Ezio Vendrame facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ezio Vendrame
Born	(1947-11-21)21 November 1947 Casarsa della Delizia, Province of Pordenone, Italy
Died	4 April 2020(2020-04-04) (aged 72) Treviso, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupation	Writer Footballer Manager
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Association football career Position(s) Midfielder Youth career 1960–1967 Udinese Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1967–1968 SPAL 0 (0) 1968–1969 → Torres (loan) 11 (1) 1969–1970 → Siena (loan) 31 (1) 1970–1971 Roverto 9 (0) 1971–1974 Lanerossi Vicenza 46 (1) 1974–1975 Napoli 3 (0) 1975–1977 Padova 57 (8) 1977–1978 Audace SME 34 (5) 1978–1979 Pordenone 7 (1) 1979–1981 Juniors Casarsa ? (?) Total 198+ (17+) Managerial career 198?–198? Pordenone (youth) 199?–199? Venezia (youth) 199?–200? Sanvitese (youth) *Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ezio Vendrame (born November 21, 1947 – died April 4, 2020) was an Italian writer, football player, and manager. He was known for his amazing skills as a midfielder and his unique personality on and off the field. Many people called him "the Italian George Best" because of his playing style and looks.

Early Life and Football Start

Ezio Vendrame was born in Casarsa della Delizia, a town in Italy. He started playing football at a young age. When he was 13, he joined the youth team of Udinese.

Football Career Highlights

Vendrame began his professional career with SPAL in 1967. He later played for teams like Torres and Siena. In 1971, he made his debut in Serie A, Italy's top football league, with Vicenza. He became very popular there because of his great performances.

After Vicenza, he moved to Napoli. However, he didn't play much there. He then spent the rest of his career in lower Italian leagues. He played two seasons with Padova. During his time at Padova, he was involved in some memorable moments that showed his unique character.

Unforgettable Moments on the Field

One time, during a dull 0–0 match, Ezio decided to entertain the fans. He picked up the ball near the opponent's goal and dribbled it all the way back to his own goal. He even tricked his own goalkeeper before stopping the ball on the goal-line. Then, he started playing again!

Another time, he stopped a game to say hello to his friend, the singer Piero Ciampi, who was watching from the stands. This showed how much he cared about his friends, even during a match.

In a game against his old club Udinese, Ezio was offered money to not play his best. But when the home crowd booed him, he decided to play his heart out. He scored two amazing goals, helping Padova win 3–2. One of his goals was directly from a corner kick, which is very rare! He even gestured to the fans that he would score from the corner before he did it.

Playing Style

Ezio Vendrame was known as a "classic number ten." This means he was a very creative and skillful midfielder. He could play in different attacking roles, like a central midfielder or a winger.

He had excellent technique and amazing dribbling skills. He was also great at making the final pass to set up goals. Early in his career, many thought he would become one of Italy's best players. People often compared him to George Best because of his long hair, skills, and unique personality. He was also called "il poeta del gol," which means "the goal poet."

Despite his talent, he sometimes struggled to play consistently at the very top level. This was often due to his strong personality and his unique way of playing.

Coaching Career

After he stopped playing football, Vendrame became a coach. He mainly coached youth teams for clubs like Pordenone, Venezia, and Sanvitese. He focused a lot on teaching players technical skills and how to play well with the ball. He believed in skill over strict tactics.

Writing Career

Ezio Vendrame also became a writer. He published several books, sharing his stories and thoughts. One of his books was called "Se mi mandi in tribuna godo," which means "If you send me to sit in the stands I will enjoy it." In this book, he shared one of his biggest regrets: disrespectfully tricking A.C. Milan star Gianni Rivera with a nutmeg. Rivera was one of his football heroes. Ezio was also very interested in music and poetry. He wrote songs and poems, and he played the guitar.

Death

Ezio Vendrame passed away from cancer on April 4, 2020. He was 72 years old.

Honours

Pordenone

• Serie D: 1978–79 (Promotion to Serie C2)