Seven matches. Many used it to Italy to conquer the World Cup in Spain ’82. Seven matches. Seven, like the jersey number of Franco Causio, our “narrator” of these seven stories.
«But 7 on the shoulders of that world championship was Scirea who, knowing how much I cared, handed me his shirt in the locker room after the final. I have it at home in a frame ». So let’s let the Baron tell us about this extraordinary ride of 40 years ago chapter by chapter.
ITALY-POLAND 0-0
«The first match of a World Cup is always special. We also played it well against an opponent that was anything but trivial: in that Poland there were Boniek and Lato. Of the three games in the qualifying round it was the best.
I think it was important for us to train in the cool of Galicia: when, in the second phase, we moved into the scorching heat of Barcelona, we went twice as far as the others. Considering what the Italian press was saying about us on the eve of the World Cup, that was not a bad result ».
ITALY-PERU ‘1-1
«In our heads there was no concern to win at all costs after the first match ended in a draw with Poland. We took the lead early with a goal from Bruno Conti, but we didn’t play like we did on our debut.
In the interval Bearzot replaced Rossi with myself and put Graziani forward and Conti on the left in order to regain supremacy in midfield. We suffered a draw on an own goal and ended 1-1.
On the day of rest, I had decided to get a massage from De Maria, the masseur who was at Juve: I found Rossi on the bed before me. He was disheartened and convinced that Bearzot would not have let him start in the next race.
I was the first to reassure him: “You will see Paolo, you will play from the beginning, not me”. And so it was. In that group everyone had the role of him. I remember well what Bearzot told me the day he sent out the summons: “You come and help Conti without making any problems”.
Him or whoever needs. I owed it to him because of the trust he had placed in me. Without Enzo we would never have won the title ».
ITALY CAMEROON 1-1
After two draws, it was inevitable that the tension was high. A draw was enough to qualify, but that could not have been the initial goal. I was impressed by the arrival of the Cameroonian players at the stadium: they danced, laughed and joked.
The responsibilities were all on our shoulders: it made all the difference in the world to get through the first round or be eliminated. In Italy they would have welcomed us with fish in the face.
It seemed that Graziani’s goal could put the game down and instead we immediately suffered the same. The last twenty minutes were interminable. On the bench it’s bad because you miss a curse at every mistake.
On the pitch, on the other hand, you just think about helping your teammate. In the end, however, it ends 1-1 and we get to the next round. The next day we see Bearzot who almost comes to blows with a journalist: it is the straw that breaks the camel’s back and we opt, against the will of the coach, for a press blackout. The air was heavy ».
ITALY-ARGENTINA 2-1
«We are moving to Barcelona, it is hellishly hot. The first match is with World Champion Argentina. Compared to the team four years earlier there is a certain Maradona. Bearzot entrusts it to Gentile.
It is a somewhat surprising move, three years earlier in the match between the Albiceleste and the Rest of the World Tardelli had marked it, but perhaps, just mindful of that precedent, the Vecio changes.
Balanced game, with few chances. Gentile is warned and Maradona does everything to provoke him and cause the expulsion, but Claudio does not fall into the provocation.
We score two goals with maneuvered starts that have always been the strength of our football. We won four world championships playing this way, but stories.
They score first Tardelli and then Cabrini. Passarella shortens the distance on a free kick and ends 2-1 for us. Rossi’s performance takes a back seat because he does not score, but Paolo seems to be definitely recovering ».
ITALY-BRAZIL 3-2
«The Brazilians beat Argentina 3-1 and a draw with us will be enough. We went to see that match at the stadium and we realized first-hand the qualities, but also the flaws of Brazil.
We know that having only one useful result available will be difficult, but we don’t feel beaten at the start, quite the contrary. Bearzot prepares the game very well as always: Gentile scores on Zico, Oriali on Eder, when on the eve it seemed the opposite.
We start well and this speaks volumes about the mentality of that team. Rossi is released, then Zico invents a number of his own: heel strike to get rid of Gentile, and right winger assist for Socrates who puts Zoff on the near post.
Perhaps Dino in that circumstance could have done something more, but then he will redeem himself in a great way. How many times have I talked to my friend Zico about this race; tighten tighten I always repeat the same concept: you have been betrayed by your presumption.
It’s true that our 3-2 goal came from a corner, but they could have handled that situation better. Then maybe it would have ended 3-3 if Zoff hadn’t pulled that big save from Oscar’s header at the last minute.
I confess that from the bench I thought it was a goal even if out of the corner of my eye I saw that the linesman had remained stationary. Then when I saw Dino get up and with his index finger raised he signaled “no no, she has not entered” I was completely reassured. At the final whistle I’m not saying that we were sure of winning the World Cup, but … almost ».
ITALY 2-0 POLAND
«After beating the ghota of South American football, the one with Poland was almost a class test to do with an open book. Gentile was disqualified and Bearzot confirmed Bergomi, who had replaced Collovati with Brazil.
It is not true, as I hear from time to time, that it was Zoff who decided on the employment of “Uncle”. Bearzot talked and confronted himself with Dino, with me and with others, but then the last decision was made by him.
Beppe was put in marking on Lato and checked it very well. In Poland Boniek was missing, but even with him on the pitch the final result would not have changed: Rossi-Rossi, one goal per half and we are in the final ».
ITALY-GERMANY 3-1
«We find Germany, a classic. We are without Antognoni, who got hurt against Poland and after a few minutes Graziani got hurt, replaced by Altobelli.
Since the Germans have three strikers, Bearzot plays with an extra defender and puts Gentile on Littbarski, Bergomi on Rumenigge and Collovati on Fischer. In fact, the attacking mezzala is Tardelli.
Cabrini misses a penalty kick in the first half and in the interval Bearzot shakes him: “Look, nothing happened, we will win this World Cup anyway”. We re-enter that we are loaded with buckshot. Tardelli surprisingly beats a free-kick for Gentile, crosses and, coincidentally, who comes out? Rossi.
If Pablito hadn’t intercepted the ball behind him to score, Cabrini, a defender, would have intervened. In the face of those who called Bearzot defensive. Same goes for the 2-0 action: in the opposing area there are Bergomi and Scirea, then Tardelli, who thanks also to that wrong stop marks the doubling before Altobelli’s trio.
At the last minute Bearzot sends me out on the pitch: a gesture of gratitude for which I still thank him today. Then the party with Pertini, the return on the presidential plane and the famous card game. Who won? All four of them, today I have to answer like this.
A year later, when the president will visit Udine, he will have me taken from a carabinieri car at Moretti. I join him at the provincial building. “Did you think I forgot about you? You’re the first one I asked for ”.
We had lunch together, what wonderful memories. 40 years have passed and I still have the chills ». We too.
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