Claudio Gentile facts for kids
Gentile in 2006
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 27 September 1953 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tripoli, Kingdom of Libya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1972 | Arona | 34 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1973 | Varese | 34 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1973–1984 | Juventus | 283 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1987 | Fiorentina | 70 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Piacenza | 20 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 441 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1975–1984 | Italy | 71 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2006 | Italy U21 / Italy Olympic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Sion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Claudio Gentile (born on September 27, 1953) is a famous Italian football manager and former player. He played as a defender during the 1970s and 1980s.
Gentile played for the Italian national team in two World Cup tournaments. He was part of the winning Italian team in the 1982 World Cup final. Most of his club career was spent with Juventus, where he played nearly 300 league games. With Juventus, he won six national titles and two major European trophies.
Contents
Claudio Gentile's Club Career
Gentile was born in Tripoli, Libya. His parents were from Noto, Sicily, Italy. When he was eight years old, his family moved to Brunate, Lombardy, Italy.
Early Football Days
He started his football journey with a team called Arona. After that, he played in Serie B (Italy's second-highest league) for Varese during the 1972–73 season.
Time with Juventus
In 1973, Gentile joined Juventus, one of Italy's biggest clubs. His first game for them was in the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) on August 29, 1973. He made his Serie A (Italy's top league) debut on December 2, 1973.
He played a total of 414 senior matches for Juventus. This included 283 games in Serie A. During his more than ten years with Juventus, Gentile achieved great success.
Juventus Trophies and Achievements
- He won two major European club competitions: the 1976–77 UEFA Cup and the 1983–84 European Cup Winners' Cup.
- He also won six Serie A championships.
- Additionally, he won two Coppa Italia cups.
In 1983, Juventus reached the final of the 1982–83 European Cup. However, they lost 1–0 to Hamburg. During that match, Gentile was involved in a collision with an opposing player, Lars Bastrup.
Later Club Teams
In 1984, Gentile moved to Fiorentina, another Serie A team. He played there for three seasons, making over 60 appearances.
He then played his final season with Piacenza in Serie B. He retired from playing football at the end of the 1987–88 season.
Claudio Gentile's International Career
Claudio Gentile played 71 games for the Italian national team between 1975 and 1984. He scored one goal during his international career.
World Cup Appearances
He played in all of Italy's matches at the 1978 World Cup. Italy finished in fourth place in that tournament.
Gentile also played in the 1980 European Championship. His strong performances earned him a spot in the team of the tournament.
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Winning the 1982 World Cup
In the 1982 World Cup, Gentile was a key player for Italy. He was always in the starting team as Italy went on to win the World Cup.
He became well-known for his tough man-marking of Diego Maradona. This happened in a second-round game against Argentina. Gentile famously said, "Football is not for ballerinas!" Italy won that game 2–1.
Italy then faced the strong Brazil team. Italy won 3–2, with Paolo Rossi scoring three goals. Gentile was given the job of marking Brazilian star player Zico.
Gentile missed the semi-final against Poland due to a suspension. Italy won that match 2–0. He returned for the final against West Germany, which Italy won 3–1. Gentile was again named in the team of the tournament for his excellent play in the 1982 World Cup.
Claudio Gentile's Playing Style
Claudio Gentile was known as a very tough, strong, and determined defender. Many people consider him one of the best defenders of his time. He was also seen as one of the toughest players ever in his position.
Defensive Skills
He was a versatile defender, meaning he could play in different defensive roles. He could play as a centre-back (a central defender) or as a full-back on either side of the field. He was especially known for how closely and physically he marked opposing players. He was also known for his hard work and aggressive tackles.
He could also play as a sweeper later in his career. This role is behind the main defenders. Sometimes, he even played in the middle of the field as a defensive midfielder. He was also good at heading the ball.
Teamwork and Reputation
Gentile was not always seen as the most naturally skilled player. However, he worked very hard in training and improved his technical skills a lot. He was a mobile and hard-working player. He could also help the team attack by running down the sides of the field and sending crosses into the box.
He was part of a very strong defensive line at Juventus and for Italy. This defense included Dino Zoff, Brio, Cabrini, and Scirea.
In 2007, The Times newspaper listed Gentile as one of the 50 hardest footballers in history. Despite his tough reputation, Gentile believed he was a hard but fair player. He was only sent off (given a red card) once in his career. This happened in a European Cup semi-final match in 1978. Because he was born in Libya and had a strong playing style, some Italian media gave him a nickname related to his country of birth.
Claudio Gentile's Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Claudio Gentile became a coach.
Coaching Italy's Youth Teams
He coached the Italy national under-21 team. This team won the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2004.
He also coached the Italian Olympic team. This team won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Coaching FC Sion
On June 5, 2014, he signed a two-year contract to coach Sion, a football club.
Honours and Awards
Player Achievements
- Juventus
- Serie A: 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84
- Coppa Italia: 1978–79, 1982–83
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1983–84
- UEFA Cup: 1976–77
- Intercontinental Cup: Runner-up: 1973
- European Cup: Runner-up: 1982–83
- Italy National Team
- FIFA World Cup: Winner: 1982
- FIFA World Cup: Semi-finals: 1978
- UEFA European Football Championship: Semi-finals: 1980
Individual Awards
- Sport Ideal European XI: 1978
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1980
- FIFA World Cup All-star Team: 1982
- Serie A Team of The Year: 1982
Coach Achievements
- Italy U21
- Italy Olympic Team
- Summer Olympic Games: Bronze Medal: 2004
Images for kids
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Gentile in 2006
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Gentile playing for Juventus in 1975
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Gentile lining up for Italy in 1977
See also
In Spanish: Claudio Gentile para niños
