Milan, 26 May – Mourning in the world of football. Tarcisio Burgnich died at 82, who disappeared overnight after a long illness. Burgnich nicknamed “Rock” for his physical prowess and considered a model for his qualities of seriousness and fairness he was defender, among others, of Inter and Naples, as well as champion of Europe with Italy in 1968 and vice world champion in 1970.
Who is it
He played as right back, stopper and free. For his competitive vigor, Armando Picchi, a teammate in Inter and the national team, called him Roccia, and that nickname accompanied him in the long career. An indefatigable scorer, he used to take the most formidable opponent attacker into custody. Always focused and ready in advance. Future specialists of the man marking like Claudio Gentile and Pietro Vierchowod.
He has won everything in his career
He has won a lot in his long career on the football fields, since Scudetto with Juve in 1961, until to victories in the Grande Inter by Helenio Herrera, where he took home 4 league titles, two European Cups and two Intercontinental Cups. It boasts 66 appearances and two goals in the national team, from 1963 to 1974. The debut on 10 November 1963 in the return match valid for the European Cup against the Soviet national team. At the 1970 World Cup in Mexico he scored his second goal with the Azzurri, the momentary 2-2 draw in the Italy-West Germany semi-final (4-3, the “Match of the Century”). For the match played, Gianni Brera gave him a 9+ in the players’ report card. In the final he is dominated in the detachment from Skin who scores the goal of the momentary 1-0 in the match won by Brazil 4-1. On 13 January 1973 he took the field as captain of the Azzurri in the match against Turkey valid for qualifying for the 1974 world championship. He left the national team after the defeat against Poland which resulted in the elimination of Italy from the World Cup.
When he said no to the Inter bench
Hanging up his shoes, he started there coaching career sitting on the benches of Catanzaro, Bologna, What, Livorno, Foggia, Lucchese, Cremonese, Genoa, Ternana, Salernitana, breaking latest news and LR Vicenza. The debut on the bench with Livorno, where he was disqualified for six months for some statements on Pisa. His second bench sees him in Calabria, where he started the Serie A season in a positive way, reaching the fifth day of the first round at the top of the standings. In the 1981-1982 season he is al Bologna, for which, having given his word he is forced to refuse the proposal to coach Inter. But not even this was able to save his bench and end the season: it was exonerated on March 15, 1982 for disagreements with some executives of the company, defended only by the president Fabbretti. A very delicate and painful period for Burgnich, who just during this season launched a very young Roberto Mancini, just 17 years old. It was for three periods at the guide of Como, the first time from 1982 to 1984, returned the second time in 1988 and 1992-1993. After leaving his job as a coach, he became an Inter observer.
Inter’s tribute farewell to Burgnich
“There are some men you would always like to have by your side, some players you would always want on your team, some legends that you always want to be part of your story. Tarcisio Burgnich embodied the strength and values of our Club and Inter had the privilege of seeing him fight for his colors: statuesque, relentless, humble and always loyal “. Thus begins the long tribute message to Burgnich on the Nerazzurri’s website.” He has entered the history of the Grande Inter – continues the goodbye of the club – and in the memory of the Nerazzurri fans for the great temperament and character he showed on the pitch, he formed with Giacinto Facchetti one of the strongest pairs of full-backs in the world in that Inter where defense was a fixed point, forged by the wizard Herrera with athletically and mentally prepared champions to face and stop all kinds of opponents. 12 seasons at Inter, 4 Scudetti, 2 Champions Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups, 6 goals and 467 games to defend our colors, race after race, training after training. The retreats, always alongside the unforgettable Giacinto Facchetti: “I slept more with him than with my wife”, Burgnich always said. Hi Tarcisio, you will always be our “Rock”.
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