Ezio Vendrame facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ezio Vendrame
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Born | Casarsa della Delizia, Province of Pordenone, Italy
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21 November 1947||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 4 April 2020 Treviso, Italy
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(aged 72)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Italian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
Contents
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)