Juan Alberto Schiaffino

Born July 28, 1925 in Montevideo (Uruguay).
. Died Nov. 13, 2002.
. Country of Uruguay.
. Position Striker.
. Clubs Peц?arol (1943-1954 gg.), (Uruguay), Milan (1954-1960.), Roma (1960-1962.), (Both Italy).

. Uruguay squad played 25 matches and scored 11 goals.
. Italy squad played 4 matches.

. Head coach of the Italian Olympic team (1912, 1924.) Team in Italy (1929-1948 gg.).
. Matches / goals in Serie A has played 188 matches and scored 50 goals.

. Achievements (as coach)
. Club: Champion of Uruguay (6 times): 1944, 1945, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954.
. Cup Uruguay (6 times): 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1953.
. Serie A Champion (3 times): 1954/55, 1956/57, 1958/59 years.
. UEFA Cup (1 time): 1960/61 years.
. Caps: World Champion (1 time): 1950

. LITTLE MAESTRO
. Juan Alberto Schiaffino - the son of Italian immigrants settled in Uruguay, a country which is called the Switzerland of Latin America
. In "Peц?arol", where he began his career, he was nicknamed "Little Maestro", alluding to its modest size and the fact that the team already had a player who was called the "Great Maestro" - Jose Pendibene. It took not so much time in order to "Small" has eclipsed his fame "more."

. In the junior teams, Peц?arol "Schiaffino was eager to take the place of center forward, but he immediately made it clear that such a fragile and toschemu guy like him, and thinking about it
. Trainers took him to Role insiders - welterweight striker in the scheme of "double-ve."

. In the 20 years of age he has become the national team of Uruguay won the America's Cup and the national championship's top scorer (19 goals).

. As a rising superstar Schiaffino talked about in 1949 when he became the inspiration for a spectacular victory over Uruguay's national team of Brazil in Sao Paulo (4:3)
. However, it was only flowers. As you know, a year later, in 1950, Uruguayans again defeated their great opponents in the World Cup finals, and the kind of victory was infinitely more influential. In response, which she called, the finale to "Marakane" many consider the most significant match in the history of football. And in this great drama of one of the main roles played by Schiaffino.

HIS GOAL caused BRAZILIAN DRAMA
In fact, before mundialem in Brazil, he was not among those Uruguayan players, which relies heavily. Above him, for example, was quoted playmaker Walter Gomez, speaking in Argentina River Plate. About his supporters to lay down a couplet: "La gente ya no come, por ver a Walter Gomez" ( "People forget about going to look at Walter Gomez").

It is possible that Gomez would be one of the brightest stars in the World Cup 1950. So, most likely, and it would be, but it is included in the team was not - because of its status as a legionnaire, who did not welcome.

. So it happened that the name of Gomez now in Europe, no one knows, but about Schiaffino, who replaced him, still keep their memory alive on both sides of the ocean
. Uruguayans much luck on the FM-50: while others had to seriously rallying to war for first place in their groups (only it gave the right to continue the fight in the final four), for them the stage turned into a light workout. Curious way their team has turned itself curtailed: due to arrive at the tournament European teams there were only two teams - Uruguay and Bolivia. Thus, the whole calendar has degenerated into a single match.

Demographics of Uruguay defeated opponent - 8:0, and the instigators of the attack appeared Schiaffino. Here are just really was not clear how many goals he scored in that match: statistics was carried out very badly. Various sources were called from two to five. When Oleg Salenko scored 5 goals in the World Cup with Cameroon in 1994, some media outlets were quick to say that he repeated the record Schiaffino. However, it seems, is not. According to the official and most authoritative version, Schiaffino struck Bolivian gates four times.

Players "Peц?arol" the backbone "Celeste". Beside Schiaffino worked his teammates - Maspoli goalkeeper, midfielder Varela, extreme forwards Vidal and Gidzha, Inside Andrade.

. The crucial final group match between Brazil and Uruguay, host nation had a more favorable standings: they are satisfied with a draw, while the Uruguayans for the World Cup it was necessary to win
. The probability of this outcome, according to the recollections of the Schiaffino, was estimated as 99:1. Few admit that brilliant Brazil, who beat the Spaniards and Swedes, with a total score of 13:2, can not solve the problem, at least against an opponent whose balance of the game put it more modestly - 5:4.

. What happened on that historic day - July 16, 1950, - known to all
. Brazil 1:0 led to the 65 th minute, when the Uruguayans failed stabbing attack. Alcides Gidzha passed on the right flank, gave the ball to Schiaffino, and he struck from close range gate. Goalkeeper Barbosa was not to blame gol. The fault lies in the Brazilian defender Bigode. The fact is that shortly before the coach Flavio Costa gave him a suggestion that he did not play too rough. Perhaps he did not utter those words, and the goal would not have. Bigode could be harder to treat Gidzhey. After the goal Schiaffino Brazilians lost their balance and missed yet another ball, and with it the title.

Transfer world record
In 1954, Schiaffino again made the World Cup. Demographics of Uruguay were unable to defend title in Switzerland, took fourth place, but it was generally a good idea. Schiaffino confirmed its highest class, and immediately after the tournament moved to their historical homeland.

. This event should have happened a year earlier, when he made a tempting offer "Genoa", but then the Genoese themselves from him and refused to
. In 1954, the same Schiaffino come in view of the leaders of Milan. Intermediary for the transaction was Ettore Purichelli, a former striker, but at the time youth team coach Milan, who had many contacts in South America. Red and black for the Uruguayan paid 50 million lire, or 72 thousand dollars. For that time it was a world record.

. Schiaffino under contract knocked me curious privilege: his wife, Angelica, who remained to live in Montevideo, had the right to fly to him by the club when fit.

. Playing as two teams
. Schiaffino entirely justified related expectations
. He spent part of Milan six wonderful seasons, three of which are red and black won Scudetto. In addition, he helped the club win the Latin Cup (at that time one of the most popular club competition in the Old World) and almost brought the "Milan" victory in the Cup of Champions. But his team still lost - 2:3.

AC Milan won the title at Schiaffino in odd years - 1955, 1957 and 1959, and took "time out" in the even. In sezone-54/55 Pepe scored 15 goals in 27 Serie A matches in the 55/56 - 16 in 29-ti. Then, when he was transferred from the line of attack in midfield, his performance began to decline.

. In the late 50's under President Andrea Rizzoli, sports director Jeep Viano and coach Luigi Bonitstsoni red and black is a young and dynamic team, for which the experience has provided an invaluable service Schiaffino
. In sezone-58/59, his most recent champion, Pepe made a double in the first round with Triestina ". He asked the victorious pace for Milan. In the next 26 games, in which he participated, he could not those two balls to add more single, but did not find it, how many times he assisted forwards Altafini and Dan. In the match against Juventus in Turin Schiaffino removed from the field for the protests: he expressed his disagreement over the fact that the judge credited Sivori goal scored by hand. But Milan still achieved victory - 5:4.

He was able to speak for two teams. To those 25 matches, which he held for Uruguay (in which he scored 11 goals), he added Schiaffino four matches in the "skuadry Azzurro". Then there were no strict guidelines of FIFA, which prohibits such "duality", and in Italy have greatly benefited from the services of oriundi "(ie, the Legionnaires of Italian origin). Side by side with Schiaffino in blue shirts played his countryman Gidzha and Argentine Sivori. He represented Italy in the game with Argentina in 1954, with Northern Ireland in 1957 and 1958, and with Portugal in 1957.

. The last stop - "Roma
. In the summer of 1960 Milan decided to part with Pepe, who was on the verge of his 35-anniversary
. Continuity of generations has resulted in the fact that almost at the same club acquired 16-year-old Gianni Rivera, which took over the "baton". Total for 6 years at Milan Schiaffino had 149 matches and scored 48 goals.

He considered that to finish his career too early, and went to the club of lower rank - AS Roma. There were different views on the age and believed that he was still able to shine. Pedro Manfredini already over half of the first round has scored 15 goals (most - after the transfer Schiaffino), which was twice the result of his closest competitors in the list of scorers in Serie A. "Roma" has topped the table after a quarter of the distance, but in the end still slipped to fifth place. The match with AC Milan (2:2) Pepe had particularly strong, scoring one goal and assistiruya in another.

Schiaffino played for AS Roma for two years. In 1962, he announced his retirement. In the 1976-meters within six months coached "Peц?arol". In two games as a coach he led the field team in Uruguay.