Remember getting drawn Italy in the pool at work for that World Cup. At the time their form was not great so did not fancy my chances however Rossi hit great form and ended up as the golden boot winner and winning the whole thing. 64 way too young. RIP Paolo I will never forget you.
Ah. The Summer of 1982. Some very exciting football was played in Spain during the tournament and offered some welcome respite from my 'O' Levels. ABC's The Lexicon Of Love was released in June. It was followed, in August, by Yazoo's Upstairs At Eric's and, in September, Simple Minds' New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84).
Rossi's Italy became the first team to advance from the first round without winning a game (drawing all three). In winning the tournament, Italy equalled Brazil's record of winning the World Cup three times. Italy's goalkeeper-captain Dino Zoff, aged forty, became the oldest player to win the World Cup. A Semi-final 3-3 draw between France and West Germany realised the first ever penalty shoot-out at a World Cup Finals (West Germany winning it 5-4). Italy beat Poland in the other Semi-final, Rossi scoring two goals. He scored Italy's first goal in the Final, which resulted in a 3-1 victory for the Italians.
Rossi's six tournament goals led to his being awarded the Golden Boot (as the tournament's top scorer) and the Golden Ball (for the player of the tournament).
Saw Rossi score in the first minute for Juventus at Aston Villa in the European Cup. Villa never touched the ball from the kick off. Juve worked it from right to left into the left corner, Bettega fired in a cross on the turn and Rossi was too quick for the Villa defenders. The ball was in the net before anyone moved. He was the best finisher in the world in the early eighties.
Another name from the past , 1982 World Cup was a thing of beauty, when I was an 11 year old totally in love with football , we even wanted Scotland to win back then , what a goal David Narey ! Paolo Rossi broke our hearts beating the footballing gods of Brazil , Zico , Socrates , Falcao and co
RIP Paolo
But it did lead to one of the greatest goal celebrations ever in the final.
Beats Alan "Raise One Hand" Shearer into a cocked hat.
Comments
Brazil only needed to draw the game to go through.
Rossi's Italy became the first team to advance from the first round without winning a game (drawing all three). In winning the tournament, Italy equalled Brazil's record of winning the World Cup three times. Italy's goalkeeper-captain Dino Zoff, aged forty, became the oldest player to win the World Cup. A Semi-final 3-3 draw between France and West Germany realised the first ever penalty shoot-out at a World Cup Finals (West Germany winning it 5-4). Italy beat Poland in the other Semi-final, Rossi scoring two goals. He scored Italy's first goal in the Final, which resulted in a 3-1 victory for the Italians.
Rossi's six tournament goals led to his being awarded the Golden Boot (as the tournament's top scorer) and the Golden Ball (for the player of the tournament).
RIP.
RIP
There is not a word I can use to describe these people.