Name : Dino Zoff
Date of Birth: 28 February 1942
Birthplace: Friuli,
Italy
[AFP] |
Italy¡¯s towering guardian in the net
A rock, a workaholic, a perfectionist: Dino Zoff is one of the greatest
goalkeepers the world has known. The facts speak for themselves: he played in
the FIFA World Cup three times, winning in 1982, won 112 caps and holds the
record of 1,142 minutes without conceding a goal.
Words, however, were not the common ground between this former Italian
international goalkeeper and Britain's wartime prime minister. Both were leaders
of men. Indeed, Zoff's finest hour came when he led his country to victory at
the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain?. Unlike some of today's heroes, he was a legend
precisely because of his achievements as a player: including 112 Italy caps
spanning three FIFA World Cups; and an international football record of 1142
minutes without conceding a goal.
Yet this son of farming stock would not have had it any other way. "All that
I have, I have earned through hard work," he once said. Football would take the
country boy out of Italy's agricultural north-east; yet the country, proud and
pragmatic, never really left Zoff.
The humble beginnings
[AFP] |
Growing up in this
erstwhile corner of the Austro-Hungarian empire had its advantages, not least
the diet. When he was rejected by Inter Milan and Juventus as a 14-year-old -
with the time-honoured excuse that he was too small - Zoff's grandmother
Ad¨¦la?de had the answer: to feed him up on eggs. Five years on and Zoff's
displays for his village team, Marianese, were giving the scouts at nearby
Udinese food for thought. He had grown 33 centimetres to 1,82 metres - a rise in
inches which earned him a leap in faith on the part of the Serie A club. Soon
Zoff was leaving his job as a motor mechanic to sign professional forms. He was
not, however, a smooth starter and let in five goals on his debut at Fiorentina
on September 24th 1961. Demotion beckoned, for player and club.
Zoff had made just four appearances for the Friuli club when Mantova restored
him to the top flight the next season. Here his career really did take off. By
1966 he was being considered for Italy's FIFA World Cup squad alongside
Albertosi, Anzolin and Pizzaballa. In the event, Azzurri coach Edmondo Fabbri
selected the latter trio, because, as Zoff explained, "he did not want to be
accused of favouritism being a Mantova man himself". Consolation came in the
shapely form of wife Anna-Maria. The subsequent birth of son Marco meant there
would be two new arrivals in Zoff's life in 1967. That was the year Napoli
welcomed him to the south of Italy in exchange for 130million lire and
goalkeeper Bandoni. The Naples club succeeded where AC Milan, ever reluctant to
meet Mantova's price, had failed. "I have great memories of my time there," Zoff
said. "It is such a lively city."
Remarkable achievements
[Popperfoto] |
A memorable
one too, it transpired. Zoff made his international debut there in the 2-0 win
against Bulgaria in April 1968. It was a European Championship quarter-final and
he stayed in the team as Italy reached the Final, where they beat Yugoslavia in
a replay. A worthy start to an international career that only the great Paolo
Maldini would eclipse three decades on. Yet not even the photogenic Maldini made
the front cover of Newsweek magazine. That particular honour fell to Zoff in
1982, as he bowed out of international football in much the same way he had
entered it: with a winner's medal.
That he did so as a 40-year-old in the FIFA World Cup was suitable recompense
for his years of dedication. Seasons punctuated more by triumph than by
disaster. The small defeats of losing his place to Albertosi at the World Cup in
Mexico, of being "not at my best" in Argentina eight years later, were nothing
compared with six Italian championships won with Juventus. It was half a
lifetime ago that Zoff swapped Turin for Naples. It was a fresh challenge for a
player who always seemed as interested in setting goals as he was in saving
them. Perhaps this was the secret of his longevity.
In Zoff's case, the past really was history. And the fact he was only ever as
good as his last game allowed him to retain his enthusiasm through 570 Serie A
appearances, 330 made in perfect sequence while at Juventus. Halcyon days
indeed, those 11 terms at the Stadio Comunale. Certainly, the Bianconeri got
their money's worth out of their 330million lire signing. In return, as well as
the six Scudettos, Zoff picked up the UEFA Cup and two Italian Cups. The one
caveat was the European Cup, where he was twice a loser: against Ajax in 1973
and Hamburg in 1983.
Leading from the bench
[AFP] |
The latter final was Zoff's farewell to the big time. He retired to become a
goalkeeping coach at Juventus. But it was not enough. "As far as I was concerned
it was a dead-end job," he said. So he took the post of coach to Italy's Olympic
team ahead of the Seoul Games - and impressed sufficiently to be offered the
manager's job back at Juventus in 1988. Victories in the Italian and UEFA Cups,
plus a third-place finish in the league, ensured the club would not regret their
choice, although the arrangement lasted but a year.
Next stop was Lazio. In Rome, Zoff had four campaigns as coach then assumed
the role of president. He oversaw the Eagles' transition from poor relations in
the Eternal City to plc... and even had a brief spell at caretaker coach in
1997.
His next appointment was arguably the pinnacle: replacing Cesare Maldini as
Italy trainer after the Azzurri's poor showing at France 98. And but for David
Trezeguet's golden goal in the Euro 2000 final, he might well have been the man
responsible for the country's first international success since Spain 82. Yet
according to the Italian press, second place was for losers. Stung by the
criticism, Zoff retired and returned to Lazio, again as coach. He took them to
third position and the Champions League, yet could not satisfy fans who had
feasted on a league and cup double a year earlier. So when the 2001/02 season
began with embarrassing defeats at home and in Europe, the Zoff removal vans
were again in motion... doubtless laden with the trophies of a wonderful career
in the game.
Playing Career
International honours
112 International appearances (59 as captain) 1974 FIFA World Cup? first
round 1978 FIFA World Cup? fourth 1982 FIFA World Cup? Champion European
Championship winner 1968
Clubs
1961 - 1963 Udinese 1963 - 1967 Mantova 1967 - 1972 Napoli 1972 - 1983
Juventus 570 Serie A appearances
Club honours
1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982 Italian Champion 1979, 1983 Italian Cup
Champion 1977 UEFA Cup Champion
Managerial career
Clubs
1988 -1990 Juventus 1990 - 1994 Lazio 1997 Lazio 2001 Lazio
National Team
1998 - 2000 Italy
Coaching honours:
1990 Italian Cup Champion 1990 UEFA Cup Champions European Championship
runner-up 2000
