The UEFA Cup winner and the best scorer of the Beach World Cup
July 16 marked the 40th anniversary of Italy’s World Cup victory in Spain. In the decisive match of that World Cup Juadra Azzurra confidently defeated West Germany – 3:1. “Soccer.ru” collected in one article all the Italian heroes who brought their country its third world title.
Dino Zoff (goalkeeper)
Age at the ’82 World Cup – 40, now – 80.
Dzoff was the top Italian veteran at that World Cup. The keeper already had 3 World Cups under his belt, but only the last one, the 4th one, was triumphant. After his career as a player ended in 1983, Dzoff tried his hand as coach – he coached Juventus, Lazio (three times), Fiorentina and the Italian national team, which he led to the final of the 2000 World Cup. However, Dzoff gave up coaching long ago – in 2005. The reason, as they say, was health problems.
Franco Baresi (fullback)
His age at the 1982 World Cup was 22, now he is 62.
If for Dzoff the 1982 World Cup was his last, for Baresi it was his first. However, the future Milan legend was not allowed to play a single match at the Spanish Mundial. Baresi’s time with the national team will come later, but the centerback will not be able to reach the trophy with the national team again. After the end of his career Baresi tried himself in soccer management and in the work with the youth sector of AC Milan, but not very successfully. He gave up active soccer activity almost 15 years ago and since then has been limited to comments in the press.
Giuseppe Bergomi (defender)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 18, now – 58.
Another young defender in the Italian championship squad. But unlike Baresi Bergomi played three matches in the tournament, including all 90 minutes in the semi-final against Poland and the final against Germany. Bergomi finished his career in 1999, after which he tried himself as a coach of youth teams, a soccer expert and commentator. In particular, Giuseppe worked on TV during the last World Cup 2006, the victory for Italy.
Antonio Cabrini (defender)
He was 24 at the 1982 World Cup, now he is 64.
Cabrini is one of Juventus’ legends, a player who gave 13 years of his career to the Old Lady between 1976 and 1989. After his career Cabrini took a pause, which lasted 9 years, and returned to soccer only in 2000 as coach of the club Arezzo. Then he worked with Crotone, Pisa and Novara, but he was most closely associated with the Italian women’s national team, which he managed for five years – from 2012 to 2017.
Fulvio Collovati (defender)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 25, now – 65.
During his career he managed to play for both Milan clubs, also appeared at Udinese, Roma and Genoa. At the 82 World Cup Collovati was the main centerback of the Italian national team and even got on the symbolic team of the tournament. After his career ended he decided not to go to coaching. Now works as an analyst on the Italian channel RAI.
Claudio Gentile (defender)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 28, now – 68.
One of the best defenders of world soccer at the turn of the 70s-80s. Distinguished by his tough and uncompromising style of play. At the World Cup-82 was in the ranks of key players in Italy and remembered by many an aggressive personal game against Diego Maradona in the match of the 2nd round of the tournament, when the Italians beat Argentina 2:1. Gentile fouled Maradona a total of 23 times in that match and said after the game that “soccer is not for ballerinas.”
After his career he worked with Italian youth team (2000-2006), with which he won bronze at the Olympics in Athens.
Gaetano Chirea (fullback)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 29. Died in 1989.
Another legendary defender from the Italy-82 squad. Played all 7 matches at the Spanish Mundial from call to call. He finished his playing career in 1988, after which he stayed with Juventus, where he spent 14 years of his career. Shirea’s life was cut short on September 3, 1989. He had gone to Poland to make a report on Juve’s closest rival in the UEFA Cup. While traveling between cities, the car in which Shirea was travelling collided with a truck, resulting in an explosion because of the gasoline canisters in the car.
Pietro Verhovod (defender)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 23. Now he is 63.
This central defender had the nickname “Tsar” and not just for fun – his father was from the Soviet Union, was in a concentration camp during World War II, from which he escaped and then settled in Italy. Verkhovod did not play a single match at the 82 World Cup, but then played in two more World Cups and finished his career at the age of 41 in 2000. After that he tried to coach, but did not achieve much success. His last team was Albanian “Kamza”, which Verkhovod briefly coached in 2008.
Giancarlo Antonioni (midfielder)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 28, now – 68.
Legend of Fiorentina, for which he played for 15 years from 1972 till 1987. At the Spanish World Cup Antonioni was one of the team’s key players, despite the fact that he suffered a serious head injury a year before the tournament. At the tournament in Spain Antonioni, an attacking midfielder, made 3 goal passes and was second only to the Brazilian Zico and the German Littbarski. After his career ended in 1989, Antonioni withdrew from soccer and was not seen in coaching or managerial positions.
Giuseppe Dossena (midfielder)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 24, now – 64.
That rare case where the owner of number 10 was in deep reserve. Dossena did not play a single game at the ’82 World Cup. Playing career of this midfielder is difficult to call bright – none of the Italian giants he lit up. He played most matches in Serie A for Torino, where he played from 1981 to 1987. He finished his career in 1992, after which he worked as coach for Ghana, Paraguay and Albania. Dossena’s last coaching experience was with St. George’s Club from Ethiopia, which he led from 2010-2012.
Gianpiero Marini (midfielder)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 31. Now he is 71.
Supporting midfielder, who unlike many in the golden squad of the 1982 World Cup was in the national team for a rather short period – he played in it from 1980 to 1983 and recorded 20 games to his credit. After his career ended in 1994, he was appointed interim coach at Inter, then struggling for survival. Marini not only managed to keep the team in Serie A, but also led the Nerazzurri to victory in the UEFA Cup. He then coached Cremonese and Como, but without much success, and in 2001 he gave up coaching and finally retired from soccer.
Ivano Bordon (goalkeeper)
Age at the 82 World Cup – 31. Now he is 71.
Italy’s reserve goalkeeper at the Spanish Mundial. As a player spent 13 seasons for Inter Milan (1970-1983). After hanging up his boots on the nail, he worked as goalkeeper’s coach at Napoli, Juventus, Inter and the Italian national team, with which he won another World Cup – in 2006.
Gabriele Oriali (midfielder)
Age at the 1982 World Cup was 29, now he is 69.
One of the key players of the Italian national team at the 1982 World Cup. Played 5 matches at the tournament, including the decisive match against Germany, as well as difficult games in the preliminary round against Argentina and Brazil. Overall, however, he did not play many games for the national team – 28 between 1978 and 1983.
After his playing career ended, Orihiali began a career as a manager. He worked as sports director at Bologna and Parma. In 1999 he became Inter’s technical director and held this post for 11 years. In 2019, Oriali returned to work for the Nerazzurri and also became part-time manager of the Italian national team.
Marco Tardelli (defender)
Age at the 82 World Cup was 27, now he is 67.
Author of one of the goals in the winning World Cup ’82 final against Germany. The celebration of that goal in 2014 would rank 4th in the list of the greatest episodes in World Cup history according to the British BBC.
As coach, Tardelli tried his hand at many teams – Como, Cesena, Inter, Bari, Arezzo, Egypt and Ireland – but never achieved any significant success.
Franco Causio (midfielder)
Age at the ’82 World Cup was 33, now he is 73.
One of the most experienced players of the squad. Besides the 1982 World Cup, he represented Italy at the 1974 and 1978 World Cups. Causio, who played at right midfielder position, finished his career in 1988 and has not returned to soccer since.
Bruno Conti (midfielder)
Age at the ’82 World Cup was 27, now 67.
One of the key players in the ’82 squad. Played in all matches, scored for Peru, and was also instrumental in the final of the tournament, constructing the attack that led to Tardelli’s goal. Conti also earned a penalty in the final game, which Cabrini failed to convert. Conti was a Roma legend who spent 18 years of his playing career with the club. He also worked for the Giallorossi as a youth team coach in the early 90s, and was acting head coach in the main team for a while in 2005. Now Conti is in charge of Roma’s youth section.
Daniele Massaro (midfielder)
The age at the 1982 FIFA World Cup was 21, now he is 61.
At World Cup-82 he was in the application, but he hasn’t played a single match. It should be noted, that Massaro missed two next World Cups, but again appeared in the application on WC-94, where he was already the main player, having taken part in 6 of 7 games. After his playing career Massaro tried himself in beach soccer and even captained the Italian team. He is also an avid golfer and takes part in car racing. At the moment he holds the position of PR-manager of AC Milan.
Alessandro Altobelli (forward)
He was 26 at the 1982 FIFA World Cup and is now 66.
He scored one of three goals in the final match of the 1982 World Cup. He was considered one of the best Italian forwards of the early 80s. After his playing career he successfully tried his hand at beach soccer: He was top scorer at the 1995 and 1996 World Cups. Recently he has been working as a soccer expert on TV.
Francesco Graziani (forward)
He was 29 at the 1982 World Cup and is now 69.
He started in the 82 World Cup finals in the starting line-up, but left the field already on the 17th minute because of an injury. But he had played an important role for Italy at the tournament earlier when he scored against Cameroon in the group stage. It was thanks to this goal that the Italians were able to advance to the next round, beating the Africans.
Graziani tried his hand at coaching, but without much success. He worked with Fiorentina, Regina, Avellino and Catania, but did not stay there for more than a season. In the mid-’00s he retired from coaching and began to appear on TV as an expert.
Paolo Rossi (forward)
Age at the ’82 World Cup – 25, passed away in 2020.
The main star of the Italian national team at World Cup-82, the best scorer of the tournament. Scored 6 goals at the time, one of which was in the final of the tournament. He is Italy’s top scorer at World Championships with 9 goals along with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri.
Rossi finished his playing career in 1987, after which he worked as a soccer commentator for several Italian TV channels. Sadly, he did not live to see the 40th anniversary of winning the Spanish Mundial. Rossi died at the end of 2020 of lung cancer.
Franco Selvaggi (forward)
Age at the ’82 World Cup was 29, now he’s 69.
Perhaps the least star player on Italy’s squad for the 1982 World Cup. This forward went to the tournament as a Cagliari player. At the Spanish fields and never played, just on his account only 3 games for Italy, and all in 1981. After his career he worked as a coach in teams of lower Italian divisions.
Giovanni Galli (goalkeeper)
Age at the 1982 World Cup – 24, now 64.
Another reserve Italian goalkeeper at that World Cup, like Bordon didn’t play a single game. A place in the starting lineup Galli will get at the next World Cup in Mexico, where Italians will reach only 1/8 finals. At the club level, he defended the colors of Fiorentina, AC Milan, Napoli, Torino and Parma.
Galli ran for mayor of Florence in 2009, but failed to take the post. In the second round, he lost to Matteo Renzi with 40 percent of the vote.
Enzo Bearzot (head coach)
Age at the ’82 World Cup was 54. Died in 2010.
Bearzot is among the legendary coaches of the Italian national team. And not just because he led that team to victory at the ’82 World Cup. Bearzot coached the Italian national team for 11 years (1975-1986), taking it to 3 World Cups and playing a record 104 matches.
After leaving the national team Beharzot for a long time remained away from soccer and returned to it only in 2002, when he took the post of technical director of the Italian Football Federation. He left that job in 2005.
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