ALTAFINI

Born August 27, 1938
Country Brazil, Italy
. Position Striker
. Club: Palmeiras and Atletico Madrid (both Brazil) (1956-1958), Milan (1958-1965, 205 games, 120 goals), Napoli (1965-1972), Juventus (all Italy) (1972-1976), Shiyasso (D - 2, Switzerland) (1976/1977)
. Results in the series "A" of the Italian championship has 459 matches and scored 216 goals (4 th figure in the history of football italyaskogo)
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. Titles: Champions Cup 1963, . Best Scorer Champions Cup 1963 (9 games, . 14 goals), . Champions Cup finalist 1973, . Champion of Italy 1962, . 1969, . 1974, . 1975, . Top scorer in Italy 1962 (22 goals), . Member of 1958 FIFA World Cup (1 st place, . 3 matches, . 2 goals), . 1962,
. National teams: Brazil (1957-1958, 8 matches, 4 goals), Italy (1961-1962, 6 games, 5 goals),

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Dear to him crossing the PELE

To be precise, . This colorful soccer throughout his career, was called by two different names - Mazzola and Altafini, . which sometimes caused confusion: one is a person or they are two different? As performed at the highest level, it is really very long, . 20 years, . No wonder it was confusing.,

. Altafini - one of seven players in the history of the world championships, which had an opportunity to speak for two different teams
. On one such - Luis Monti - in our heading is not so long ago described. But, unlike Monty, who with his two teams reached the finals, Mazzola-Altafini not played any important role in any part of the Brazilian "selesao, nor in the Italian" skuadry Azzurro, although medal champion he still is.

. But he left a distinctive mark in Serie A, which amazed everyone by their performance and longevity
. The table top scorers in Serie A all times Altafini shares third place with Giuseppe Meazza (216 goals), second only Silvio Piola (274) and Gunnar Nordahl (225). Today is the last player who overcame the grand master milestone of 200 goals, which now impinge once three - Batistuta, Roberto Baggio and Signori. Another 35 times, he distinguished himself in the European cup matches and 19 - in the Cup of Italy. Total, his performance in Milan, Napoli and Juventus of up to 270 animals.

. Altafini still owns the record of the seasonal impact in the Champions Cup, having made 14 exact hits for the victory over Milan European kampaniyu-62/63
. In the Italian championship, he pounded and was on view up to 38 years, which will agree, a rarity for the attacker.

. Josц? Joцёo very early was seen soccer breeders and left his home Piracicaba - a city 150 kilometers north-west of Sao Paulo, when he was knocked nearly 17 years
. "Palmeiras" offered him a contract, and already at 18, he became the main forward one of the strongest clubs in the country.

Press wrote enthusiastically about a guy with outstanding abilities, who scored checkered surprisingly easy. With its submission to him stuck nickname "Mazzola": journalists seemed, . that on game, . and external data it looks like Valentino Mazzola, . who for eight years as a crash in a plane crash along with Torino, . but continued to be revered as one of the brightest personalities in the history of world football,
. Besides, the guy is flattered by the comparison, and he was just glad that the nickname "Mazzola" gradually replaced in the newspaper accounts of his real name.

Invitation to the team not long in coming. He had not yet turned nineteen, as the coach of the national team Silvio Pirilo called him for a friendly match against Portugal (3:0) in June 1957 first.

Speech by the young "Mazzola" in the team caused mixed reactions. There was a lot of criticism against him: they say, the guy is not yet ripe. Nevertheless, when the application was determined on the world championship in Sweden, found that too much offense, which expected to make a bet, traumatized, and fly to the Mundial can. So "Mazzola" still got to number 22-x, where this particular name was stamped on official papers.

Jose started the championship, already having in their hands just signed a contract with AC Milan. Manual red and black, he liked during the European tour, done in the spring before the Brazilians Mundialem, and they won the "auction" at the "Roma", agreed to lay out for him a very substantial amount of money - 130 million pounds. At the then exchange rate - about half a million dollars.

After such recognition, the Italian super clubs of his talent and potential "Mazzola" in Sweden was going to move mountains. In the premiere match against Austria (3:0), in which Feola put it in the center of the attack, along with Babe, he scored two goals. This same couple has maintained its position at the next meeting - with England. There, effective game in attack at "sorcerers ball" did not work, . match ended goalless draw, . and after he took a famous collection of, . which players made the coach Feola make abrupt renewal of, . incorporating, . particularly, . until then to stock Pele and Garrincha,
. Pele something and took place "Mazzola". Took that already will never give.

AT luck MUNDIALYAH

"Mazzola" not despair - it was waiting for a great Italian career. However, barely set foot on the Apennine land, he was forced to abandon their nicknames. This was asked to "Milan" - apparently in deference to the family of the legendary football player (name Mazzola, by the way, soon found a continuation in the face of the two sons of the late Valentino - Ferruccio and Sandro, who also have players clubs Series A).

. Altafini again became Altafini
. In the third round chempionata-58/59, when the "Milan" stood up "Bari", he opened his account in Italy, Gholam. By the end of the season they had received 28 votes, but a man who scored more - 33 (Andzhelillo of "Roma"). Josц? Joцёo unable to go to become a top scorer, but he was the first attempt to become the champion of Italy, repeating it again three years later.

. As it should be top-flight footballer, he was the most checkered matches with the most powerful, principled rivals
. So, he did twice in the championship of poker games, and the first team to have suffered from his sverhrezultativnoy game was "Inter" (59/60, victory Milan 5:3), and the second - Juventus (61/62 victory Milan 5:1).

. Italian origin, which is clearly evident from his name, has allowed Altafini easy to obtain Italian citizenship (in 1961)
. As soon as it was received, he was lured to the team. Debut of former "Mazzola" in "skuadre Azzurro" has become a dramatic World Cup qualifying match-62 to Israel, which Italy went on a sudden break, losing 0:2, but in the second half got down to business and won 4:2. The victorious third ball scored Altafini. Zabil like a Brazilian, as continuing the traditions of the great Leonidas - a magnificent strike by himself.

. In the spring of 1962-th Jose shipped on two goals in the "goods" to the French and the Belgians and staked the right to go to the Chilean Mundial as the main Frontline
. At this time it's worse than four years ago. After the first match with the hosts of the tournament, saturated fights and rough methods and lost the Italians 0:2, Altafini from the disappeared.

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Record that will soon turn 40

But he was used to compensate for the failures at the level of combined success in club football
. Sezon-62/63 Steel for him the most stellar: a record 14 goals in UEFA Champions League, the last two of which score in the finals, Benfica, brought AC Milan, the first in its history, the victory in the main continental tournament. Benfica, winner of the previous two, was confident in his "hat trick". Eusebio opened the scoring, and at the break, the Portuguese left in the role of leading. But the second half was a time Altafini: twice with an interval of 8 minutes, he forced goalkeeper rivals Costa Pereira remove the ball from the net, that prejudge the outcome of the fight. This was preceded by two hat-tricks - the gates Luxemburg "Union" and "Galatasaray - and one penta-trick in the match with the same" Union ".

Jose felt navel of the earth and the summer of 1964 demanded that the leadership of Milan pay rise. In response, was refused. Began a protracted war: Altafini refused to go on the field, in his stubbornness has put himself into a corner and went off to Brazil. Meanwhile, his place in the red-black took a totally unknown Ferrario, who suddenly all started to score goals better than the Brazilian. In January 1965 the Altafini not stand it and returned from voluntary exile. At that moment, "Milan" had an excellent chance to Scudetto, seven points ahead of nearest rival - Inter.

. But bad luck: cost Altafini "surrender" and to resume performances on the same terms, AC Milan began to rapidly lose position
. He not only allowed the fellow-competitors to catch up with itself, but also gave them the title, three points behind! The blame for the failure tiffozi placed on "greedy" Jose. Under pressure from angry masses of the people he could not continue to stay in the team and to be sold.

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Second Youth

In the summer of 1965 he bought a second Napoli, who returned from the second division in the first
. Neapolitans took her to himself as Omar Sivori, who in the same period, had quarreled with their owners at Juventus. It was an incredible success: to enlist the services of two top stars of A series. Couple Altafini - Sivori showed itself in all its glory, thanks to which "Napoli" in the first season after returning to the elite took third place. A year later it was fourth, then - the second.

In Napoli Altafini, with continued benefit to the club, played until 1972, when his name once again became the subject of sensation of the transfer market. Even more forcefully than in 1965. Jose was bought by Juventus, which meant that he went again to increase. But when! In 34 years of age: How do I find journalists, . transaction was very fast and quickly accomplished director of Juventus, the Italian Rage at your own risk without the knowledge of President Giampiero Boniperti, . who in anger waving their fists, . when I heard about it.,

. The season and surprisingly only increased: "grandfather" Jose was not entirely clear on the field, he moved little
. But little by little, he found himself in Juventus, reactivated a sense of goal, which he has always distinguished. Turning turned the match of round 9: Lazio. The veteran has opened the account (as in the game, and his balls for the "Old signor"), and when the "Violets" razed it, showed his immortal class: Finta scattered defenders and put another "bank", bringing victory in black and white - 2 : 1. A week later, another of his goal brought the two points on a visit to Palermo (1:0), and went farther in the same spirit. Season became "golden" for Juventus, and the contribution of 35-year Altafini in this Scudetto (the third in his life) was very strong.

. And it was not his last word: two years later, he said at the festive table, another Scudetto, . where once again not as a wedding general: playing in the attack alternately with Anastasi, . He contributed to the success of "Old signora" in the amount of eight goals,
. At that time, his mastery of black and white is especially useful: the Roberto Bettega doctors diagnosed tuberculosis, resulting in a rising star "Bianconeri" long dropped out of the system. 37-year-old Altafini replaced Bettega, and not by age cool.

In 1976, Juventus finally held its "dinosaur" well-deserved rest, although quite hang shoes on a nail that is not going to, having played for some time in Switzerland. And when this unfortunate episode still occurred, Altafini not find for himself no option to stay in the football life. He settled down just as an agent of an insurance company. Only many years later, when there was a network of paid sports channels, he had worked as an expert, working on broadcasting matches. In the mid 90-ies Private Club Series "Salernitana" invited him to a consultant. It is difficult to say whether substantial assistance he provided to her, but the results "Salernitana" skyrocketed (in particular its young striker Marco Di Vaio beat the old record by Paolo Rossi for the second division, scoring 15 goals in the first 15 matches). "Salernitana" flew in a series - though not for long.

Altafini and now in Italy are still many remember and know in person, he is not forgotten and are often invited to these or other celebrations.