When Pertini “cleared customs” Zico – The Province of Pavia Pavia

It is the summer of 1983. In Udine, people take to the streets, waving signs, shouting, protesting. Smoke from tear gas can be seen. What happens? Everything is summed up in a sign: “O Zico or Austria”. That is, the Football Federation must let Udinese let Zico play, or we will ask for annexation to Austria. Of course, this is an exaggeration, but there is alarm and the police are on guard. But who is Zico and why does the Football Association and many politicians turn against his arrival? Ziro is Arthur Antunes Coimbra, born in Rio in 1953, column of Flamengo and Brazil. A phenomenon. They call it the “Cockerel”. With his 4 brothers (he is the last) he delighted the fans from an early age. Then the move to Flamengo and an avalanche of goals, especially on a free kick (his strong point). Milan, Inter and Juve would like him, but Flamengo is asking for impossible figures. Then, all of a sudden, the twist: on June 1, 1983, a four-word title arrives from San Paolo: “Zico is from Udinese”. Where the big boys had not arrived, the team of Lamberto Mazza, 57, president of Udinese and Zanussi (household appliances), arrived.

A fuss arises. Luciano Lama, CGIL secretary (the most powerful union) thunders: “While Mazza spends 6 billion for Zico, Zanussi chaired by Mazza himself, puts thousands of workers in layoffs”. The president of the Football Association, Sordillo, follows: «Enough follies for foreign players. Let’s close the borders ». The deal seems to be jumping. Roma comes forward that always in Brazil has taken Toninho Cerezo. But the leaders of football are adamant: “The two Brazilians must return to the sender.” Politics questions itself. Parliament is mobilized, the parties intervene. Franco Dal Cin, director of Udinese, shows up: “We paid Zico 3 billion, the upper half is paid by a company that will take care of and exploit his image”. Now it’s easy to say, but 40 years ago these were hard-to-digest speeches. Who is behind it? What money is it? To unravel the problem is the President of the Republic, Sandro Pertini, whom the Italians admired, the year before, on the plane that brought the Azzurri back home after the Mundial in Spain. Pertini (with his inseparable pipe) entered everyone’s heart. His words are almost an order: “I’d like to see Zico and Cerezo play in Italy”. That’s enough. In a few minutes everyone adapts. Some friendlies are organized. Udinese even beat Real. The debut in the league is a dream: 5 goals at Genoa on the field of Marassi, then the home victories with Catania and Rome, which also had Falcao and Cerezo. However, in the end, despite Zico’s 19 goals, Udinese is only ninth. And the following year, he also causes many injuries to the Brazilian, it goes worse. Zico decides to go home. At the Flamengo. He will still play a lot in the national team. Then, since 1990, many adventures on the benches around the world. The protagonists of those events are almost all dead. Zanussi, which continues to exist in Pordenone, has passed to the Swedish Electrolux. Zico trains in Japan, but if they ask him to come back, maybe he accepts .—