RIVERA Gianni

Born August 18, 1943 in Alekssandrii (Italy).
Country Italy.
Position Striker
Clubs: Alekssandriya (1958-1960, 26 matches, 6 goals), Milan (1960-1978, 501 game, 122 goals) (both Italy).
Team 1962-1974: For the Italian team has 60 matches and scored 14 goals.
. Achievements: Champion of Europe 1968, . Vice-World Champion 1970, . Champions Cup Winner 1963, . 1969, . The winner of the Cup Winners Cup 1968, . 1973, . Winner of the Intercontinental Cup 1969, . Champion of Italy 1962, . 1968, . 1979, . Cup Italy 1967, . 1972, . 1973, . 1977, . Winner of the Golden Ball European Footballer of 1969, . The best footballer in Italy 1965, . Member of 1962 FIFA World Cup, . 1966, . 1974, . Member of the Olympic Games 1960.,
. A total of 749 career games held (527 in the series "A", 74 in the Coppa Italia, 72 - in European competition, 60 - for the national team)
. According to the IFFHS the best football player in Italy of the twentieth century and 12 th in Europe.
. Received the nickname "Golden Boy"
.
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. Gianni Rivera rightfully can claim not only the role of the best player in the history of the club AC Milan, but his name sounds no less than legendary, and all Italian, but world football in general.

. While Gianni was not like the pupil of the Milan's Maldini, . but he fully became a symbol of team, . which he gave almost his entire life, . mastering over 20 (!!!) seasons in the red-black all possible club trophies and leading club AC Milan in their first full-fledged global pedestal, . won him the first title of the best teams in Europe, . and then the World,
. But first things first ...

Rodivshiys in the small town of Alessandria, he began his stellar way it is with a local team of the same name, which, despite its modest name, while performed in Serie A. Like other geniuses, young talent soon made itself felt, and when Gianni was not yet 16, he already trusted place on the team and 2 June 1959 he made his debut in a home match against a very Iternatsionale. "Golden Boy" as he aptly one of the famous Italian football journalists and not for a phenomenal year for a mature game, surprised all at once. Already this summer the club was overwhelmed with offers to buy talent from a rich and famous neighbors in the series A. One of them, the most persistent and attractive, it was from Milan. An agreement with the red-black, . Junior Rivera, . order to finally become stronger, . played another season for Alessandria, . after which there finally threw in his lot with Milan (as it turned, . for the rest of the football life, . which by that time had just begun).,

. In his first season (1960/1961) in the red-black young Rivera was side by side with the great stars of the club and the football world of those times, including team leaders - Swede Nils Lindholm and Uruguayans Juan Skiaffino
. May 29, 1960 he first stepped on the field of San Siro Stadium in Milan club shirt. Is it possible to imagine a better football school than to be on the field next to those magicians game! Rivera tried to catch their every move, honed to perfection pasa culture and vision of the field. The fruit does not have to wait. The following year Rivera won with AC Milan in their first major title - the champion of Italy. Soon, as soon as he turned 18, he made another important step in his career - May 13, 1962 Gianni debuted in the national team of Italy in the match against the Belgians. In the same year he played and his first match at the World Cup in Chile against Germany (0 - 0). However, the second debut was not very bright, as for the Italian national team this World Cup was not the best. But to get to 18 years at the World Cup - this is too personal success, but still am!

Rise to fame was just beginning. Next in 1963 was truly the star for young talent. As part of the club he won the historic first European Champions Cup, . and Gianni Rivera became a sponsor of both the historical balls! Moreover, . some time he was recognized as the second player in Europe, . yielding Honorary Golden Ball only legendary goalkeeper of all time, . USSR national team and Dinamo Moscow Lev Yashin,
. By tradition, after a period of triumph comes some rollback. No, he walked side and Milan, headed by Rivera. Over the subsequent 3-year period can be identified only once in the career Gianni World Cup, this time in England `66. Alas, the Italian soccer at that time still had not the best time and even the existence of such stars as Rivera could not save "skuadru Azzurro" from the collapse. His ignominious way Italians in England, painted perhaps the most shameful defeat in its history from the North Korean team with a score of 0 - 1.

Affairs as the club gradually began to build. The team once again came one of the most famous coaches in the history of Milan club Nera Rocco. The result did not wait. First, Milan won their first ever Cup of Italy, then the entire season 1967/1968 went gold in the championship. In addition, this success was subsequently extended to Europe, where Milan won their first ever European Cup Winners' Cup. Rivera had already been a full team leader, showing at times simply incredible game. The result of all this was the year 1969 - the peak of the career of the "golden boy" of Italian football. First was led by Milan won their 2 European Champions Cup, and then survey the famous magazine "France Baby foot, finally calls it the best player in Europe and presents the most honorable personal football trophy - The Golden Ball!

. Gianni Rivera became the first ethnic Italian to be awarded this honor (until then only Omar Sivori in 1961, received the trophy, but he was a naturalized Italian Argentinian)
. Glory Rivera was boundless! He is not just fun playing football. He played his inspiration. It was not just a football player - he was a football poet, technical and tactical art that was so organically and completely in its beauty that could not leave anyone indifferent. Many believe Gianni Rivera, the best Italian players of all time. Well, I do not think that this statement is too far from the truth.

. And so, on the crest of his fame, the time has come World Cup 1970 in Mexico, where it seemed nothing will prevent Gianni finally show itself in all its glory and make it 3 its world championship gold
. But as fate would have it always on her ... In addition to Rivera, a team accustomed to leadership, there was another celebrity - Sandro Mazzola, who also laid claim to this role. As a result, the national team went first faint, but still progressive friction, which grew over time into serious conflict. Result of this was even Rivera's departure from the camp team at World Cup. As a result, output was still found and the coach decided to share time on the field between the two quarrelsome leaders. Mazzola output on the field, and Rivera came to replace him in the second half (in the press then it was called "Italian Relay). Rivera looked much stronger and Mazzola is its outlets were successful promotion of the Italian national team on the grid championship. Were defeated host nation Mexicans, where after Rivera in the second half established a devastating effect 4 - 1, after a relatively weak first half of the meeting. And then it's time the great victory over the Germans themselves omnipotent. Incredible overtime ended with a triumphant bare released again to replace Rivera, . thereby setting by 4 - 3 who formulated and Italy in World Cup final! Seemed, . what this team, . gathered pace, . can really resist the Brazilian football gods headed by the king Pelц?,
. But the finale really was a failure ... For unknown reasons, coach believes in the strength of his team and have decided to take revenge on wayward Rivera. After a hard first half ended with the score 1 - 1, to the amazement of the audience and did not follow the traditional and the decisive result before the game replace Mazzola in the current holder of the golden ball Rivera. The result is that the second half was a failure that ended with a score of dry 3 - 0, and Gianni appeared on the field to save the situation only in the last 6 minutes and had to make sure nothing was. He wanted to and was able to make themselves the champions of Italy and the world, but at the crucial moment he was not allowed to finish begun before the end. Small consolation was that on returning home hot Italian tifozi cursing his team for the shameful finale, and surrounded by his anger, only one player - Rivera.

. Subsequently, the Rivera and 4 of the World Cup was in 1974, but fate has developed and there not the best
. Having played 2 matches and scoring the ball into the gate of Haiti, Rivera finally completed its attempt to achieve fame as part of team that can somehow relate to the glory of his achievements in the Milan club. 60 matches and 4 of the World Cup as part of the national team - in this figure, and stopped his career in the national team. However, was still gold for Italy's Euro 1968, which was also impossible not to mention. Beginning in the '70s career Rivera drowned in a cup victories of the club, whereas in the championship win another Scudetto still unable. Victory in the Cup of Italy in 1972 and 1973, resulted in the European Cup Winners Cup finals of 1973 and 1974, the first of which was victorious. But the ambitious River, it was certainly not enough. Its complex nature of the star became a pledge of a protracted war with the judges, journalists and the football management of Italian football. Eventually, almost all of Italy was divided into two warring camps of admirers of Rivera and his haters. However, none of these opposing camps did not deny one thing - Rivera's brilliant personality and he can not afford to be what it is and say what he thinks.

. Sunset football career is over age player Gianni Rivera was the next championship in Milan, which became the 10 anniversary
. The king went on royal finish his life in the role of team leader-champion! Having played a season after a series of friendlies in Latin America, Gianni finally hang up his boots. Symptomatic, but that in 1979 the team appeared young Franco Baresi, further raising a peculiar character of the command baton from the hands of bygone Rivera, who played in the Milan still unassailable record 501 game!

. Later Gianni find a logical application of its popularity among the people and strong character, accustomed to defend their views
. He became a politician, and entered the Parliament of the country.