Giovanni Galli facts for kids
Galli in 2011
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 29 April 1958 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pisa, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| Fiorentina | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1977–1986 | Fiorentina | 259 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1986–1990 | Milan | 98 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1990–1993 | Napoli | 98 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Torino | 31 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Parma | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Lucchese | 26 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 522 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1982 | Italy U21 | 22 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1980–1986 | Italy | 19 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Giovanni Galli, born on April 29, 1958, is a famous Italian former professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper for many years. After his football career, he also became a politician.
Giovanni Galli played in almost 500 games in Serie A, which is Italy's top football league. He spent most of his time with ACF Fiorentina and A.C. Milan. With Milan, he won six big trophies. He also played for the Italian national team in the 1980s. He was part of the team that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup and was Italy's main goalkeeper in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Giovanni Galli's Football Journey
Starting Out and Fiorentina Years
Giovanni Galli was born in Pisa, Italy. He started playing football as a midfielder when he was young. Later, he changed his position to become a goalkeeper.
He began his professional career with ACF Fiorentina in 1977. He played for Fiorentina for nine seasons in Serie A. During this time, he became known as a talented goalkeeper.
Success with A.C. Milan
In 1986, Galli joined A.C. Milan, another big team in Serie A. He was the main goalkeeper for three out of his four years there. He quickly became one of Italy's best goalkeepers.
With Milan, he won the Serie A league title and the Italian Supercup in his first season. He also played in the finals when Milan won the European Cup two years in a row, in 1989 and 1990. They also won the European Supercups in 1989 and 1990, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1989.
In his last season with Milan, he shared playing time with another goalkeeper, Andrea Pazzagli. Galli often played in European matches.
Later Club Career
After leaving Milan in 1990, Galli joined S.S.C. Napoli. He played for Napoli for three years, playing in about 33 league games each season. He helped Napoli win the Italian Supercup in 1990, beating Juventus 5–1.
In 1993, he played for Torino Calcio for one season. He then moved to AC Parma in 1994, where he was a backup goalkeeper. Parma won the UEFA Cup that season. Galli retired from football in 1996 at 38 years old, after a short time with A.S. Lucchese-Libertas in Serie B.
Playing for Italy
World Cup Appearances
Giovanni Galli was part of the Italian national team that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup. However, he did not play in any matches, as he was a backup to the famous goalkeeper Dino Zoff. He was also a backup in the UEFA Euro 1980 tournament, where Italy finished fourth.
Galli made his first appearance for the national team in a friendly match against Greece on October 5, 1983. Italy won that game 3–0.
He was the starting goalkeeper for Italy in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Italy was knocked out in the round of 16 by France. Galli played 19 matches for the Italian national team in total.
How Giovanni Galli Played
Giovanni Galli was known as a very consistent and reliable goalkeeper. He had excellent technique and was very elegant in his movements. He was especially good at positioning himself and handling the ball. He was not a flashy player but was very effective.
He was also a good shot-stopper and could make important diving saves. Even though he was quiet, he was a strong leader on the field. He communicated well with his defenders and helped organize the team's defense. He was also good at rushing out of his goal to stop attackers, which helped Milan's defensive strategy. He could also pass the ball well from the back.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing, Giovanni Galli worked as a director of football for Hellas Verona F.C. for a short time in 2007. He also worked as a football expert on TV.
Giovanni Galli in Politics
Giovanni Galli also decided to get involved in politics. In 2009, he ran for mayor of Florence. He was supported by several political parties. In the first round of the election, he came in second place. However, he lost in the second round to Matteo Renzi.
Family Life
Giovanni Galli is married to Anna. They have two daughters, Camilla and Carolina. He also had a son named Niccolò Galli, who was a promising young footballer. Sadly, Niccolò passed away in a road accident in 2001 when he was only 17 years old.
Achievements and Awards
Milan
- Italian Supercup: 1988
- European Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90
- UEFA Super Cup: 1989
- Intercontinental Cup: 1989
- Serie A: 1987–88
Napoli
- Italian Supercup: 1990
Parma
- UEFA Cup: 1994–95
Italy
Individual
- A.C. Milan Hall of Fame
- Fiorentina Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Giovanni Galli para niños
