Armando Picchi facts for kids
Picchi with Inter Milan in 1965
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 June 1935 | ||
| Place of birth | Livorno, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 27 May 1971 (aged 35) | ||
| Place of death | Sanremo, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.71 m | ||
| Playing position | Defender, libero | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1949–1954 | Livorno | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1954–1959 | Livorno | 99 | (5) |
| 1959–1960 | SPAL | 27 | (1) |
| 1960–1967 | Inter Milan | 206 | (1) |
| 1967–1969 | Varese | 46 | (0) |
| Total | 378 | (7) | |
| National team | |||
| 1964–1968 | Italy | 12 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1968–1969 | Varese | ||
| 1969–1970 | Livorno | ||
| 1970–1971 | Juventus | ||
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Armando Picchi (born June 20, 1935 – died May 27, 1971) was a famous Italian football player and coach. He was best known as a libero, which is a special kind of defender. Armando Picchi was the captain of the amazing Inter Milan team, often called "La Grande Inter" (The Great Inter).
Contents
Playing Career: A Football Star
Starting Out in Football
Armando Picchi was born in Livorno, Italy. He began his football journey playing for his hometown club, Livorno. In 1959, he moved to another team called SPAL. After that, he joined Inter Milan, where he spent the most important part of his career.
Captain of the "Great Inter" Team
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Picchi was a very flexible defender. When he first came to Inter Milan, he played as a right-back. But during the 1961–62 season, the famous coach Helenio Herrera tried something new. He moved Picchi to play as a libero.
This new position was a huge success! A libero is a defender who "sweeps up" loose balls and helps start attacks from the back. Picchi became a key player in Inter's strong defense. He also showed great leadership, which helped his teammates like Tarcisio Burgnich and Giacinto Facchetti.
Later, when the team's captain, Bruno Bolchi, left, Picchi was chosen to be the new captain. Under his leadership, Inter Milan became known as "La Grande Inter". This amazing team won many trophies in the 1960s. They won three Italian league titles (called scudetti), two European Champions Cups (the biggest club competition in Europe), and two Intercontinental Cups (a world club championship).
Later Years as a Player
After his successful time at Inter Milan, Picchi played for Varese for two seasons. He then retired from playing football in 1969, when he was 34 years old.
Playing for Italy
Picchi played for the Italian national team. His first game for Italy was in November 1964, in a big 6–1 win against Finland.
However, the Italian coach at the time, Edmondo Fabbri, thought Picchi was too focused on defense. Because of this, Picchi was not chosen for the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England.
Later, under a new coach, Ferruccio Valcareggi, Picchi was called up more often for games leading up to the European Championship. Sadly, he got a serious injury (a fractured pelvis) in April 1968 during a match against Bulgaria. This injury meant he couldn't play in the Euro 1968 tournament. It was also his last game for Italy, having played 12 international matches in total.
How He Played
_-_Helenio_Herrera,_Lu%C3%ADs_Vin%C3%ADcio_and_Armando_Picchi.jpg)
Armando Picchi was a quick, strong, and determined defender. He started his career playing further up the field, sometimes as a forward or a midfielder. But he really shone when he became a right-back and then a libero.
As a libero, he was great at defending. He was known for his strength and his ability to win the ball back. He could also stop attacks and clear the ball away as the last defender. Even though he wasn't very tall, he was very good at reading the game. This meant he could understand what the other team was going to do.
Picchi was also good at bringing the ball out of defense and starting new attacks. Many people consider him one of Italy's best defenders and one of the best sweepers of his time. He was highly respected for his smart thinking and his strong leadership on the field. He was known for being able to organize his team's defense and encourage his teammates.
Coaching and His Passing
After he stopped playing, Armando Picchi became a football coach in 1969. He coached teams like Varese, Livorno, and then Juventus.
However, his coaching career ended too soon. In February 1971, he became very ill and had to go to the hospital. Armando Picchi sadly passed away three months later, in May 1971, at the age of 35, due to a serious illness.
His Legacy
Even after his passing, Armando Picchi's memory lives on.
- In 1971, a special football tournament called the Memorial Armando Picchi was held in his honor.
- A football club, Armando Picchi Calcio, was founded in his memory on October 21, 1971.
- Since 1990, the football stadium in his hometown of Livorno, where his first club Livorno plays, is named the Stadio Armando Picchi after him.
Honours
Inter Milan
- Serie A (Italian League Title): 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66
- European Cup: 1963–64, 1964–65
- Intercontinental Cup (World Club Championship): 1964, 1965
Individual
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2021
