one way the final was going to go, as a “great one” like Pele can only go out winning a trophy. For all it’s hard work in that tournament, Italy got a token pat on the back and the dubious reward of being Brazil’s victim in Pele’s farewell match. Certainly, a “great one” like Zidane could only go out in the same way…

    Soccer is a curious sport. It defies logic. Many grown men have gone nearly insane trying to make sense out of it – including myself – but through all this we are ignoring the obvious. And that is that soccer is beautiful because it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t have a logic. And just like man spends a lifetime seeking the “absolute truth” in things, we like to fool ourselves into thinking that soccer has any truth to it at all.

    But it’s not our fault really. It’s just that the divine forces out there that control this illogical game enjoy playing with our emotions as much as we enjoy letting the sport play with them. And that’s why Scolari eliminated Eriksson’s England in the quarterfinal stage of a major competition for the third time. That’s why France defeated Brazil for the third time in recent memory. Not to mention it beat Spain. Again. And Portugal beat Holland. Again. Because sometimes history doesn’t just repeat itself. Sometimes it’s stuck on repeat, and hearing the same tune over and over can be enough to make you curse the existence of round leather balls and the overpaid millionaires who kick them around in their underwear.

    And that’s why the semifinal lineup was a blessing and a curse at the same time. Italy-Germany and France-Portugal. Italy would beat Germany for the third time, while France always beats Portugal. And an otherwise uneventful day in late winter 1982 marked the end of a 68-year unbeaten run for Italy against France, and since then Italy had stopped beating its transalpine neighbor. That’s it. Blow the whistle to end this World Cup. It’s painfully apparent what is about to transpire, and I can speak for every Italian when I say that we would rather be spared the writing on the wall. But then again, the last time the semifinal lineup was all European was…1982. The semifinalists that year? Italy, France, (West) Germany, and Poland (OK, at least it starts with the same two letters as Portugal). And in 2006, like 1982, Italy was playing in the World Cup against the backdrop of a corruption scandal in its domestic league…

    But here we are again trying to apply a logic to the game, when in actuality the story gets a bit more complicated. Sure, Italy can line up a third epic win over the Germans, but this is also the third time in a row that Italy runs into the host nation in a World Cup. I already mentioned the penalty shootout with France in 1998, and I would rather just forget the second round match against South Korea in 2002. And the Germans never lose in Dortmund. Not in 14 tries they haven’t. So what logic was going to apply? Is it going to be Italy-France or Germany-France? Because after all, this would be Germany’s third major win over France in a World Cup…

    But little did we know at the time that fate had something else in store for us, and that the “system of threes” would succumb to a new logic. Or so we hoped. Because beating Germany would be pointless if we’re just going to turn around and lose against France in the final. I had faith that a win over Germany would not mark the latest chapter of “threes,” but rather mark the beginning of a whole new book. Let’s exorcise that host nation demon, shall we?

    But five minutes from the end of the second overtime half of that historic semifinal in Dortmund, the score was still deadlocked at zero with penalty kicks looming. So much for exorcising anything. We were the slaves of history as always. The host nation was going to eliminate us on penalty kicks. Again. Because Germany has never lost on penalty kicks in the World Cup, while Italy has never won. An agonizing final five minutes before the 12-yard firing squad.

    But a couple of minutes later, the system started to crack. It was then that Fabio Grosso scored The Goal Heard Around the World, dubbed so not so much because of the importance of the goal, but rather because of my screams after seeing the ball in the back of Lehmann’s net. Primal. Animalistic, even. And if the soccer Gods had fooled me into thinking that my state of mind would return to “normal” within a minute or so thereafter, here was a second goal just for good measure. After a very short intermission the screams resumed, and mercifully it was the 4th of July and none of my neighbors must have been home to call the police. The spell had been broken. The host nation was no bogeyman for Italy any longer, and Germany’s myth of invincibility in Dortmund was shattered with the sounds of my screaming.

    Grosso was about as unlikely a hero as you could have found anywhere. Until a few short years ago, Grosso was playing in Italy’s fourth division. Five years ago, his own mother couldn’t have told you what club he played for exactly, but now he had scored the most important goal in Italy’s World Cup campaign. The goal that changed the course of the 2006 World Cup forever. And his impact on this tournament wasn’t even finished yet.

    Paolo Maldini. Played in four World Cups and three European Cups. An illustrious career of over 20 years (and counting) at the club level where he won countless titles, but he won nothing with the national team. Franco Baresi. A career second to none, but same story. Roberto Baggio. And while we’re at it, Sandro Mazzola, Gianni Rivera, and Giacinto Facchetti. Whether it was the 1970’s or 1990’s, the story was the same. Italy, with teams full of actual or presumed “stars,” never won the World Cup with those star-studded teams. And here is where the sport continues to not make sense. Paolo Maldini was never a world champion with his country. Neither was Baggio or Mazzola. Fabio Grosso, at 29 and with a career spent gypsying around the most remote outposts of Italian soccer until a couple of years ago, is today a world champion with his country. Perrotta is a world champion. So is Massimo Oddo, with 22 minutes played in the tournament (just like his shirt number). Because in the end, Italy never wins with teams full of stars. It’s always the working class Italys that prevail. The 1982 Italy was a working class Italy, Paolo Rossi hype aside. Because before Paolo Rossi decided to start scoring, the goals were coming from Tardelli. They came from Cabrini, or Graziani, who embodied the spirit of a working class player during his time at Torino, the most “working class” of Italy’s important clubs. In 1982, Italy wasn’t a team that dazzled with the incredible talent on display. Italy was a team that rolled up its sleeves and went to work.

    The 2006 Italy is fundamentally a working class Italy. There isn’t much room for stars in this side, and 12 goals scored by 10 different players, with all 20 outfield players finding the opportunity to play in at least part of a match, speaks volumes about the importance of the group over any single, individual player. Del Piero could not find room in this team in the role of a “star.” Del Piero could find room as a player who adapts to a new, more humble role, in true working class spirit. A role that is not his. And Luca Toni was presented as one of the prospective “stars” of this team. And while many may remember him for his pair of goals against Ukraine, all of us will remember him as the workhorse of the Italian attack. Not always a lot of shots, but a lot of work up front creating spaces and jamming enemy defenses in order to help the cause. Toni found his space in this team by playing offense in the same spirit of a defensive midfielder. Not much glory or flash, just rolling up his sleeves and going to work. And the reward wasn’t personal glory, but rather a collective one.

    This win is unusual for me in that I seem to be much happier for the players than the country as a whole. As significant as this win is for Italian soccer and the country of Italy has a whole, seeing these players rewarded for their efforts is what brings the greatest joy to my heart. Buffon is just too damn good not to win the World Cup, and I would have been more heartbroken than him to see all his saves and encouragements to his teammates have gone to a losing effort. Cannavaro. “Cannavaro: The Berlin Wall.” Italian fans once again showing their penchant for coming up with just the right banner for the right occasion. Cannavaro, a native of my own neighborhood in Naples, was the best player in this tournament and was fundamental in Italy getting as far as it did. And to think that as a kid I may just have played with someone who played with someone who played with Cannavaro (why not, I already played with someone who played with Zidane). A while back I said that seeing Cannavaro lift the World Cup trophy would have brought incredible joy to my heart. Well, it did. Not only because of the hometown factor, but also since a win over France was so significant for him. He, who had featured in the 1998 and 2000 defeats. He, who had the chance to clear away the ball that eventually led to France’s last gasp goal in 2000, but didn’t. But sometimes, the third time is a charm, as we learned in Dortmund…

    And Gattuso. Gattuso deserves to be a world champion more than most players who have ever been world champions. A player so intense that you don’t want to celebrate a goal with him as he may well choke you, as Marcello Lippi found out earlier in the tournament. Indefatigable. Obsessed. He charges at the game like an outnumbered soldier charging at his enemy in his last stand, knowing that all is lost by waiting for the enemy, so you might as well go out in a blaze of glory. Except he doesn’t go out, and he always finds new enemies to make last stands against. All that, only to see him be handed the trophy and for him to hold it like a father holding his first-born son for the first time. You should have seen the look on his face. His expression spoke for all of us. Today, Gennaro Gattuso is a world champion.

    And so is Pirlo. A previous coach of his once remarked that Pirlo would never make a good player as his wealthy upbringing made him lack a certain hunger for the game. I would have loved to see the look on that coach’s face when Pirlo netted the first penalty of the final’s shootout, completing what was for all intensive purposes simply a perfect tournament. His elegance as a player disguises a working class spirit which made him the heart of this team. Or Zambrotta, described as “one of those irritating people with a natural aptitude for everything, for the best left-back in the world has also proved himself the finest right-back in the World Cup.” Zambrotta who promised to bring the trophy back to former Juventus and Italy teammate Gianluca Pessotto, who is currently lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life after a failed suicide attempt. Pessotto, who is one of the most working class souls to have worn an Italy shirt in many years…

    Marcello Lippi was the father of this little miracle, and in the process became a father figure for all Italians. And to think that he kinda looks like my dad (who incidentally isn’t Italian)…

    24 years ago I first saw my beloved Azzurri lift the World Cup. It was an experience that set the tone for the remainder of my life, affecting me in more ways that I can even explore anymore. Today, I am seeing history repeat itself, but today it’s in a positive way. And in between, there was a little bit of everything. Some good. Maybe a lot of good. But a lot of bad. A lot of tears, a lot of suffering, and a lot of penalty shootouts that just didn’t go our way. In 24 years of following the Azzurri, I have lived the most extreme emotions a sports fan could ever be blessed with. It’s been a hell of a ride.

    I’m ready to sign up for 24 more years.
     
  2. arigato

    arigato New Member

    Jun 27, 2006
  3. vincep5

    vincep5 Member

    Jun 19, 2005
    written beautifully...I am overjoyed that I was a part of this history. This was a true "team" effort with so many obstacles that Italy overcame that makes it that much better. Many tough obstacles and many great stories...

    Iaquinta and Materazzi proved everyone wrong ! Grosso played fantastically. Down to the last sub w/Australia...Lippi brought in Totti who scored that last PK very cooly. Toni finally netting twice vs Ukraine. And who will ever forget the goals by Grosso and Del Piero. I erupted yelling when i saw the ball in the back of the net.

    World Champs holding that trophy is something that all those players dreamed of...and now they really did it!
     
  4. paris1129

    paris1129 Member

    Jun 27, 2005
    Columbus, Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Incredibly eloquent. Repped.
     
  5. RandyNA74

    RandyNA74 Member

    Jun 9, 2004
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    SSC Napoli
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Thank you guys.

    One thing I neglected to mention is how happy I am for those who are too young to remember 1982. 1982 was an incredible time, and the emotions of those moments will never fade. Shortly after Sunday's final, with the 2006 win's emotions in full swing, I dug around in my old closet at my parents' house and found one of my most cherished possessions: a poster of the 1982 Italy. "1982 Italia Campione del Mondo." Tardelli, Collovati, Rossi, Antognoni, Scirea, Cabrini, Zoff & Co. Though I was overwhelmed with fresh emotions from our new win, as soon as I unrolled the poster the memories and intense emotions associated with 1982 came rushing back to me, certainly not overshadowed by what had just happened a few hours earlier.

    Since then, it always filled me with a little sadness and nostalgia when I saw people who were too young to remember those magic days in Spain. Especially with all the heartbreaks Italy collected over the years. I thought to myself that it was unfair that some of us were blessed with such a bounty, while those who came after us had only penalty shootout losses (at best) to remember. So today not only am I ecstatic for the players, but I am also ecstatic for you guys who are winning the World Cup for the first time.

    May every generation of Italians be able to experience winning a World Cup. As some of you have just found out, there is simply nothing like it on Earth.
     
  6. Sempre

    Sempre ****************** Member+

    Mar 4, 2005
    NYC
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
  7. AmericanRosanero

    AmericanRosanero New Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    St. Louis, Mo
    <3 Randy.

    I want that paraphrased on my tombstone :D
     
  8. dor02

    dor02 Member

    Aug 9, 2004
    Melbourne
    Club:
    UC Sampdoria
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Judging from the logic, Italy plays better football with a team of hard workers. The organisation is better and it's better to watch. One of the things different with this WC performance is that in 1982, Rossi scored at will in the last three matches. This year, Materazzi and Toni are level with a small tally.

    A fantastic post Randy. It represents some of the great things about being Italian. Patriotism is a beautiful thing and your post represented it. I don't think we will read anything better in these forums and if we do, it must some phenomenal stuff.
     
  9. Regency

    Regency Member

    Apr 28, 2004
    Toronto
    Just like others have mentioned, I don't think I have read a better post on BS than this.

    The win on Sunday was just pure euphoria for me. I contemplated not watching the PK's because I couldn't take it...I actually wanted to puke. I thought if Italy wins the WC on PK's with me not watching, it would be a moment of glory with my friends that I would never be able to get back. I watched the PK's and when Grosso buried that ball in the back of the net, it was an eruption of pure joy and ecstasy that I will never forget.
     
  10. RandyNA74

    RandyNA74 Member

    Jun 9, 2004
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    SSC Napoli
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Thanks for the kind words. They put me in a better mood. Reading all the anti-Italian nonsense not only around BS (particularly the France forum...:rolleyes: ) but elsewhere has really been putting me down the past few days.

    Good thing I'm moving to Italy in a couple of months. This whole being Italian overseas thing really wears on a man's soul...;)
     
  11. Romanista_NYC

    Romanista_NYC Member

    Jun 19, 2006
    Basel, Switzerland
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Brilliant.

    I was thinking of making a post on all the reasons why this win was so sweet, but you said it way better than I could have. I'm going to email this thread's address to fellow Azzurri fans that I know so they can have a read.

    Great stuff paesan', grazie.
     
  12. ctruppi

    ctruppi Member

    May 7, 1999
    Annandale, NJ
    Fantastic post summarizing so much of what so many of us felt.

    I want to add acouple of things as well;

    Winning in 2006 has made me appreciate 1982 even more. I know it sounds a bit weird but on Sunday night, I kept thinking about that '82 win and how much it meant to me. I guess it's my brian telling me to appreciate this win and not let it fade. It may just be a 40 year old brain remembering an incredible moment from its 16th year. Whatever it is, the two World Cup wins are sort of tied in together in a wierd sort of way. They will always be a reflection of each other, bookending 2 remote parts of my life.

    My Father has been operated for bladder cancer in the past year. Although things are ok and it isn't terminal, we still hugged after the win as if we both knew that this was the last time we'd share this emotion together - 1982, the 2 Napoli scudetti and now 2006. A great cylce of 24 years that have been passed from one generation to the next. What made this even more special was that my oldest daughter (10 years old) and my Dad's 1st granchild (out of 9) was present at the finals party we went to at a friend's house. The 1st person my Dad hugged was his granddaughter. A sort of "passing of the torch" if you will. My Dad in essence saying, 'now it's your turn to live these moments with your Dad until some day this next cycle also ends'.

    Grazie Azzurri!
     
  13. Porteghal

    Porteghal BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Dec 13, 2005
    Beautiful read man, you summed up everything THANX!


    This world cup definately showed that GREAT TEAMS win the world championships

    NOT 1 or 2 GREAT PLAYERS!!!! :rolleyes:
     
  14. 'Uaglio

    'Uaglio Member+

    Jun 8, 2004
    NYC
    Randy...Great read. I feel much the same way.

    One small correction though...Baresi was on the 1982 team although he didn't play. Technically he did win a World Cup, but I know what you mean.

    GRANDE ITALIA!!!

    TI AUGURO TANTE BELLE COSE ORA CHE TORNI IN ITALIA!!
     

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