Paulo Rossi RIP

[Boss Hogg]

One of the greats from the 1982 World Cup has passed away. Such a sad loss at a fairly young age

Broke my heart when he defeated the incredible 82 Brazil team in one of the greatest matches ever.

Paolo Rossi, Italian football great and World Cup winner, dies aged 64

 

[Lisas Husband]

Wow. So young. What a brilliant player and an extraordinary World Cup in '82.

Rip Paulo.

 

[Macman]

I was 10 when the 1982 World Cup was on and remember this competition like it was yesterday. The early Bryan Robson goal vs France, the 'Marco Tardelli' scream from the commentator when he scored in the final, and, of course, THAT Italy vs Brazil game when Rossi made his name. So sad.

 

[Lupo Italiano]

Gutted. My first hero in football. Way too young. I was genuinely shocked to hear the news this morning.

RIP Pablito - grazie del cuore per il Mondiali 82

 

[ricki herberts moustache]

Oh no that's terribly sad news had he been unwell?

I clearly remember him from 1982 WC

RIP

 

[IrchyWolf]

Got a three year ban for Totonero, but only did two years of it so he was completely fresh for that World Cup.

 

[Ponty]

I was 10 when the 1982 World Cup was on and remember this competition like it was yesterday. The early Bryan Robson goal vs France, the 'Marco Tardelli' scream from the commentator when he scored in the final, and, of course, THAT Italy vs Brazil game when Rossi made his name. So sad.

My mate still uses the Marco Tardellllli scream.

 

[Sheriff Woody]

Bloody hell, sad news.

R.I.P Paolo.

 

[Lupo Italiano]

Oh no that's terribly sad news had he been unwell?

I clearly remember him from 1982 WC

RIP

His partner has said 'a long illness'

 

[Wonder Boyo]

This genuinely shocked me when I read it early. He conjures up so many teenage memories. Rest in Peace Paulo.

 

[Golden Arrow]

Paulo Rossi broke my heart in 1982 when he single handedly put my favourite Brazil team out of the World Cup.
Such was the game, it was worthy of the Final itself.

My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

 

[stever]

Remember getting home from school and watching him destroy Brazil with his fox in the box finishing. A great goalscorer.

RIP Paolo

 

[Big Saft Kid]

I watched that game in Bali, of all places, in a restaurant/bar packed with Italians who went absolutely bananas at the end. Great game and Italy worthy winners.

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

The first World cup I really followed, Such a shame

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Responsible for the most disappointed I've been at a Non-England World Cup result in my life. But showed he was the ultimate predator that day, the only thing missing in that great Brazil Team.

Sounds like he had a condition that he couldn't recover from, another icon of my youth that played a lead role in one of the greatest games I've witnessed. RIP Paulo another great leaves us.

 

[Boss Hogg]

I watched that game in Bali, of all places, in a restaurant/bar packed with Italians who went absolutely bananas at the end. Great game and Italy worthy winners.

Agree that Italy were worthy winners but for me it represented the end of an era and ushered in the age of defensive football

 

[Norman Bell]

After the first round of group matches when the magnificent Brazil had beaten the USSR, toyed with New Zealand and best of all from an English point of view on a Friday night in Seville had totally humiliated the Jocks 4-1 ( Scotland scored first ) it seemed no one was going to stop Brazil. Even more so when they had outclassed the reigning World Champions Argentina 3-1 in the second group stage. Their next opponents on a July Monday afternoon were the Italians who had scrapped out the first group stage with three draws and then with the ultimate footballing assassin Claudio Gentile ( a mockery of a surname if you ever saw this man " play " when actually destroy was a more fitting term ! ) kicking seven colours out of some young Argentinian lad called Maradona there was just no way that Italy would beat Brazil.

The game was played in Espanyol's stadium in Barcelona and not at the much larger Camp Nou. It was a British style football stadium with the fans close to the pitch, which with the samba drums of the Brazil fans added to the atmosphere. Suddenly the drums fell silent as Italy went one up through a Rossi header. Up until that moment Paolo had looked a pale shadow of the man who was a revelation at Argentina 78. Of course Rossi had been suspended for 2 years so he had not played much in the run up to Spain 82. Once I had got over the shock of Brazil being behind I felt confident that they would get back into it, which Brazil did through their mercurial chain smoking skipper Socrates . Then, some to be brutally honest idiotic defending allowed Italy to retake the lead, as Brazil were basically showboating when Cerezo played a terrible cross field pass that Rossi intercepted and slammed home to make it 2-1. That was the score at the half and remained so until Roberto Falcao who like Cerezo actually played in Serie A made it all square with a rasping drive from the edge of the box. Everything would be okay now thought all of us " Brazil fans ! " But no yet more shambolic defending this time from a corner allowed Paulo Rossi the chance to grab his hat trick ( It is comical to see Junior the Brazil full back appealing for Paulo to be offside when Junior is t least a metre behind Rossi ! ) Brazil tried to get level as all they needed was a draw to get through back they could not manage it. At full time I was " gutted " along with millions of others had fallen in love with this Brazil side and while England were still in the tournament there was a strange feeling of anti climax among football fans that Brazil were out.

Graeme Souness described Brazil going out as " the day the beautiful game died " and I felt the same.

Once the French who were a beautiful footballing side got beaten because they wanted to crush the West Germans and still piled forward after going 3-1 up deep into extra time but blew it and let in two late goals before going on out on penalties I became an Italian fan for the final. Italy had beaten Poland 2-0 in the Semi Final with two more goals from Paolo Rossi. In the final after the Italians missed a penalty at 0-0 everyone feared the worst ( I was a huge admirer of the West German sides of 72 to 80 but after Schmacher the goalie had got away with the most cowardly assault I have ever seen still to this day on a football field v France there was no way I could support the Germans ) Also the Italians had come out of their defensive shell and were playing some decent stuff so I almost forgave them for beating Brazil ! Paolo Rossi made it 1-0 , setting the Azzuri on their way. Of course all of us who were around at that time have no matter how scuffed the goal scoring shot was have set off on a Marco Tardelli celebration after he sealed the win for Italy !

Spain 82 remains for me the greatest World Cup finals tournament with the some great memories like Bryan Robson scoring for England within the first 30 seconds v France, Northern Ireland beating the hosts 1-0 to get through to the second stage, Hungary winning their game v El Salvador 10-1 and still not getting out of their group ! I remember Maradona kicking some " Brazil Nuts ! " and getting a red card and me saying to my mate " What an over hyped fat little so and so he was that is the last we shall see of him ! ", Kevin Keegan having a Jeff Astle moment and heading wide versus Spain when it was easier to hit the target than miss, my Uncle Bob and I sitting in his kitchen in Birmingham looking at one another in disbelief that Brazil had been knocked out and then doing the same a few days later after France let the Germans back into the Semi.

So sad to hear of the passing of Paolo Rossi. It is shocking to think that two of the players who scored in what for me remains the greatest game of international football I ever witnessed, Italy 3 Brazil 2 in Paolo and Socrates are no longer alive.

 

[Woburn Wolf]

RIP Paulo. A great striker, one of the very best.

 

[Flea]

Hmm..wasn´t he connected?
Rumours from the time had him in match fixes and other stuff.
As a player he was a real fox in the box and would most of the time find spaces inside.
A very good goalscorer.

 

[Macman]

After the first round of group matches when the magnificent Brazil had beaten the USSR, toyed with New Zealand and best of all from an English point of view on a Friday night in Seville had totally humiliated the Jocks 4-1 ( Scotland scored first ) it seemed no one was going to stop Brazil. Even more so when they had outclassed the reigning World Champions Argentina 3-1 in the second group stage. Their next opponents on a July Monday afternoon were the Italians who had scrapped out the first group stage with three draws and then with the ultimate footballing assassin Claudio Gentile ( a mockery of a surname if you ever saw this man " play " when actually destroy was a more fitting term ! ) kicking seven colours out of some young Argentinian lad called Maradona there was just no way that Italy would beat Brazil.

The game was played in Espanyol's stadium in Barcelona and not at the much larger Camp Nou. It was a British style football stadium with the fans close to the pitch, which with the samba drums of the Brazil fans added to the atmosphere. Suddenly the drums fell silent as Italy went one up through a Rossi header. Up until that moment Paolo had looked a pale shadow of the man who was a revelation at Argentina 78. Of course Rossi had been suspended for 2 years so he had not played much in the run up to Spain 82. Once I had got over the shock of Brazil being behind I felt confident that they would get back into it, which Brazil did through their mercurial chain smoking skipper Socrates . Then, some to be brutally honest idiotic defending allowed Italy to retake the lead, as Brazil were basically showboating when Cerezo played a terrible cross field pass that Rossi intercepted and slammed home to make it 2-1. That was the score at the half and remained so until Roberto Falcao who like Cerezo actually played in Serie A made it all square with a rasping drive from the edge of the box. Everything would be okay now thought all of us " Brazil fans ! " But no yet more shambolic defending this time from a corner allowed Paulo Rossi the chance to grab his hat trick ( It is comical to see Junior the Brazil full back appealing for Paulo to be offside when Junior is t least a metre behind Rossi ! ) Brazil tried to get level as all they needed was a draw to get through back they could not manage it. At full time I was " gutted " along with millions of others had fallen in love with this Brazil side and while England were still in the tournament there was a strange feeling of anti climax among football fans that Brazil were out.

Graeme Souness described Brazil going out as " the day the beautiful game died " and I felt the same.

Once the French who were a beautiful footballing side got beaten because they wanted to crush the West Germans and still piled forward after going 3-1 up deep into extra time but blew it and let in two late goals before going on out on penalties I became an Italian fan for the final. Italy had beaten Poland 2-0 in the Semi Final with two more goals from Paolo Rossi. In the final after the Italians missed a penalty at 0-0 everyone feared the worst ( I was a huge admirer of the West German sides of 72 to 80 but after Schmacher the goalie had got away with the most cowardly assault I have ever seen still to this day on a football field v France there was no way I could support the Germans ) Also the Italians had come out of their defensive shell and were playing some decent stuff so I almost forgave them for beating Brazil ! Paolo Rossi made it 1-0 , setting the Azzuri on their way. Of course all of us who were around at that time have no matter how scuffed the goal scoring shot was have set off on a Marco Tardelli celebration after he sealed the win for Italy !

Spain 82 remains for me the greatest World Cup finals tournament with the some great memories like Bryan Robson scoring for England within the first 30 seconds v France, Northern Ireland beating the hosts 1-0 to get through to the second stage, Hungary winning their game v El Salvador 10-1 and still not getting out of their group ! I remember Maradona kicking some " Brazil Nuts ! " and getting a red card and me saying to my mate " What an over hyped fat little so and so he was that is the last we shall see of him ! ", Kevin Keegan having a Jeff Astle moment and heading wide versus Spain when it was easier to hit the target than miss, my Uncle Bob and I sitting in his kitchen in Birmingham looking at one another in disbelief that Brazil had been knocked out and then doing the same a few days later after France let the Germans back into the Semi.

So sad to hear of the passing of Paolo Rossi. It is shocking to think that two of the players who scored in what for me remains the greatest game of international football I ever witnessed, Italy 3 Brazil 2 in Paolo and Socrates are no longer alive.

1982 - that was when World Cups were memorable. You mention Northern Ireland beating Spain 1-0 (Gerry Armstrong) and I remember here in Shropshire we had torrential storms that night and we missed the goal due to a power cut. Also remember Algeria beating West Germany 2-1, only for the Germans and Austria to 'match fix' their final game 1-0 so both teams went through (and Algeria went out).

I am sure after this incident, all final groups games now kick off at the same time.

Then the Battiston and Schumacher incident in the semi final.

So pleased that Rossi, and Italy, beat them in the final.

 

[lobodelsur]

That Brasil team of '82 was the only one that remotely compared with the Brasil team of 1970 or the Dutch of '74. If only they'd had a striker worth the name...
Paolo Rossi, a great player who contributed as much to Italy's World Cup win in '82 as Maradona did to Argentina's in '86.

 

[Norman Bell]

1982 - that was when World Cups were memorable. You mention Northern Ireland beating Spain 1-0 (Gerry Armstrong) and I remember here in Shropshire we had torrential storms that night and we missed the goal due to a power cut. Also remember Algeria beating West Germany 2-1, only for the Germans and Austria to 'match fix' their final game 1-0 so both teams went through (and Algeria went out).

I am sure after this incident, all final groups games now kick off at the same time.

Then the Battiston and Schumacher incident in the semi final.

So pleased that Rossi, and Italy, beat them in the final.

Yes now you mention it the West Germany v Austria game was an utter disgrace as the West Germans went one up and did not attempt to score after that and the Austrians made no attempt to draw level. This meant that in future World Cups, final Group matches all the games had to kick off at the same time to avoid collusion. Jupp Derwall the then German Coach famously said " If we lose to Algeria then I shall walk back to Germany ! " of course he never did !

If I remember correctly, Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking hardly played until the final second stage Group game v Spain, so began the English tradition of taking clearly injured players to the World Cup finals !

Another couple of memories of Brazil from 1982 is when they played Argentina and Eder smashes an incredible free kick from 10 or more yards outside the Argentina penalty area that Filliol the Argentinian goalie makes an incredible save from only for Zico to tap in the rebound. The other memory is of the shocking Serginho the Brazilian number 9. He was what the Scots call a " steamer ! " Going in the tournament the main striker was Careca but tragically for him and Brazil he blew his knee out so in came Serginho. In the Argentina game he attempts a shot on goal that looks for all the world like the poor kid in playground games who tries his hardest but has zero ability it is that bad ! If Brazil had of had a fit Careca or as @lobodelsur rightly points out a player of the quality of Paolo Rossi then Brazil would have been 82 Champions regardless of their Sunday Morning Pub League defence !

 

[WolfClaw]

After the first round of group matches when the magnificent Brazil had beaten the USSR, toyed with New Zealand and best of all from an English point of view on a Friday night in Seville had totally humiliated the Jocks 4-1 ( Scotland scored first ) it seemed no one was going to stop Brazil. Even more so when they had outclassed the reigning World Champions Argentina 3-1 in the second group stage. Their next opponents on a July Monday afternoon were the Italians who had scrapped out the first group stage with three draws and then with the ultimate footballing assassin Claudio Gentile ( a mockery of a surname if you ever saw this man " play " when actually destroy was a more fitting term ! ) kicking seven colours out of some young Argentinian lad called Maradona there was just no way that Italy would beat Brazil.

The game was played in Espanyol's stadium in Barcelona and not at the much larger Camp Nou. It was a British style football stadium with the fans close to the pitch, which with the samba drums of the Brazil fans added to the atmosphere. Suddenly the drums fell silent as Italy went one up through a Rossi header. Up until that moment Paolo had looked a pale shadow of the man who was a revelation at Argentina 78. Of course Rossi had been suspended for 2 years so he had not played much in the run up to Spain 82. Once I had got over the shock of Brazil being behind I felt confident that they would get back into it, which Brazil did through their mercurial chain smoking skipper Socrates . Then, some to be brutally honest idiotic defending allowed Italy to retake the lead, as Brazil were basically showboating when Cerezo played a terrible cross field pass that Rossi intercepted and slammed home to make it 2-1. That was the score at the half and remained so until Roberto Falcao who like Cerezo actually played in Serie A made it all square with a rasping drive from the edge of the box. Everything would be okay now thought all of us " Brazil fans ! " But no yet more shambolic defending this time from a corner allowed Paulo Rossi the chance to grab his hat trick ( It is comical to see Junior the Brazil full back appealing for Paulo to be offside when Junior is t least a metre behind Rossi ! ) Brazil tried to get level as all they needed was a draw to get through back they could not manage it. At full time I was " gutted " along with millions of others had fallen in love with this Brazil side and while England were still in the tournament there was a strange feeling of anti climax among football fans that Brazil were out.

Graeme Souness described Brazil going out as " the day the beautiful game died " and I felt the same.

Once the French who were a beautiful footballing side got beaten because they wanted to crush the West Germans and still piled forward after going 3-1 up deep into extra time but blew it and let in two late goals before going on out on penalties I became an Italian fan for the final. Italy had beaten Poland 2-0 in the Semi Final with two more goals from Paolo Rossi. In the final after the Italians missed a penalty at 0-0 everyone feared the worst ( I was a huge admirer of the West German sides of 72 to 80 but after Schmacher the goalie had got away with the most cowardly assault I have ever seen still to this day on a football field v France there was no way I could support the Germans ) Also the Italians had come out of their defensive shell and were playing some decent stuff so I almost forgave them for beating Brazil ! Paolo Rossi made it 1-0 , setting the Azzuri on their way. Of course all of us who were around at that time have no matter how scuffed the goal scoring shot was have set off on a Marco Tardelli celebration after he sealed the win for Italy !

Spain 82 remains for me the greatest World Cup finals tournament with the some great memories like Bryan Robson scoring for England within the first 30 seconds v France, Northern Ireland beating the hosts 1-0 to get through to the second stage, Hungary winning their game v El Salvador 10-1 and still not getting out of their group ! I remember Maradona kicking some " Brazil Nuts ! " and getting a red card and me saying to my mate " What an over hyped fat little so and so he was that is the last we shall see of him ! ", Kevin Keegan having a Jeff Astle moment and heading wide versus Spain when it was easier to hit the target than miss, my Uncle Bob and I sitting in his kitchen in Birmingham looking at one another in disbelief that Brazil had been knocked out and then doing the same a few days later after France let the Germans back into the Semi.

So sad to hear of the passing of Paolo Rossi. It is shocking to think that two of the players who scored in what for me remains the greatest game of international football I ever witnessed, Italy 3 Brazil 2 in Paolo and Socrates are no longer alive.

You only forgot the Alessandro Altobelli goal mate to put the cherry on the Azzurri cake and a final 3-1 score line.
And also, how can anyone forget the iconic grizzled Enzo Bearzot? He was truly one of a kind. That was a manager, ready to defy pundits, fanatical fans and even the government, and stuck with Rossi even while conspiracy theories were flying. Within a couple of weeks, idiots and crooks became heroes and gods.

Resta in pace Pablito. You are now nutmegging the angels. Serves them right.

 

[WolfClaw]

 

[Norman Bell]

You only forgot the Alessandro Altobelli goal mate to put the cherry on the Azzurri cake and a final 3-1 score line.
And also, how can anyone forget the iconic grizzled Enzo Bearzot? He was truly one of a kind. That was a manager, ready to defy pundits, fanatical fans and even the government, and stuck with Rossi even while conspiracy theories were flying. Within a couple of weeks, idiots and crooks became heroes and gods.

Resta in pace Pablito. You are now nutmegging the angels. Serves them right.

Here is a trivia fact concerning Alessandro Altobelli, he is one of 4 players to come off the bench and score in the World Cup Final as he was a 7th minute substitution in 1982.

I remember Enzo Bearzot used to smoke his pipe on the bench !

 

[topcat99]

I watched the Italy v Brazil game on YouTube today.

Great game, but blimey, they were some hefty cynical challenges in there.

Gentile (not well named) would cut Jack Grealish in half!

 

[Boss Hogg]

Yes now you mention it the West Germany v Austria game was an utter disgrace as the West Germans went one up and did not attempt to score after that and the Austrians made no attempt to draw level. This meant that in future World Cups, final Group matches all the games had to kick off at the same time to avoid collusion. Jupp Derwall the then German Coach famously said " If we lose to Algeria then I shall walk back to Germany ! " of course he never did !

If I remember correctly, Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking hardly played until the final second stage Group game v Spain, so began the English tradition of taking clearly injured players to the World Cup finals !

Another couple of memories of Brazil from 1982 is when they played Argentina and Eder smashes an incredible free kick from 10 or more yards outside the Argentina penalty area that Filliol the Argentinian goalie makes an incredible save from only for Zico to tap in the rebound. The other memory is of the shocking Serginho the Brazilian number 9. He was what the Scots call a " steamer ! " Going in the tournament the main striker was Careca but tragically for him and Brazil he blew his knee out so in came Serginho. In the Argentina game he attempts a shot on goal that looks for all the world like the poor kid in playground games who tries his hardest but has zero ability it is that bad ! If Brazil had of had a fit Careca or as @lobodelsur rightly points out a player of the quality of Paolo Rossi then Brazil would have been 82 Champions regardless of their Sunday Morning Pub League defence !

Brazil also had what seemed like a bald librarian in goal! (Walder Peres). I don't think they considered goalkeeper a specialist position at that point in time.

 

[topcat99]

I remember the Brazil v Argentina game vividly. I had been home from the Falklands War for about 24 hours when that match was on TV.

I was a Brazil fan obviously!

 

[Norman Bell]

Brazil also had what seemed like a bald librarian in goal! (Walder Peres). I don't think they considered goalkeeper a specialist position at that point in time.

My Scots pals say that Peres was that bad that when Brazil played Scotland it was one of the only times they can remember that they would not have swapped Alan Rough for the other team's goalie !

 

[Norman Bell]

I watched the Italy v Brazil game on YouTube today.

Great game, but blimey, they were some hefty cynical challenges in there.

Gentile (not well named) would cut Jack Grealish in half!

I can recommend the excellent official film of the 1982 World Cup " G'ole ". In it they have a camera on Claudio Gentile v Argentina and he kick's the living daylights out of Maradona. Sir Sean Connery narrates the film which has some excellent quips, describing Gentile as " a one man crowd ". Another superb line is delivered superbly is when describing the clash between the Scots and Brazilians in Seville, Sir Sean in his dry tone says " A game between the nation that is probably the best in the world against the nation that thinks it is ! " Superb camera work in of the final as well with Marco Tardelli goal celebration.

Excellent music in G'ole as well from Rick Wakeman.

 

[Deleted member 11157]

God bless you Rossi. Monumental in 82 but I'm still seeing Tardelli trailing away in absolute ecstacy after smashing that goal in.

 

[Flea]

Brazil 82 was a hippies team.Playing on a high and eventually coming crashing down.
I absolutely loved Falcao personally..a tremendous,tremendous player at this time.
Paolo Rossi reached the highlight of his career..but he was connected and took advantage of a highly crazy brazilian defense..must say I loved Leandro getting forward though..but that was part of the problem.
Best thing said though might be..I only remember Paolo Rossi and Dino Zoff from that Italian team.
This is the problem with italian squads..you barely remembers anyone.

I´m sure Graziano and Antonioni and such were there..I still remembers Bettega and Romeo Benetti more clearly.

They say Italy won it in 06 as well.I´m sure they are right.I only remembers Zidane,

At least we(Sweden) knocked them out before Russia 18..they still haven´t produced a forward like Gunnar Nordahl.

 

[Flea]

...and Jussi Björling also beats Pavarotti hands down.Everyone knows it.
Caruso?
Nobody will ever know for sure.

 

[WolfClaw]

Gentile (not well named) would cut Jack Grealish in half!

I have no objection.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

Thoughts and prayers to all his family and friends at this sad time

 

[Frank Lincoln]

How low can some people get. The home of the Rossi family was burgled while his funeral service was taking place.

Absolutely disgraceful and despicable. I hope the Itlaian police apprehend those responsible.

 

[Norman Bell]

How low can some people get. The home of the Rossi family was burgled while his funeral service was taking place.

Absolutely disgraceful and despicable. I hope the Itlaian police apprehend those responsible.

Frank I have only just been made aware of this utterly disgusting act. How sad that in a year that has seen the best of human nature throughout the world with people doing incredibly kind things during the pandemic the human race still manages to breed low life beneath contempt oxygen thieves.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

How low can some people get. The home of the Rossi family was burgled while his funeral service was taking place.

Absolutely disgraceful and despicable. I hope the Itlaian police apprehend those responsible.

Read that earlier. Absolutely reprehensible to use a loved one's funeral as an opportunity to rob a grieving family and inflict pain on top of pain.

 

[Deleted member 5276]

How low can some people get. The home of the Rossi family was burgled while his funeral service was taking place.

Absolutely disgraceful and despicable. I hope the Itlaian police apprehend those responsible.

I'd be in favour of public floggings for such animals.