The unique “Scudetto” and the miracle of Verona! | Serie “A” 1984-1985!
May 12 , 1985.
It is the festive day when Verona is consecrated for the first time, Champion of Italy. It is the first won by a provincial team after 60 years and will remain the last. On May 12, with one matchday in advance, Verona wins the 1984/1985 Serie A football championship, thanks to a 1-1 draw in Bergamo on the Atalanta pitch: Elkjaer equalizes Perico’s goal, and the party begins.
For those who experienced it, it will remain one of the most beautiful days of their life. And I was there, although from the waves of RadioRai, I experienced those moments that were made even more exciting by the radio commentators of the time: Enrico Ameri, Nondo Martellini, Sandro Ciotti, Alfredo Provenziali, Riccardo Cucchi, Mario Di Cicco, Enzo Foglianese, Claudio Ferretti, Emanuelle Dotto, Enzio Luzzi… masters of the microphone conveying such indescribable emotions not only for Verona fans!
A story that has within it the voices of radio and television, the fantasy and poetry of football, which have been turned into prose by these unique characters, the historical shows broadcast by Rai, which have always accompanied us, giving us magic and attracting our attention every Sunday.
This “Scudetto” title is special. Because “Serie A”, it was clearly the best championship in the world, with the best Italian and foreign players all in the Italian teams. From Maradona, to Platini, from Zico, to Falcao, not to forget other great names of the time, Rummenigge, Elkjaer, Boniek, Socrates, Stromberg, Cereso, Briegel, H. Mueller…!
Because since the Serie “A” with a single round with two phases, has existed, therefore since 1929, neither before nor after have there been other teams representing a city that is not a regional capital capable of this feat. Because one hundred thousand and more Veronese gathered in the square, in the streets, in their homes, for the greatest moment of sporting glory ever experienced by the city.
Because the Sporting Director Mascetti, mister Bagnoli, Elkjaer, Briegel, Tricella, Garella, Galderisi, Fanna, Volpati, Di Gennaro, Bruni, Spuri, Ferroni, Fontolan, Donà, Sacchetti, Terracciano, Turchetta and the Marangon brothers and all the other protagonists of that ride are names forever consigned to the Legend.
Verona won the championship, which at the time still awarded two points for a victory and not three, with 43 points, the result of 15 victories, 13 draws and two defeats, in a Serie “A” that had 16 teams. The yellow and blues dueled for a long time with Inter, when the black and blues began to slow down it was instead Torino who most challenged Hellas for the lead.
A story that starts from far away. Stories of teams and heroes of the ball, stories made by unbeatable teams, of unexpected feats, year-long duels, of a thousand battles of historic championships, and of provincial tales, of goals and feats, of phenomena and champions.
A long road full of emotions between hearts and memories, between struggles and passion, controversy, dreams of glory and success inside and outside that green carpet.
1
Pre-Season
It begins with the 1984-1985 season, with the surprise “Scudetto” title of Verona coach Osvaldo Bagnoli and the arrival of world star Diego Maradona to Naples, (13 billion lire from Barcelona) precisely in the summer of 1984, on July 5.
“Er Pibe de oro” lands in “San-Paulo” putting on a show in front of a very full stadium, 70,000 people, as if a real match is being played, on the contrary it is only that “number 10”, Maradona juggling with the ball. A real delirium. The Neapolitan public is in ecstasy before the king of football.
President Ferlaino wants to win the “Scudetto” and has strengthened the team with other arrivals to the team such as Daniel Bertoni from Fiorentina, Bagni (Inter), De Vecchi (Ascoli), Penzo (Juventus). Despite the huge expenses, Napoli will be positioned in 8th place at the end of the season.
The “Azzurra” national team is eliminated from the European Championship of that year, while France, led by Platini where he plays for Juventus, manages to win the first continental title.
But Maradona is the “colpo del estate”, and all the other teams in Serie “A” have bought world football stars.
Maradona (Napoli) Zico (Udinese)
This is how they arrive in Italy this season: Rummenigge (Inter), Socrates (Fiorentina), Junior (Torino), Sounes (Sampdoria), Stromberg (Atalanta), Wilkins and Hateley (Milan). Elkjaer and Brigel go to Verona.
Glen Stromberg (Atalanta)
Meanwhile, there are also movements of local Italians, most notably that of A. Di Bartolomei, the historic captain of Roma, who moves to Milan. Sampdoria, in addition to Becalosi, has one of the youngest and most promising players at its disposal, the talented Gian Luca Vialli. Claudio Gentille, after 11 years at Juventus, joins Fiorentina. Franco Causio goes to Inter …..
Garella (Verona) / B. Conti (Roma) / R. Mancini (Samp.) / E. Peci (Fiore.)/ G.F Zola (Udinese) / P. Vierchowod (Samp)
So many ingredients for a new exciting season that also marks the return of Gigi Radice to the Turin bench. Roma has been entrusted to the Swede Sven Goran Erikson. The start date is set for September 16, 1984. The contenders for the title are Roma and Juventus!
2
Serie “A”, season begins!
The start date is set for September 16, 1984. The contenders for the title are Roma and Juventus!
And, at the same time, this start is accompanied by the historic show
“Tutto il Calcio Minuto per Minuto” which celebrates its 25th anniversary this season! The voice of Roberto Bortolucci’s central studio wishes the listeners on the radio a good start.
Roberto Bortolucci guida “Tutto il Calcio Minuto x Minuto”
– “Attention, all we are focused on the Verona – Napoli match.
How will Maradona’s performance be? Will he score?
Will Napoli be able to win?”
However, the home team answered the questions in the first half, closing it 2-0 in their favor (Briegel 26`, Galderisi 33`). In the second half, Bertoni scored (58`), giving Napoli hope, but in the 75th minute Di Gennaro sealed the 3-1 for Verona in the most convincing victory of the week, immediately placing them in first place.
After Verona with the same points (2) are Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Torino….The favorites, Roma and Juventus, along with Inter and Milan, only draw. The most beautiful goal of the victory in the “Olimpico” (0-1) this week, on the contrary, was scored by Eraldo Peci (Fiorentina) after a real bomb from 25-30m away, slamming the ball into the net next to the left triangle of the Lazio goal.
In the 2nd week, it is worth mentioning Maradona’s first goal in Serie “A” with a penalty in the 62nd minute, after a 1-1 draw in the match Napoli – Sampdoria. To see his Napoli win, he has to wait until October 8 when he will defeat Como with three goals. This victory, however, is like a straw flame. Maradona seems to be preaching in the desert. The team still does not seem to be in the best shape, while the classification is getting weaker and weaker, and the team “floats” in the dangerous zone of relegation.
Nothing is going well for Juventus, the reigning champions. With the exception of a goal scored by Platini, the team is in complete crisis. The start of the championship is a real nightmare with many draws and unbelievable losses.
8 points after 9 weeks clearly speak of a completely different team with the reigning champions.
Inter, seems, has found the balance, trusting the direction of the game to Brady, some class action from Causio and the attacking duo Rrummenigge-Altobeli. However, on October 28, Inter loses the derby against Milan, who returns to victory in a derby after six years, after a header from Hatley, (1-0) the new idol of the “rosso-nera” fans.
November 11th doesn’t seem to bring Juventus any luck! Inter have crushed them with a 4-0, identical to five years ago on November 11th, also 4-0!
Milan are floating in the middle of the standings, while Fiorentina have their coach De Sisti back after undergoing head surgery. Socrates scores his first goal (62′) in Serie “A “on 4 October in the 4th week of the season after a 5-0 win against Atalanta.
The championship shows the dominance of Verona, which only three years ago was in Serie “B”. Verona’s second consecutive victory (1-3) over Ascoli with goals from Di Gennaro 53`, Briegel 60`; Elkjaer 70`, keeping the lead in the classification table alone with 4 full points.
Verona will in fact remain in first place throughout the entire championship, a record achievement. This example of Verona will be achieved by Juventus (1985-1986); Inter (1988-1989) as well as the great Milan of the Dutch trio twice (1992-1993 and 1995-1996);
Thus, Verona will always be the “capopolista”, behind Torino, Inter and Sampdoria will alternate in second place.
Verona plays a practical and spectacular football, thanks to a square and rational midfield relying on the physical strength of Briegel and the direction of Antonio Di Gennaro. In attack is “il Joly” Pierino Fanna, an elusive winger who with his crosses constantly supplies the attacking duo Galderisi-Elkjaer.
Without forgetting a goalkeeper like Claudio Garella, nicknamed “Garelic”, with a unique style as he uses everything, even his feet, to prevent the ball from entering the net with great efficiency.
Antonio Di Gennaro
Verona continues to lead, but neither coach Bagnoli nor its president want to express euphoria. They say that “Verona” is certain this year to escape relegation from Serie “A” or Verona will participate in the UEFA Cup next year!
Giuseppe Galderisi
Even though in week 5 Verona against Juventus, they give exact proof of their effectiveness to be a full-fledged candidate for the championship title, still, no one is declaring themselves for the Scudetto despite the hope they have for their team this season. They beat the reigning champions 2-0 with goals from Galderisi (62′) and Elkjaer (after a shot in the 81′ minute that even took his shoe off from his foot), making the fans dream.
Preben Larsen Elkajer
A championship of surprises, which also shows the return of Torino among the biggest teams, they are even in second place right after Verona, thanks to a classy player, the Brazilian Junior, the master of the “granata” midfield, the master of free kicks.
Leovegildo Lins da Gama Júnior
In Torino, Giuseppe Dossena also stands out in midfield and in attack, the Austrian Walter Schachner and Aldo Serena, displaying a beautiful game and positive results. Precisely on November 18, in the 9th week, after a calibrated corner by Junior, Serena with header will give Torino a precious victory (1-2) in the Derby against Juventus, in the 89th minute!
Torino is now just one point behind Verona, which was held to a draw at home by Sampdoria (0-0).
On November 25, in the 10th week, the calendar has scheduled the direct match between them at the “Comunale” in Turin. It is a decisive week where none of the other chasing teams like Inter, Sampdoria, Juventus, Milan are allowed to make any wrong steps.
From Turin, Enrico Ameri comments the card match of this week. In the 20th minute Briegel has given Verona the lead, but four minutes later (24th) Dossena equalizes the match again, 1-1!
In the other most important matches of this week, these results are achieved, also for the first halves: Fiorentina-Inter 1-1; Milan-Sampdoria 0-0; Udinese – Juventus 0-2 with a “doppietta” by Platini (1` and 27`). Meanwhile, Napoli has closed the first half with a 1-0 victory (D. Bertoni 27`) a result that will not change even after 90 minutes, as well as Inter’s draw in Florence.
– “The Line all for Enrico Ameri in Turin”!.
– “Okay! A new attack by Verona on the left wing by Galderisi, enters the area, crosses, shoots Marangon, the ball is slightly deflected by the Turin goalkeeper, but does not stop it from ending up in the net. Verona in the lead 2-1. Exactly in the 14th minute of the second half, Marangon has managed to give the “capolista” Verona team the lead.
Meanwhile, Sandro Ciotti intervenes
– Excuse me Enrico! A penalty has been awarded at San-Siro, by referee Paparesta for a foul by Baresi on Salsano of Sampdoria.
In the 64th minute, Trevor Francis will turn it into a goal and in a victory for Sampdoria (0-1) against local Milan. After the 90 minutes expected with anxiety and emotion the matches are over, with the victory of Verona against Torino (1-2), Juventus in Udine (0-3).
This is the standings after the 10th week.
Verona leads with 17 points, followed by Torino and Sampdoria with 14 points, Inter with 13, Milan with 11 and then there are five teams with 10 points: Fiorentina, Avellino, Juventus, Roma and Atalanta.
Verona always takes a step further than the others and confusion reigns behind them, as this championship has not yet clarified who the “giallo-blu” team’s rivals really are!
Vialli’s Sampdoria appears for a short while, but it doesn’t last long. Juventus reappears but Verona’s leader remains far in the distance.
The same can be said for Milan, who drew 0-0 with Verona, drew 2-2 with Atalanta, won 0-1 in Ascoli, and 0-1 with Lazio in Rome, but were suddenly caught off guard when they got defatted from Como 2-0 in Milano in the 15th week!
Something better now Roma, who has found Carlo Ancelotti who returns to the field after a long absence and even scores. Above all, Roma features the talented midfielder Giuseppe Giannini, raised and formed in the “giallo-rosso” nursery! Roma’s step forward in the classification is notable, but again Verona is still far from being threatened.
Giuseppe Giannini (Roma)
Only Torino with Junior and Dossena seem to be keeping pace with the leading Verona. Here, Torino is also losing ground when it loses 3 precious points after the challenges against Fiorentina (2-2) and the defeat against Roma.
Then there remains Inter, coached by Castagner, the most organized team to control Verona’s pace. Altobelli is an accurate and precise goal scorer, with the “fuoriclasse” player Rummenigge next to him.
These are cold days of a harsh winter. The snow and ice has covered a lot of ground, especially those of Milan, Verona, Turin, Avellino. Verona loses to Avellino, (2-1) in the last 15 weeks of the first phase, but is declared Winter Champion!
Pierino Fanna – Giuseppe Galderisi and Preben Larsen Elkjaer
A sudden stop, which however sounds like an alarm bell (1:36) and which makes us believe that the championship is, in reality, more alive than ever.
3.
Return round of Serie “A”
The tournament reaches the return round, marked by a particular cold wave.
Maradona’s Napoli stops the yellow-blues, Verona on 0-0.
While Inter defeats Atalanta, thanks to a goal by Sabato, a midfielder who is playing an excellent season. The start of the second half of the season coincided with a big change at the top of the table. Inter, thanks also to the penalty saved by their goalkeeper Zenga, reaches and appears Verona in first place.
The games are back on at least for the race towards the Scudetto. On the other side of the table, however, the fate seems already compromised for Cremonese, Ascoli and Lazio, for which not even the change of technical guide gives the hoped-for results.
The championship goes on. The Inter-Verona duo is split after just one Sunday. The yellow and blues find play, results and goals and return alone to the top. The top five in the standings are one behind the other like a train in a space of four points.
Napoli is rising again, led by Maradona, who is increasingly the leader of the team, leaving the hot zone of the standings and looking with greater confidence to the final part of the season.
An undefeated Napoli in 1985, defeats Torino, soon overcomes Avellino and Como begins to restore credibility and decorum to a ranking that had started in a less than brilliant way. Juventus also recovers ground, dragged by the usual Platini.
Agnelli answers the question of the journalist G. Galeazzi
– Do you still have the idea that you wouldn’t change Platini for Maradona?
– No, no, absolutely not!
The one that is back in the limelight is Fiorentina, which finally sees the star of Socrates shine. Too bad it is just a flash, a meteor that lights up, only for a few moments, the sky of the Viola fans.
The well-known journalist Gianni Brera it would be expressed like this: “At Corinthians everyone took the ball and said Mr. Doctor Socrates, please, accommodate. They passed to him 60 balls and 20 of them he worked well. At Fiorentina they give him three, two of which he works badly, so people think badly of him, right?”
Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira!
When Socrates takes the field, everyone always expects some sensational shots. The Brazilian has enchanted with the ease which he manages to set up the game, he doesn’t seek open applause, but today everyone realized how brilliant his inventions are.
Socrates says a Brazilian proverb “the horse that runs on grass does not run on sand”. Winter is his enemy and yet between the eleventh and nineteenth matchday, despite an inconsistent performance, he scores on three occasions in Cremona, against Lazio and in Bergamo. However, the overall results are disappointing. Despite the anesthesia of Dr. Socrates, who hits the target, the Fiorentina patient feels pain.
Socrates becomes increasingly slow, no longer running in the field as much as there are rumors that build an anecdote about him: “He has gone out hunting for turtles, so far he has caught one but the other has escaped.”
* * *
It’s time for direct clashes now. The championship is getting into full swing, and fans are following the race for the Scudetto with ever-increasing interest. The most anticipated match is scheduled for February 17, between league leaders Verona and Inter, who are only one point difference between them.
A quick exchange between the two teams and the standings remain unchanged. Altobelli’s goal in the 39th minute, who scores with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area, is answered by Briegel in the 48th minute with a diving header. 1-1! The Milanese play better, but the Venetians took to the field weakened by a flu epidemic. Inter remains one point behind until the 20th, then the gap will rise to six points in the 24th.
Shaken only by the great success of Milan, who with the double goal of the former Virdis beat Juventus 3-2. Virdis is someone who, when it comes to playing a joke on his former teammates, doesn’t wait to be asked twice.
And from the peremptory 3-0, with which Sampdoria throws Roma to 5 points from the top. Let’s say that this was a bad Sunday for Roma, on the pitch first of all, but also off it. 20 alleged fans, we don’t want to call them that, will be reported. It’s a tournament that still has a lot to say and where Maradona gives the championship gems of his incredible talent, making all football lovers dream, as well as Neapolitan fans. Maradona is back to solos.
We have seen an incredible player, who perhaps truly belongs to another planet, that is Diego Maradona. A player who does everything with the ball, can invent everything, runs, which is not easy, he is a “fuoriclasse”. He always makes the difference.
The balance continues at the top. Verona, Inter and Torino are within three points. No one can sleep yet, sleep soundly. March, once again, proves to be the crucial month. Verona brings out all its best qualities, those that have kept it in the saddle of the championship since the first day.
One after the other, the “Scaligeri” repel the assaults of Juventus, Roma and Fiorentina, taking home a draw and two victories of very high specific weight.
Verona is admirable first of all because it has made a transfer campaign with its head on its shoulders. Verona is a steamroller. On its tail only Inter remains, but now it is three points behind the leaders. All this when the calendar is about to stage matchday number 23.
Verona receives the visit of the bottom club, Cremonese. Verona is therefore very concentrated, with the mind and body at the “Bentegodi”, but with the ear to the municipal stadium of Turin where Juventus-Inter will be played.
The “Bianco-neri” want to take revenge for the 4-0 defeat in the first leg. It’s a tough match for Inter and a negative result in Turin could mean goodbye to their “Scudetto” hopes.
And here we are again referring to the show on Radio Rai “Tutto il Calcio, Minuto per Minuto” where we take advantage of the opportunity to bring some of those indescribable emotions into the Italian language…
– “Gentili ascoltatori, buongiorno da Roberto Bortoluzzi. Eccovi i campi collegati, sono sette e andiamo con il risultato dei primi tempi. Sentiamo Torino.
– Al comunale di Torino Juventus 1 Internazionale 1, a te Ciotti.
– Grazie, Ameri! 0-0 tra Milano e Torino, a te Provenzali.
– 0-0 anche a Como fra Como e Sampdoria, la linea va a Emanuele Dotto.
– Verona 0, Cremonese 0, linea a Foglianese.
– Bortoluzzi: Ad Avellino, Avellino 0, Napoli 0, a Roma, Lazio 0, Roma 0.
Ed ora ci colleghiamo con Torino. Vai Enrico.
– Si d’accordo Roberto! Cinque minuti del secondo tempo, punteggio in mutato, sempre 1-1 fra la Juventus e l’Internazionale.
– Attenzione Ameri, il Verona è passato in vantaggio al terzo minuto della ripresa. Il gol segnato probabilmente da Di Gennaro a partire dal terzo minuto della ripresa conduce ora sulla Cremonese per 1-0. A te Enrico!
– Benissimo, grazie Emanuele……
– Scusa se ti interrompo ma è passato il vantaggio qui ad Avelino in Napoli con Capparelli al nono minuto……
– Scusa Torino in vantaggio a San Siro con gol di Schackner. È andato via Pileggi, è entrato in aree di rigore, ha effettuato un cross rasoterra ravvicinato sul quale l’austriaco è intervenuto. Pertanto è al sedicesimo a Milano, Torino in vantaggio per 1-0 a te Paolo.
– Attenzione! Attenzione! Interviene Cremona. A radoppiatto il Verona con il gol di Elkjaaer di testa, dopo una mischia nel`aria cremonese…
– Attenzione! Attenzione! Rete di Boniek! Rete al diciasettesimo minuto di gioco. Il giocatore è riuscito a recuperare il pallone sul lancio di Tardelli. Se l’è portato in avanti con il petto. In seguito non è stato messo a terra quando è entrato in aree. È riuscito a controllare bene la sfera. Pertanto ora la Juve è passata in vantaggio e conduce, grazie alla rete di Boniek, per una rete a zero.
– Attenzione, ti chiedo scusa, Alfredo! Dall’Olimpico, la Roma è passata in vantaggio con Antonelli. E siamo esattamente al venticinquesimo minuto. A te la linea!
– Attenzione ancora dall’Olimpico.
Dopo due minuti ha pareggiato Giordano di testa per la Lazio.
(Bortoluzzi): Vorrei pregare i colleghi, interventi più contenuti se è possibile.
Grazie! Vai pure Enrico Ameri.
– Terzo gol della Juventus.
Un’azione perfetta e lineare da parte della formazione bianconera. Platini, Boniek e poi Tardelli che ha ricevuto da Platini, ha messo il pallone in rete. Restituisco la linea a Bortoluzzi. Grazie!
– Attenzione, Roberto!
Si è concluso l’incontro qui a Verona. Il Verona ha battuto la Cremonese per tre a zero. La terza rete segnata da Briegel proprio allo scadere al 45esimo di testa in mischia susseguente ad una traversa colpita da Fanna”.
Let’s now look at the Serie A standings. Verona has 35 points,
Inter and Torino 30.
We will talk about that championship that has now virtually awarded the “Scudetto” to Verona but that still manages to build new and tempting reasons for interest week after week. The championship is dressed in yellow and blue. Five points of detachment from the second, Inter and Torino. They seem a lot, too many and they even go up six the following Sunday. When the Granata lose the derby “della Mole” and the Nerazzurri are defeated by Udinese, dragged by Zico, back to scoring!
With six days to go, a chasm separates Verona from the second-placed group that features five teams together. Inter, Torino and Juventus have been joined by Milan, where Di Bartolomei scores, and Sampdoria, increasingly tied to the new pair of young lions formed by Mancini and Vialli.
Everything seems decided, but the most beautiful championship in the world has not yet exhausted its load of surprises. It is once again a direct clash that electrifies the end of the season. This time it is Torino who raises their voices against Verona, who are defeated at home 2-1 and see their advantage reduced to four points over all their rivals who, with the exception of Milan, have won.
After this victory at the “Bentegodi” Torino moves to three points (it should be noted that in the 4th minute Martina saved a penalty from Galderisi, then in the 87th minute the same Veronese attacker hit the post), but Verona, despite their second defeat of the season, remains firmly in the lead.
The two Englishmen of AC Milan , Mark Hateley and Ray Wilkins
And it is the Rossoneri who can give another push to the championship, given that the following Sunday they face Verona at San Siro. The yellow and blues are in trouble. The usual Claudio Garella saves them, once again transformed from an ugly duckling into a lucky and winning swan, with his decisive saves. The Verona fans breathe a sigh of relief. Verona sees the “Scudetto”.
By now the tournament’s fates seem truly sealed. With three days to go, Cremonese and Lazio are relegated. While Colomba’s goal in the 87th minute puts Avellino on the safe side. And the return, after six months on the bench, of Stefano Tacconi, to whom Trapattoni grants the last three days of the championship in view of the Champions Cup final, scheduled for May 29.
May 5, 1985.
Napoli-Juventus ends 0-0. For both contenders, the match has the taste of the end of the season or little more. Only one of the 22 on the field has important motivations, because that Sunday marks a long-awaited and even more painful opportunity for redemption. The protagonist is Stefano Tacconi, number 1 of Juventus, who became number 12 after the derby lost at the last minute.
Trapattoni is clear in his intentions. When necessary, even the starting goalkeeper can leave his place to the eager reserve. It was Luciano Bodini’s turn to take Tacconi’s place and the new arrival does well. Bodini manages to defend his job, with a series of explosions in the championship and also in the Champions Cup.
The problem is that the former Avellino player, Tacconi, is not having it. On March 26, 1985, 5 days before the return derby, he closes the circle of his crisis with fiery statements.
“People like me say that the honesty of always saying what they think cannot be at Juve. The club told me I would be out for three games. They didn’t keep their word. I don’t want to get paid without working.”
Four days later, Tacconi’s time has come again.
Not because Bodini has made some gross mistake, but because of the need to keep both on tenterhooks in view of a decision about their use in the Champions Cup final. It is the victory of Stefano Tacconi, “capitan fracassa” depending on the point of view, he returns to the starting lineup and never gives up, ending up becoming a pillar of Juventus, even if he has never stopped pouring money into the company coffers just to indulge in the pleasure of making politically incorrect statements. Tacconi’s return does not change the direction of a season that sees Juventus playing a secondary role in the championship.
* * *
180 minutes to go in the championship, with Verona 4 more than the Inter and Torino duo. The superiority of a Verona increasingly closer to the Scudetto has finally prevailed.
The yellow-blue fans feel the big day approaching but they are still missing a point and their team is expected in Bergamo. Guests of an Atalanta that has no intention of leaving the way open to Bagnoli’s men.
While Inter and Torino, to keep their hopes alive, must still win. A vibrant Sunday also for the fates of the relegation zone where Ascoli must take full loot against Cremonese and Como must not lose points in the away match in Avellino.
A Bergamo, si, mancano tre minuti alla conclusione dell’primo tempo. Il punteggio è solo 0-0! Intanto Donadoni attacca sulla sinistra. Ecco un suo a fondo. Cerca di girare Sacchetti, cross per Perico che vede tutto e puoi lo stesso Perico in volo con un colpo di testa ha messo il pallone in rete.
The spotlight is obviously on Bergamo. In the second half the pursuers find a glimmer of hope. But it doesn’t last long. Just the time of the interval and a few minutes of the second half. In the 51st minute the Galderisi-Elkjaaer duo scores the goal that is worth the championship.
There was a decline in the final, however. The men felt this pressure on them psychologically rather than physically. Yes, because from a carefree game, we began to think about managing ourselves a little.
Almost at the same time, Inter pulls out, overwhelmed by Roma’s goals. Everyone expects Inter’s reaction, but instead it’s Roma who starts better. Ancelotti, Conti, Giannini and then Pruzzo bring the score to 4-1.
Torino remains the only one that can still keep some faint hope alive but the score in Florence seems to be still 0-0. Now even the mathematics says Verona. Platini in the 57th minute tries to bring Juventus back but Scanziani in the 76th minute extinguishes the Bianconeri’s desire for second place. Only the safety zone at this point must provide its verdicts.
Cremonese, already relegated, puts Ascoli to the test, winning 3-2 again with a goal by Nicolini, but this time it may not be enough. Como in fact managed to bring home a precious draw from D’Avellino and on the eve of the epilogue can count on a two-point advantage and a better goal difference. The race for salvation, still all to be experienced.
While Verona can finally let the party explode.
Il Verona campione d’Italia!!!
Let’s call it the humanity of this championship, because Verona was a team of serious professionals, a team that remained modest in the most triumphant moments of its year. And it was great above all in the difficult moments, overcoming them precisely with the human cohesion of its coach, its managers, its players.
The Scudetto flies for the first time on the Verona jerseys. It is the right epilogue to a season always conducted in the front line, showing the best game, and attracting the sympathy of all sportsmen who love the game of football.
Last bastion of a defense excellently led by libero Tricella, the Verona defense lined up Tricella, Marangon, Fontolan… Great choral performance by the midfield, and winning combinations up front with the new goal-scoring twins, Galderisi and Elkjaer. It was an amazing year.
But, while in Verona they celebrate, there are fields where the fate of an entire season is decided. There is Ascoli who goes to Inter’s home, and Como, who has a better goal difference, who hosts Milan.
Inter plays without looking at anyone’s face, and pushes Ascoli into Serie B under the weight of a 5-1 final score, which leaves no room for any recriminations. And so the game is over, definitively.
Inter goes to the UEFA Cup together with Torino and Sampdoria. Ascoli goes down to Serie B after 9 years of the last seven consecutive in the top division.
Como draws 0-0 with Milan and is saved. At home they have only conceded two goals in the entire championship, and have never lost, a small record that is worth framing a season that was nevertheless difficult. Salvation is gliding over Lake Como and it is as if the scudetto had arrived, the scudetto of the poor, of course, but for president Gattei that is enough, it is a very difficult salvation, but it is deserved.
The curtain falls on the championship that proclaims Michel Platini, for the third consecutive time the best scorer, and that celebrates the farewell of two great protagonists of many football Sundays, Luciano Castellini and Paolo Pulici.
With the scudetto sewn on the Verona shirts, the Scaligeri’s fairytale ends in the best possible way. The yellow and blues compose all the hierarchies, and win an exhilarating title, a well-deserved scudetto, at the end of a spectacular season like few others, which has confirmed once again that the Italian championship is the most beautiful in the world.
Tournament that sees the debut of players who will leave their mark on the league and the national team, such as Matteoli, Donadoni, Ciro Ferrara and a certain Paolo Maldini. That on a cold Sunday in January, he is sent onto the field by Liedholm at just 17 years old.
A season that immediately outlines the destiny of certain players, Gianluca Vialli scores his first goal in Serie A, coincidentally on a pass from Roberto Mancini, just as he immediately presents himself as coherent, with what will be his character, Pasquale Bruno, who in his first match in “A” against Juventus gets sent off.
Under the heading of gems, Maradona’s impossible goals should definitely be kept, as well as Edinho’s free kicks, or the bestial Sunday of Antonio Di Carlo, who had never scored, and in his first season, in the top division, had only collected a handful of appearances, but for his debut with a goal he exaggerated, and scored three, all at once.
Champions and situations, which he will no longer tell with his mastery, Niccolò Carosio, the radio commentator, who narrated the world victories of Pozzo’s Italy, and made millions of fans dream, up to the World Cup in Mexico 70. The tournament has acquired a very particular flavor, characters and situations, which renew a common feeling year after year!
The Winners:
Verona – Campione d`Italia!
Verona’s Scudetto is the second won by a “provincial”. The feat had already been achieved 15 years earlier by Cagliari, winners in 1969-1970, but the “rossoblu” already boasted a second place in 1968-1969. The title of the Venetians is even more surprising because it comes only three years after the promotion to Serie “A” and after two placings in 4th and 6th place.
Osvaldo Bagnoli, the coach, which brought the Venetians to Serie A; he remained for 9 seasons in a row until 1989-90 when the yellow and blues were relegated again to Serie B after eight consecutive championships in the top division (this is by far the longest streak in Serie A for the Venetians).
For Bagnoli 248 “benches” and 8 consecutive years in Serie A: only Trapattoni did better with 10 championships in a row with Juventus (from 1976 to 1986) for a total of 300 games. The coach built a team without great champions, assembling it with elements chosen ad hoc.
The yellow and blues themselves over the months strengthened their friendship that the coach would have described at the end of the season as follows:
Verona stands out for the liveliness of its team play, superior to that of the other teams (in reality, even Castagnier’s Inter manages to offer some good things at times, but the Nerazzurri will lack continuity).
Another fundamental element for the triumph will prove to be tranquility. Verona the city does not make you feel the pressure of the square: the fans, the organized clubs, the press, the environment do not ask for the championship when the team begins to remain steadily at the top; this tranquility will thus allow the Venetians to achieve an unexpected success.
The Verona squad has all the right men to form a winning eleven. There is the power of the two foreigners Briegel and Elkjaer-Larsen; the German, a former decathlete, arrives as a full-back but then Bagnoli transforms him into a midfielder, the Dane instead gives a demonstration of strength on 10 October 1984 when in Verona-Juventus 2-0 he scores the second goal after collecting a free kick taken by Di Gennaro on the edge of his own area and collected before the halfway line; the attacker begins a run with “banco-nero” Favero in pursuit and concludes in the net with a right-footed shot despite no longer having the boot lost in the long sprint.
There is the speed of the winger Fanna, a former “binaco-nero” player who will win 5 league titles in his career with three different teams (3 with Juventus, one with Verona and one with Inter) and of the centre forward Galderisi who with 11 goals is the top scorer of the season (for “Nanu” 4 decisive goals and 5 goals for the initial advantage).
In goal there is Garella, with a style that is not impeccable but certainly effective; he has become famous for his “garellate” (blunders) but manages to win, almost always being decisive, in addition to the championship with Verona also the first ever won by Napoli in 1986-87.
In defense there is the very elegant libero Tricella; he was born in Cernusco sul Naviglio like Scirea and when the latter will abandon the activity Tricella will be his replacement at Juve (unfortunately with little luck). The stopper is Silvano Fontolan who takes care of the opposing center forwards with the “right” impetuosity (in this championship there will only be 19 goals conceded by the Scaligeri).
The full-back pair is formed by Marangon and Volpato. The first plays on the left as a free-thrower and is fond of discos and various entertainments, but on Sundays he offers precious assists for the attackers with his crosses from the wing; the second spends his free time studying (he will graduate in medicine and surgery), plays on the right and is more of a marker, tough in tackles but fair with opponents.
Di Gennaro is the beacon of the midfield; he is a reserved type but is recognized by his teammates as one of the leaders of the team. In the two-year period 1984-86 he plays for the national team (15 games and 4 goals) and participates in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico where he is one of the few Azzurri to have an acceptable performance. The midfielders Bruni and Sacchetti complete the basic team in turn.
Bagnoli practically always uses the same players during the tournament:
30 out of 30 games for Garella, Tricella and Volpati, one less for Fanna, Galderisi and Marangon (the stoppage is due to a one-day suspension), 29 games played by Di Gennaro (he misses one due to injury), 28 by Fontolan, 27 by Briegel and Bruni, 23 by Elkjaer-Larsen but the Danish remains absent between November and January due to injury (on his return on 10 February he is immediately decisive with a brace in Udinese-Verona 3-5).
THE SURPRISE
Vialli-Samp is love.
Vialli debuts in Serie A on September 16, 1984 in Sampdoria-Cremonese 1-0. In the first match of the championship, the new Blucerchiati acquisition finds himself facing the team of his city. He had made his debut with the grey-reds at 16 years of age in the 1980-81 Serie C1 a Cremona is the baby prodigy: at 17 years and 4 months he immediately scores in his first game as a starter in Serie B (played against Reggiana); he closes the year with 31 appearances and 5 goals.
The following season with the Lombards he arrives in 3rd place and goes to the promotion play-offs: two 0-0 for Cremonese against Como and Catania, but the Etnei beat Como 1-0 and go up to Serie A. In the meantime Vialli has entered the circle of Vicini’s youth national team; he debuts at 18 on 20 April 1983 in Italy-Spain 2-0, replacing Roberto Mancini in the 65th minute (with the Under 21s he will then be part of the team that in 1986 will lose the European Championship of the category against Spain on penalties).tournament at the end of which the Lombard team obtained promotion to the cadets.
At the end of the 1983-84 cadet championship, the long-awaited promotion to Serie A arrives; Cremonese thus returns to the top division after 54 years (Vialli in this tournament is the most used with 37 appearances and also the team’s top scorer with 10 goals). The transfer market now has its eyes on him and it seems that Juventus, who have had excellent relations with the Lombard club for years, is ready to buy him. Sampdoria enters the negotiation and takes advantage of Boniperti’s indecision and snatches the promising player from the Bianconeri.
The oilman Mantovani wants to build a great team and all the men are there; in control there is Mancini, in defense the blue bulwark Vierchowod and in goal Ivano Bordon, then the midfielder Souness arrives from Liverpool (winner with the “reds” of 3 Champions Cups), from Inter Beccalossi, from Como in B Mannini and from Parma in C1 Salsano.
Vialli and Sampdoria immediately hit the mark: 4th place in the standings, a placement that the Blucerchiati had not obtained since the 1960-61 championship, and the conquest of the Coppa Italia.
The former Cremonese player made 28 league appearances (19 starts) with 3 goals scored. Vialli proved decisive in the two cup finals against Milan; in the first leg (1-0 in Milan) he stole the ball from Evani and fueled the action that led to Souness’s goal, then in the return leg (2-1 for the Sampdoria) he won the penalty for 1-0, converted by Mancini, and then scored the second goal. Sampdoria qualified for the Cup Winners’ Cup (the Ligurians’ only participation dated back to the 1962-63 edition of the Fairs Cup).
The Disappointment
A purple hoax
Sampaio de Souza Vieira De Oliveira Socrates Brasileiro, better known as Socrates, arrived in Florence in the summer of 1984. With the purchase of the “Doctor” (the nickname is linked to his degree in medicine) the purple fans dreamed of a successful season and the conquest of the championship; now it remains to be seen whether the operation was set up counting on a name of great appeal or whether Socrates is still the champion admired at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Of that Brazil beaten by Italy 3-2 (with Socrates scoring the 1-1 goal) there were already Cerezo, Falcao and Zico in Italy, while Junior will also arrive shortly. All these cariocas will have a good performance very high in Italy, the only one to fail will be the “Doctor”.
To make room for him, Fiorentina is forced to sell Daniel Bertoni, an idol of the curve, to Napoli. The general manager Italo Allodi is against the deal and resigns, declaring: .
Socrates, also known as “God’s Heel” (another of his nicknames), is known for his reputation as a slacker; he has no desire to sweat behind the ball, he cannot stand training and retreats: “Bacchus, tobacco and Venus” and political discussions are his favorite pastimes. In Corinthians, where he played from 1978 to 1984, he founded “Democracia Corinthias”, a movement that managed to obtain exemption from retreats for married players and diversified and lighter training; the players themselves choose the formations and tactics.
The fans welcome him warmly and expect the Brazilian to play spectacularly like the ones he did with the “Selecao” of which he is the captain. Florence will never see this champion figure. He played 25 games in the championship with 4 goals scored. “La Gazzetta dello Sport” gives him two 7s in his report card in his debut match, when Fiorentina wins in Rome against Lazio and on the 5th day in Fiorentina-Atalanta 5-0 when he scores the first Italian goal with a lob from the edge of the area. The “Doctor”, eager to found a sort of “Democracia Fiorentina”, begins a personal campaign in favor of differentiated training. He is a champion and must train less, while other less gifted teammates are expected to run and sweat.
Coach De Sisti obviously doesn’t listen to these requests and Socrates gets sad (in this period football is becoming more and more athletic and reducing workloads is out of the question). Viola fans will never remember a single sprint or a tackle of the Brazilian, but only a sequence of touches and back heels. The back heel is his obsession: it seems that in Brazil during a friendly he bet to touch the ball only with his back heel for the whole match and it seems that he succeeded. He will spend the last weeks separated at home and Fiorentina, who started with great ambitions, will fall further and further down, finishing the tournament in 9th place.
After leaving Fiorentina he went to Flamenco for two seasons, and in 1986 he played in the World Cup in a quarter-final against France-Mexico where Brazil was eliminated after penalties (on that occasion Socrates missed one of the executions, then at Santos he found his emerging brother Rai, another champion with a very slow pace) and then at Botafogo.
Nel 1996 tenta l’avventura di allenatore in Ecuador con la Liga Deportiva Universitaria ma dopo appena cinque gare è costretto rinunciare all’incarico sotto la forte pressione della tifoseria. Nel marzo 2004 Socrates dopo quasi venti anni rilascia alcune dichiarazioni sulla sua avventura (o disavventura) italiana: < Nel 1984-85 la Fiorentina si vendeva le partite. Molti giocatori mi odiavano per una faccenda di corna. Eraldo Pecci non mi ha mai passato un pallone in tutta la stagione!
The Case
The gold of Naples
Maradona’s arrival at Naples is more of a soap opera than a case.
On May 6, 1984, Maradona declared:
” I would come in a hurry in Italy”; no one believes it except Napoli.
On May 27, Ferlaino announces: “Maradona is ours, it’s just a matter of hours“, but more than hours, 33 days will pass, the deal will in fact close on June 30.
May 13: The German newspaper “Bild” comes out with the headline “Maradona is going to Juventus or Fiorentina”.
May 17: Juventus is after Maradona, so Boniek goes to Spain.
May 18: in the newspapers “Napoli is negotiating Maradona and teasing Falcao”.
May 19: from Barcelona Maradona announces: “Me to Napoli? Maybe, who knows, in a few years”.
May 24: Udinese steps in: Zico in exchange for Maradona with the help of Juventus (he goes to Udinese for two seasons then moves to the Bianconeri). May 26: Iuliano goes to Barcelona to sign Maradona, for the first time there is real contact.
May 27: Maradona is Napoli’s, the signing of the century is finalized.
May 28: Napoli goes crazy and the club is now looking for the second foreigner.
May 29: Barcelona gives the green light to the deal but wants 17 billion lire. May 30: the money is missing (few banks are willing to provide such help to Ferlaino) and someone waves the white flag.
June 1: Barcelona’s vice president freezes the Neapolitans: . Napoli offers 11 billion but it’s not enough, Barcelona refuses it.
June 3: Maradona wants Napoli, maybe it can be done.
June 4: Barcelona asks for 13 billion lire (seven million dollars) to be paid in three installments and demands bank guarantees to cover the entire amount. June 5: a message arrives from Spain “Napoli, don’t worry: Maradona is yours”.
June 6: Maradona to Barcelona: “Giving me to Napoli is a deal for everyone”, and the Argentine in the United States is photographed wearing a Napoli shirt.
June 7: Maradona again: “I want Napoli, I won’t stay in Barcelona”.
June 8: Barcelona doesn’t give in; the billions are tempting but the Catalans fear the fans’ reaction to a possible sale of the champion.
Napoli is forced to start other negotiations (it falls back on Altobelli, Beccalossi and Serena). June 9: Maradona implores the Neapolitans not to give up. The Argentine takes aim at the Catalan environment that in his opinion has never truly loved him.
June 13: second Neapolitan assault, 10 billion lire offered and an advance in dollars is immediately sent.
June 14: the deal is done; Naples celebrates, Barcelona denies it.
June 15: the Spanish hesitate but accept the deposit.
June 19: Barcelona demands other guarantees and Ferlaino raises the offer up to 13 billion lire.
June 22: Ferlaino speaks with Barcelona president Nunez who confirms that the deposit is fine; Maradona packs his bags.
June 23: ultimatum from Napoli who has already paid 5 billion, either the agreement is signed in 4 days or everything falls through.
June 26: Barcelona considers the offers good, Maradona is arriving, but everyone denies it.
June 29: Barcelona raises the stakes, wanting another two and a half billion lire. Napoli is against another outlay, Ferlaino refuses the ultimatum and returns to Naples. Maradona is lost!
June 30: Iuliano, who remained in Barcelona, shows the “azulgrana” directors the previous fax in which they accepted the 13 billion lire for the transfer of the player; if the deal falls through, Napoli will appeal to UEFA demanding compensation from the Spaniards for failure to respect a contract already signed. Nunez will have to pay a fine and all the expenses to Napoli.
Giuliano contacts the managers of Atletico Madrid for the purchase of the center forward Hugo Sanchez, star of the championship that Barcelona is also interested in.
President Gaspart understands that Napoli can take Sanchez to leave them an “angry” Maradona. He invites Iuliano and Cyterszpiler to lunch, tries to get another two billion from Napoli then gives in: Maradona is Napoli’s for 13 billion. Ferlaino arrives in Milan and takes the plane back to Barcelona.
On July 4th, Diego is on a yacht in the Gulf of Naples, between Mergellina and Capri, signing the contract for the Neapolitan team under the eyes of Ferlaino, vice-president Gianni Punzo, agent Jorge Cyterszpiler and the Azzurri manager Dino Celentano.
The next day, July 5th, 1984, the apotheosis at the San Paolo with the official presentation in front of 70,000 fans who came to the stadium just to see him dribbling. The Maradona era begins in Naples.
One player more
The muscles of Hans Peter Briegel
Arrives in Italy as a defender-midfielder that Bagnoli transforms into a midfielder (the German’s imposing size: he is a “wardrobe” of 92 kilos for 187 centimeters).
Hans P. Briegel (Verona)
He was born in Rodenbach in 1955 to a family of farmers and since he was a child he is used to running and jumping in the fields of the family farm. He starts practicing athletics with good results at youth level (he will then switch to football at 17).
The long jump is his specialty where he gets a personal best of 7 meters and 48 centimeters; he does not do badly in the triple jump with 15 meters and 30 and in the sprint where he manages to do the hundred meters in 10 seconds and 8 tenths.
He wins 8 German titles as a junior (3 in the long jump, 3 in the triple jump and 2 in the pentathlon) then moves to the decathlon. Takes part in two in his career and on the second occasion he wins the silver medal in the junior championship.
He soon after abandons the discipline because he is too weak in the pole vault and javelin. Briegel lives 10 kilometers from Kaiserlautern and therefore on Saturdays he always goes to the city to follow the team that plays in the “Bundesliga”. He does a trial with the amateur team of Rodenbach and immediately shows his power and speed.
The technique is almost zero, but the rest is enough to make him score a lot of goals as a center forward or left wing. He then decides that football, with fewer sacrifices and less training, is more convenient to practice than athletics.
Kaiserslautern noticed him and bought him in 1975 for about six million old lire.
He was rough, rude, uncoordinated and was nicknamed “Gorilla”; the fans didn’t like him at all, but on 20 October 1976, after a UEFA Cup match against Feyenoord, in which he scored a brace, he became an idol for the fans. He spent nine seasons as a starter with the Germans, with a haul of 240 games and 47 goals in the league (he scored 13 goals in the “Bundesliga” (1981-82).
On October 17, he made his debut for the national team in Germany-Wales 5-1, replacing Rummenigge; between 1979 and 1986 he collected 72 appearances with 4 goals to his name. His international consecration came in the summer of 1980 with the European Championships in Italy; coach Derwall used him as a midfielder behind Hansi Muller and Schuster, his speed and power were impressive; the Germans took advantage of him, winning the continental trophy by beating Belgium 2-1 in Rome. With the national team, he was runner-up in the World Cup in 1982 and 1986.
In the Verona of the scudetto he is one of the driving forces; he plays 27 games always offering a constant performance: in the first 11 days he will “travel” with an average rating of 6.91! Nine goals scored (only the center forward Galderisi does better with 11) some of which are “very important”: he scores on the 10th day in Torino-Verona 1-2 (the granata follow in the standings by one point) and on the 19th in Verona-Inter 1-1 (also in this case the Nerazzurri at -1).
In the following championship he collected 28 appearances and 3 goals, then in 1986-87 the transfer to Sampdoria; two seasons with the “Blucerchiati” and the victory in the 1988 Italian Cup, then he left Italy (it is said due to disagreements with the two “twins” Mancini and Vialli). Briegel still remains one of the most loved players by the “Gialloblu” fans and in a recent survey he was the best midfielder of the century of Hellas Verona.
In December 2002 he was the coach of Albania, while previously he had led Besiktas (1999-2000), and Trabzonspor (2001-2002)
The Top Scorer
The King’s Reply
Third top scorer title for Michel Platini; 18 goals in this tournament for the Frenchman (4 from penalties and 8 from outside the area, 5 of which from direct free kicks and one from a second free kick) after the 16 scored in 1982-83 (plus two disallowed by the Sports Judge) and the 20 scored in 1983-84.
In the history of the Serie A championships with a single round, only Nordahl had managed to win the top scorer title three times in a row between 1952-53 and 1954-55 (5 top scorer titles in total for the Swedish striker, all with Milan, also adding those of 1949-50 and 1950-51).
This is Platini’s season in black and white with the most goals scored: 29 goals in total, 18 in the league, 4 in the Italian Cup and 7 in the Champions Cup. He scored his last goal of the season on the dramatic night in Brussels on May 29 against Liverpool, when in the Champions Cup final, he scored a penalty to give the Bianconeri the victory.
He stayed at Juve for another two years, scoring 12 goals in the 1985-86 championship and 2 in 1986-87. In 5 seasons with Juve he scored 68 goals in the league in 147 games, while his total was 104 goals in 224 games. His list of honors with Juventus is rich: 2 championships (1984 and 1986), 1 Italian Cup (1983), 1 Champions Cup (1985), 1 Cup Winners’ Cup (1984), 1 European Super Cup (1984) and 1 Intercontinental Cup (1985).
On 8 December 1985, in the Intercontinental final in Tokyo, Juventus-Argentinos Juniors drew 2-2 after extra time and then won 4-2 on penalties by the Bianconeri, he scored the temporary 1-1 from a penalty and then, again from the spot, scored the last shot of the final series (by winning the trophy, Juventus became the first team to win all five international club competitions: the Champions Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA, European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup).
In this match, the Frenchman saw one of the most beautiful goals in the history of football disallowed: in the 68th minute, he stopped a teammate’s pass on the fly with his right foot, then after a change of foot, again on the fly, he kicked from the edge of the area, making it 2-1 for Juve; the German referee Roth first validated the goal, then, at the insistence of the Argentines, went to consult the Japanese linesman who had remained stationary with his flag raised: the goal was disallowed for a millimetric offside position by Serena, who in reality neither took part in the action nor hindered the opposing goalkeeper.
During his time in black and white, he won the “Golden Ball” three times (in 1983, 1984 and 1985): Platini remained for a long time as the only player to have won the trophy established by “France Football” for three years in a row. On the occasion of the centenary of the “Old Lady” (in 1997), a referendum organized by the “Gazzetta dello Sport” among the fans crowned him the best black and white player ever with 14,756 votes ahead of Gaetano Scirea (11,737 preferences) and Boniperti (11,280).
He left Juve and retired from football at just 32 years old, dedicating himself to a career as a coach and then as a manager, so much so that he became an important reference within FIFA.
He was also the undisputed leader with France; 72 appearances (from 1976 to 1987) with 41 goals to his name, making him the all-time top scorer for the French national team until August 2004. He took part in three World Cups (1978, 1982 and 1986) and won the 1984 European Championship, leading the “blues” to success with 8 goals (plus a provoked own goal) in 5 games.
By Pjerin Bj
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New York: February 20-26, 2025
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Sports Vison +Plus / Champions Hour in activity since 2013
References: Personal notes “Serie A” 1984-1985 / Collection of “Calcio 2000” Magazine and “La Gazzetta dello Sport” (archivio)!
Some of the photos are courtesy of “Google”!
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