Paolo Rossi ( italian pronunciation : [ ˈpaːolo ˈrossi ] ; [ 1 ] [ 2 ] 23 September 1956 – 9 December 2020 ) was an italian professional football player who played as a forward. He led Italy to the 1982 FIFA World Cup championship, scoring six goals to win the Golden Boot as top goalscorer, and the Golden Ball for the musician of the tournament. Rossi is one of only three players to have won all three awards at a World Cup, along with Garrincha in 1962, and Mario Kempes in 1978. Rossi was besides awarded the 1982 Ballon d’Or as the European Footballer of the year for his performances. Along with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri, he is Italy ‘s top scorer in World Cup history, with nine goals overall. [ 3 ]
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At baseball club floor, Rossi was besides a fecund goalscorer for Vicenza. In 1976, he was signed to Juventus from Vicenza in a co-ownership deal for a world criminal record transfer fee. [ 4 ] Vicenza retained his services, and he was the top goalscorer in Serie B in 1977, leading his team to promotion to Serie A. The take after season, Rossi scored 24 goals, to become the beginning musician to top the score charts in Serie B and Serie A in back-to-back seasons. Rossi made his debut for Juventus in 1981, and went on to win two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup Winners ‘ Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the european Cup. widely regarded as one of the greatest italian footballers of all meter, Rossi was named in 2004 by Pelé as one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as contribution of FIFA ‘s hundredth anniversary celebration. [ 5 ] In the like year, Rossi placed 12th in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. After he retired from football, he worked as a initiate for Sky, Mediaset Premium, and Rai Sport, until his death on 9 December 2020. [ 6 ] [ 7 ]
career [edit ]
early years [edit ]
Rossi was born in Prato, Tuscany, Italy in the area of Santa Lucia. [ 8 ] [ 9 ] Although he was a member of the police squad during the 1972–73 temper, Rossi made his debut in master italian football with Juventus in 1973, making an appearance in the Coppa Italia and winning a runner-up decoration in the 1973 Intercontinental Cup. He was frequently injury-prone during his foremost few seasons, merely making three Coppa Italia appearances with Juventus between 1972 and 1975, and scoring no goals. After three operations on his knees, he was late sent to gain experience with Como, where he made his Serie A debut during the 1975–76 season, initially playing as a right winger, where his small human body would not be a hindrance ; he made six Serie A appearances for the golf club, but again failed to score. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 8 ] [ 12 ]
A young Paolo Rossi with Como in 1975 His career reached a plow point when Vicenza Calcio ( then Lanerossi Vicenza ) engaged him on loanword. Coach Giovan Battista Fabbri decided to move him from the fly and place him in the center of the attack ( because of injuries to the then centre-forward ) precisely before the season started. Rossi immediately showed a fantastic bent for getting open in the box and score, winning the Serie B Golden Boot with 21 goals in his first year in this more advance placement. In the 1976–77 temper, Rossi ‘s qualities as an implacable striker led his team to promotion to Serie A, and he besides led Vicenza to the second group stage of the Coppa Italia that season. In the adopt season, Rossi scored 24 goals, to become the beginning player to top the score charts in Serie B and Serie A in straight seasons, besides leading Vicenza to an incredible second-place finish in Serie A during the 1977–78 season, lone behind his co-owners Juventus. Due to his performances, he was selected by the italian national team ‘s director Enzo Bearzot for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. Rossi was besides given his Italy debut under Bearzot on 21 December 1977, in a 1–0 friendly away win over Belgium. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ] Rossi confirmed his emergence during the 1978 World Cup tournament, gaining international fame as one of the universe ‘s best strikers. Playing for Italy as a cardinal striker, he would sometimes switch positions with the two early forwards, going to his master justly wing position. mighty winger Franco Causio, a bipedal player, would go leave, and Italy ‘s tall left winger Roberto Bettega would go to the center. This simpleton contrivance, made possible by the technical quality of all three players, created havoc for opposing defences, and Italy showed an entertain offensive expressive style of act in the tournament. Rossi totalled three goals and four assists as Italy finished in fourth place in that World Cup. He was named as part of the team of the tournament for his performances, and he besides collected the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the World Cup. Rossi ‘s finish in Italy ‘s opening 2–1 group win of the tournament against France, on 2 June 1978, was besides his first goal for Italy. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 14 ] up to this point, Rossi had been jointly owned by Vicenza and Juventus. When the two clubs were called to settle the property, Lanerossi offered the shocking sum of 2.612 billion lire for Rossi, who became the earth ‘s most expensive player, and Italy ‘s most dearly-won sport always at that point. After the 1978 World Cup, during the 1978–79 season, Rossi made his european debut with Vicenza in the UEFA Cup, however, despite scoring 15 goals for the club in Serie A, his season was marked by injuries, and Vicenza was relegated to Serie B. Rossi was subsequently loaned to Perugia, in order to play in Serie A the follow season. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 13 ]
Match-fixing scandal [edit ]
While at Perugia, he managed 13 goals in Serie A during the 1979–80 season, besides helping the club to the round of 16 of the UEFA Cup. During the season, however, he was involved in the ill-famed 1980 betting scandal known in Italy as Totonero, and as a consequence of this Rossi was disqualified for three years, although this was subsequently reduced to a biennial prohibition. As a result, Rossi missed out on the 1980 european Championship with Italy, where the team once again finished in fourth set, on home dirt. Despite the banish, Rossi constantly claimed to be innocent, and stated that he had been a victim of an injustice. [ 14 ] [ 15 ]
1982 World Cup [edit ]
Despite his ban, Rossi was repurchased by Juventus in 1981, and he returned to the starting line-up good in time for the end of the 1981–82 season to contribute to the club ‘s 1981–82 Serie A championship ( scoring one goal in three appearances ), and to take share in the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. [ 10 ] italian journalists and tifosi initially lamented that he was in very poor supreme headquarters allied powers europe, however, and this opinion seemed to be confirmed by Italy ‘s shock operation in the three group matches, in which he was described as a “ ghostwriter aimlessly wandering over the field ”. [ 16 ] Italy director Enzo Bearzot, however, staunchly confirmed Rossi for the decisive round off robin in the moment round, in which his team was to face Argentina, the reigning World Champions, and Brazil, the favourites to win the entitle with a team consist of first players such as Sócrates, Zico, and Falcão. After Italy defeated Argentina 2–1, partially thanks to the defensive work of Claudio Gentile and Gaetano Scirea who shut down the young Argentine star Diego Maradona, Rossi scored a hat-trick to defeat Brazil 3–2 to qualify for the semi-finals. [ 12 ] In the semi-final match against Poland, Rossi ‘s two goals won the match for Italy once again, granting them a place in the 1982 World Cup final examination. In the final examination against West Germany, Rossi scored the first of Italy ‘s three goals, from an indirect set-piece assist from Gentile, helping Italy win the match 3–1, giving his team their one-third World Cup title. With six goals in entire, he won the tournament ‘s máximo goleador award, the Golden Boot, as the top scorekeeper of the tournament, deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as the Golden Ball Award for the best musician of the tournament, and he was named as contribution of the team of the tournament for the moment back-to-back prison term. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 14 ] italian fans hung banners proclaiming him “ Man of the match “. Rossi ‘s accomplishments in Spain gained him the title of european Footballer of the Year and World Player of the class in 1982, equally well as the 1982 Onze d’Or Award. His goalscoring exploits during the tournament earned him the nicknames “ Pablito ” and the “ torero ”. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 17 ] Between his goals and assists throughout the tournament, Rossi was directly responsible for 58 % of his team ‘s goals during the 1982 World Cup. [ 18 ] Rossi became a home champion in Italy for his six goals in the 1982 World Cup finals. Peter Mason, writing for The Guardian, noted that the World Cup concluding gain, which was set up by Rossi ‘s crucial first goal, “ was a cathartic moment for the nation, which had been subject to meaning social and political unrest for a count of years and, despite being regarded as one of the worldly concern ‘s premier footballing nations, had not won a World Cup since 1938 … With the victory came an incalculable lift to the state ’ second spirits, and Rossi was at the center of the celebrations. ” [ 19 ]
late years and death [edit ]
Rossi in 2007
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After the 1982 World Cup, Rossi continued to play with Juventus. During the 1982–83 season, Juventus finished second in Serie A, although he helped the cabaret to win the 1983 Coppa Italia, scoring five goals. He besides helped Juventus to reach the 1983 european Cup final examination, only to lose out to Hamburg ; he finished the tournament as the top scorer, with six goals. During the 1983–84 season, Rossi won his second Scudetto championship with the club, notably scoring 13 goals, besides helping the clubhouse to win the 1983–84 UEFA Cup Winners ‘ Cup, followed by the 1984 UEFA Super Cup. During his final examination temper with the club, Rossi ultimately won the european Cup in 1985, finishing the tournament with 5 goals, behind entirely teammate Michel Platini, and Torbjörn Nilsson, with 7 goals. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 14 ] [ 17 ] Following his tenure with Juventus, Rossi moved on to a then struggling Milan for a temper in 1985. [ 8 ] During his clock with Milan, he was remembered for his two-goal operation against Internazionale in a Milan bowler hat match. Rossi was besides selected in Italy ‘s team for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, but did not play in the rival ; an injury caused him to struggle during the team ‘s fitness tests, owing to the high altitude of the region. As a leave, he was replaced by Giuseppe Galderisi up-front in the team ‘s starting line-up. [ 20 ] He made his final examination appearance for Italy on 11 May 1986, in a 2–0 friendly home gain over China in Naples. He ended his club career at Hellas Verona during the 1986–87 season, helping them to a fourth-place polish in Serie A, before retiring at the end of the season. He was involved in real estate, together with his former teammate Giancarlo Salvi. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] Rossi scored a total of 20 goals in 48 elder international detonator for Italy. [ 21 ] Rossi is Italy ‘s joint all-time top goalscorer in the FIFA World Cup, with nine goals in 14 appearances over two editions of the tournament, aboard Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri. Six of his World Cup goals came in seven appearances during Italy ‘s passage to triumph in 1982, and three of his goals came in seven appearances during the 1978 tournament, when Italy finished in fourth place. [ 10 ] [ 17 ] Rossi represented Italy in the 1991 edition of the World Cup of Masters, scoring in the third place play-off against Uruguay. Pelé named Rossi as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004 ; [ 5 ] during the same year, Rossi placed 12th in the UEFA Golden Jubilee poll. [ 22 ] In August 1990, he was named vice-president of Lega Pro Prima Divisione club A.S. Pescina Valle del Giovenco. [ 23 ] Following his retirement he besides worked as a initiate for Sky, Mediaset Premium, and Rai Sport. [ 6 ] [ 24 ] Rossi died on 9 December 2020, at the old age of 64, from lung cancer. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 25 ] Rossi was survived by his moment wife, Federica Cappelletti, and three children. [ 26 ] During his funeral in Vicenza on 12 December, attended by thousands, [ 27 ] his house in Bucine was robbed. [ 28 ] [ 19 ]
style of playing period [edit ]
Paolo Rossi is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most fecund italian forwards of all time. [ 12 ] Although he lacked the intimidating physical presence of a typical absolute hitter, Rossi was a quick, agile, prolific, and elegant centre-forward, with good technique, balance wheel, extremely quick reactions, an accurate inject, and an center for finish, which enabled him to anticipate defenders in the corner for the ball. [ 8 ] [ 29 ] He made up for his miss of potency, animalism, and shooting power with his lament sense of opportunism, intelligence, positional sense, and abrupt finish skills with both of his feet ampere well as with his promontory, which allowed him to excel in the air and beat out larger opponents for the ball, in malice of his relatively short-circuit stature ; he was not particularly ace at located pieces, however. [ 10 ] [ 12 ] [ 14 ] Although Rossi was primarily known as a hitter who chiefly operated in the penalty area, he began his career as a correct winger, and in his late career with Juventus, he was besides deployed as a supporting forward, owing to the offensive attributes of the club ‘s modern signings in midfield, in particular Zbigniew Boniek and Michel Platini, where his function frequently involved holding up the ball or dragging opponents out of position to create space for his teammates ‘ runs with his excellent attacking movement of the ball. [ 10 ]
career statistics [edit ]
club [edit ]
| Club | Season | League | Coppa Italia | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Juventus | 1973–74 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974–75 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Como | 1975–76 | Serie A | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Lanerossi Vicenza | 1976–77 | Serie B | 36 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 23 |
| 1977–78 | Serie A | 30 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 26 | |
| 1978–79 | Serie A | 28 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 17 | |
| Total | 94 | 60 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 108 | 66 | ||
| Perugia | 1979–80 | Serie A | 28 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 14 |
| 1980–81 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 28 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 14 | ||
| Juventus | 1981–82 | Serie A | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 1982–83 | Serie A | 23 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 43 | 18 | |
| 1983–84 | Serie A | 30 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 46 | 15 | |
| 1984–85 | Serie A | 27 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 43 | 10 | |
| Total | 83 | 24 | 24 | 7 | 28 | 13 | 135 | 44 | ||
| Milan | 1985–86 | Serie A | 20 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 3 |
| Hellas Verona | 1986–87 | Serie A | 20 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 7 |
| Career total | 251 | 103 | 54 | 17 | 36 | 14 | 341 | 134 | ||
International [edit ]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 10 | 4 | |
| 1979 | 5 | 3 | |
| 1980 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1981 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1982 | 11 | 6 | |
| 1983 | 7 | 2 | |
| 1984 | 6 | 3 | |
| 1985 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1986 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 48 | 20 | |
- Scores and results list Italy’s goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rossi goal.[21]
Honours [edit ]
Vicenza [ 14 ]
Juventus [ 14 ]
Italy [ 14 ]
Individual
References [edit ]
further learn [edit ]
- Antonello Capone e Paolo Piani, Sponsor, in Marco Sappino (a cura di), Dizionario del calcio italiano, 1ª ed., Milano, Baldini & Castoldi, 2000.
- Calciatori ‒ La raccolta completa Panini 1961–2012, Vol. 2 (1985–1986), Modena, Panini, 2012.
- Calciatori ‒ La raccolta completa Panini 1961–2012, Vol. 3 (1986–1987), Modena, Panini, 2012.
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