Gaetano Scirea facts for kids
Scirea with Juventus in 1975
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Full name | Gaetano Scirea | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 May 1953 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cernusco sul Naviglio, Lombardy, Italy | ||||||||||||
| Date of death | 3 September 1989 (aged 36) | ||||||||||||
| Place of death | Babsk, Skierniewice, Poland | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defender | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| 1970–1972 | Atalanta | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 1972–1974 | Atalanta | 58 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 1974–1988 | Juventus | 377 | (24) | ||||||||||
| Total | 435 | (25) | |||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||
| 1975–1986 | Italy | 78 | (2) | ||||||||||
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Honours
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Gaetano Scirea (born May 25, 1953 – died September 3, 1989) was an Italian professional footballer. Many people think he was one of the best defenders of his time. He spent most of his amazing career playing for Juventus F.C..
Scirea is one of only a few players in European football history to win all the main international club trophies. These awards are recognized by important football groups like UEFA and FIFA. He achieved this incredible feat with Juventus, where he played for most of his career. Before that, he played two seasons with Atalanta.
He also played for the Italian national team for over ten years. He was a key player in Italy's defense. Scirea helped Italy win the 1982 FIFA World Cup. They beat Brazil and then Germany in the final. He also played for Italy in two other World Cups and the 1980 European Championship.
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Club Career Highlights
Gaetano Scirea was born in Cernusco sul Naviglio, Italy. He started his top-level football career, known as Serie A, with Atalanta. His first game was on September 24, 1972, against Cagliari.
After two seasons with Atalanta, Scirea moved to Juventus. He stayed with Juventus for the rest of his playing days. He played in 397 Serie A games and scored 24 goals. At Juventus, Scirea became very successful. He played alongside other famous players like Antonio Cabrini and Dino Zoff.
During his time at Juventus, he won every major club competition. This included seven Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia cups, and several European trophies. He won the UEFA Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup, and the European Cup. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
Scirea stopped playing club football at the end of the 1987–88 season. After retiring, he continued to work for Juventus as a scout and later as a coach.
International Career
Gaetano Scirea played his first game for the Italian national team on December 30, 1975. The game was against Greece. He quickly became a very important player for the team, led by coach Enzo Bearzot.
He played in three World Cups and one European Championship in 1980. In 1980, Italy finished fourth, and Scirea was chosen for the "Team of the Tournament."
Scirea, along with his club teammates Antonio Cabrini and Claudio Gentile, and goalkeeper Dino Zoff, formed a very strong defense for Italy. This Italian team, often called the Azzurri, was one of the best in the world during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
At the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Italy started slowly. But then they beat strong teams like Argentina and Brazil. They then won against Poland in the semi-final. In the final, Italy beat West Germany 3–1. This victory made Scirea a World Cup champion forever.
He played his last game for Italy at the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Italy lost to France in the second round. Scirea played 78 games for Italy and scored 2 goals.
How He Played
Gaetano Scirea was a very modern and skilled defender. He was known for his speed, graceful way of playing, and smart understanding of the game. Unlike some other defenders, Scirea was famous for his fair play and good sportsmanship. He never received a red card in his entire career!
He was also a great leader. He was the captain for both Juventus and the Italian national team.
Scirea used to be a midfielder. For most of his career, he played as a "libero" or "sweeper." This role meant he could move forward from the defense to help with attacks. He was good at seeing the whole field and passing the ball. This helped his team score goals, and sometimes he even scored himself. Later in his career, he played more as a centre-back.
Personal Life
Gaetano Scirea was married to Mariella Cavanna. They had a son named Riccardo. After Gaetano's death, Mariella became involved in politics.
His Passing
In the summer of 1989, Gaetano Scirea went to Poland. He was there to watch a football team called Górnik Zabrze for Juventus. Juventus was going to play against them in the UEFA Cup.
On September 3, 1989, the car Scirea was in was involved in a serious accident near Babsk, Poland. Sadly, Gaetano Scirea and two other people in the car died.
His Legacy
Because of his amazing defensive skills and his sportsmanship, Gaetano Scirea's name is used for many youth tournaments and fair-play awards. He is seen as a role model for being excellent in sports and playing fairly.
One award is called the Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea". This award is given to a legendary Serie A footballer for their great career, talent, and personality.
In 2005, former Italian national team coach Enzo Bearzot suggested that the number six jersey should be retired for both the national team and Juventus. This would honor Scirea's career. The south stand at Juventus' home stadium, Juventus Stadium, is known as the Curva Scirea.
Honours
Juventus
- Serie A (7): 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86
- Coppa Italia: 1978–79, 1982–83
- Intercontinental Cup: 1985
- European Cup: 1984–85
- European Cup: Runner-up: 1982–83
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1983–84
- UEFA Cup: 1976–77
- UEFA Super Cup: 1984
Italy
- FIFA World Cup: 1982
- FIFA World Cup: Semi-finals: 1978
- UEFA European Football Championship: Semi-finals: 1980
Individual
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1980
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2011
- Juventus Greatest XI of All Time: 2017
See also
In Spanish: Gaetano Scirea para niños
- List of players to have won all international club competitions
- List of players to have won the three main European club competitions
