Paolo Rossi left us at 64 after not being able to overcome an incurable disease that has not transpired. The hero of Italy in the World Cup in Spain, a tournament in which he would finish as the top scorer (6 goals) and that would earn him, in addition to the trophy for best player of the championship, the 1982 Ballon d'Or. Many lights and some shadows in a race where the chest of praise is full of memories.
Pablito, as he was known in his country, he was born in Prato on September 23, 1956 and grew up playing football in Vicenza, which would take over his services in 1976 after standing out at Como. With the Veneto team, he soon won a put in eleven based on goals and in his first season he was the Top scorer in Serie B, numbers that would not suffer with the rise of the biancorossi.
That face-to-door efficiency opened the doors of the Azurra for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. Enzo Bearzot, despite not having been part of the qualifying matches, gave him the alternative and the bet could not go better. Italy would finish in fourth position thanks to, among other things, the great performance of young people like Rossi or Antonio Cabrini and the duo that formed the Bambino d 'Oro with Roberto Bettega.
Totonero, the scandal
The future was his and Vicenza's relegation in 1979 led him to sign for Perugia, already established as one of the strikers with the greatest potential and present brilliance on the continent. But nevertheless, In the 1979-80 season, one of the most memorable corruption scandals in the world of football broke out, the Totonero. “Quiniela negra” is the literal translation of the name used to describe the underground gambling plot that It ended with the administrative relegation of Milan and Lazio to Serie B, as well as the two-year disqualification of our protagonist. Paolo always defended having been part of a plot against him, but he had to be away from the pitch until 1982.
Capital redemption
In spite of get to the World Cup in Spain just right, the presence of Enzo Bearzot, his great supporter, made him participate in the championship and, again, the Italian coach's commitment to Pablito could not be more successful. The group stage only served to cast more doubts on the forward, who was not lucky and could not see the door in the first three games. Italy went round thanks to goalaverage and nothing foreshadowed the explosion that would be experienced since then. 2-1 to Argentina, with Rossi in the eleven, although he did manage to pierce the net. Everything had been saved for the decisive phase. In the quarterfinals, the Brazil of Socrates, Zico and company was presented as the great favorite, but a Paolo's hat-trick would make it 3-2 final in a clash that figures in World Cup history. Two goals would finish Poland (2-0) in the semifinals, while their rush final with the goal that opened the scoring against Germany in the final. 3-1 for azurri and Paolo Rossi emerged, after two years in the shadows, as the King of football. Six goals in three games. Top scorer of the World Cup, the 1982 Ballon d'Or, ahead of Alain Giresse from Girondins de Bordeaux and Boniek, a teammate at Juve, confirmed him as the man of the moment.
The Vecchia Signora He couldn't resist and went after the hero of Italy after the World Cup. In Turin, more lights, in the form of titles at the club level. Two Scudetti (1982 and 1984), an Italian Cup (1983), a European Cup Winners' Cup (1984), the European Super Cup that same year and the European Cup in 1985. He was part of a great Juventus, but could only surpass ten goals (13) in the 1983-84 season. In 1985-86 he went to Milan and retired a year later after a campaign at Hellas Verona. In 1986 he may have had a golden farewell to the World Cups, but an injury prevented him from traveling to Mexico.
His goodbye to the pitch did not keep him from his sport and he continued linked to football in commentator in various Italian media. While FIFA included him in his list of the best 100 footballers of the 20th century. Other great transalpine players such as Roberto Baggio, Baresi, Buffon, Del Piero or Totti accompany Pablito. Paolo Rossi, a story where the lights outweigh the shadows. D.E.P.