Giovanni Trapattoni facts for kids
.JPG)
Trapattoni as manager of the Republic of Ireland team in 2013
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 March 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Cusano Milanino, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| Height | 175cm | ||
| Playing position | Centre back Defensive midfielder |
||
| Youth career | |||
| 1953–1959 | Milan | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1957–1971 | Milan | 274 | (3) |
| 1971–1972 | Varese | 10 | (0) |
| Total | 284 | (3) | |
| National team | |||
| 1960–1964 | Italy | 17 | (1) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1972–1974 | Milan (youth) | ||
| 1974 | Milan | ||
| 1975–1976 | Milan | ||
| 1976–1986 | Juventus | ||
| 1986–1991 | Inter Milan | ||
| 1991–1994 | Juventus | ||
| 1994–1995 | Bayern Munich | ||
| 1995–1996 | Cagliari | ||
| 1996–1998 | Bayern Munich | ||
| 1998–2000 | Fiorentina | ||
| 2000–2004 | Italy | ||
| 2004–2005 | Benfica | ||
| 2005–2006 | VfB Stuttgart | ||
| 2006–2008 | Red Bull Salzburg | ||
| 2008–2013 | Republic of Ireland | ||
| 2010 | Vatican City | ||
|
|||
Giovanni Trapattoni (born 17 March 1939), often called Trap or Il Trap, is a famous Italian football manager and former player. Many people think he is the most successful club coach in Italian football history.
As a player, he was a defensive midfielder. He played almost his whole club career with AC Milan. With Milan, he won two Serie A league titles (1961–62 and 1967–68). He also won two European Cups, in 1962–63 and 1968–69. For Italy, he played 17 games and was part of the 1962 FIFA World Cup team in Chile.
As a manager, Trapattoni is one of only five coaches to win league titles in four different European countries. These countries are Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Austria. He won 10 league titles in total! He is also one of only three coaches to win all three major European club competitions. These are the European Cup, UEFA Cup, and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. He is the only one to do this with the same club, Juventus. He even won all official continental club competitions and the world title with Juventus. He is one of the few people to win the European Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, and Intercontinental Cup as both a player and a manager.
Trapattoni coached the Italian national team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2004. He didn't have the same success with the national team as he did with clubs. His last job was managing the Republic of Ireland national football team. He led Ireland to their first European Championships in 24 years, at UEFA Euro 2012. Before that, they almost made it to the 2010 FIFA World Cup but were controversially knocked out by France.
Contents
Playing Career: A Strong Defender
Giovanni Trapattoni was born in Cusano Milanino, near Milan. He had a very successful career as a player with AC Milan. He played as a central defender or a defensive midfielder. His main job was to pass the ball to more creative players.
Success with AC Milan
Trapattoni won two Serie A titles with Milan (1961–62, 1967–68). He also won two European Cups (1962–63, 1968–69). In the 1963 European Cup Final against Benfica, he was a key player. He successfully marked Eusébio, a famous player, in the second half. In the 1969 European Cup Final, Milan won 4–1 against Ajax. Trapattoni was praised for stopping Johan Cruyff, another legendary player.
After his time with Milan, Trapattoni played one season with Varese. He then retired from playing football. Two years later, he started his very successful career as a manager.
Playing for Italy
Trapattoni also played for the Italy national football team from 1960 to 1964. He played 17 games and scored 1 goal. He was part of the team for the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. However, he couldn't play any matches because of an injury. He was also part of Italy's team at the 1960 Summer Olympics.
He is remembered for his performance in Italy's 3–0 friendly win against Brazil in 1963. During that game, he managed to stop Pelé, one of the greatest players ever. Pelé even asked to be substituted. However, Pelé later said his performance was due to stomach pains. Trapattoni himself often said that Pelé was not at his best that day. He said, "I was a good footballer, but let's leave Pelé alone. He was a martian."
Playing Style
Trapattoni was a talented player who focused on defense. He could play as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder. He was known for his hard work and his ability to win the ball back. He would then pass the ball forward to his attacking teammates. Most importantly, he was famous for his excellent man-marking skills.
Coaching Career: A Legendary Manager
Giovanni Trapattoni started his coaching career at Milan with the youth team. He then became a temporary coach for the main team. His first match as a coach was a European Cup Winners' Cup semi-final in 1974. Milan won that game.
Leading Juventus to Glory (1976–1986)
Trapattoni became the head coach for Juventus for ten years, from 1976 to 1986. During this time, he won many titles, setting a European record for winning all UEFA club competitions.
He won the Serie A league title six times. He also won the Coppa Italia twice. He led Juventus to win the European Cup in 1984–85. Other major wins included the Intercontinental Cup in 1985, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1983–84, the European Super Cup in 1984, and the UEFA Cup in 1976–77.
His time at Juventus made him one of the best managers in football history. He was known for his great leadership and amazing tactical knowledge.
Success with Inter Milan and Second Juventus Spell (1986–1994)
Trapattoni coached Inter Milan from 1986 to 1991. With Inter, he won the Serie A title in 1988–89. He also won the Supercoppa Italiana in 1989 and the UEFA Cup in 1990–91.
He then returned to manage Juventus for a second time from 1991 to 1994. During this period, he won the UEFA Cup again in 1992–93.
Time in Germany and Italy (1994–2000)
Trapattoni became coach of Bayern Munich in Germany in 1994. He stayed for one season before leaving.
He then coached Cagliari in Italy for the 1995–96 season. He was fired in February 1996 after some bad results. This was the first time in his career he had been dismissed.
Trapattoni returned to manage Bayern Munich in July 1996. He is famous in Germany for an emotional press conference in 1998. He criticized some players, saying, "How dare Strunz? [...] I have finished!" (meaning "I am done!").
As Bayern manager, Trapattoni won the German Bundesliga in 1996–97. He also won the German Cup (DFB-Pokal) in 1997–98 and the German League Cup (DFB-Ligapokal) in 1997. He left Bayern in 1998.
He then coached Fiorentina from 1998 to 2000. Fiorentina almost won the league title in 1998–99, finishing 3rd. This earned them a spot in the Champions League. They also reached the 1999 Coppa Italia Final.
Managing the Italian National Team (2000–2004)
In July 2000, Trapattoni took over the Italy national football team. He led the team to the 2002 FIFA World Cup without losing a single qualifying game.
Before the World Cup, he decided not to pick popular player Roberto Baggio. Italy won their first match but then lost to Croatia. They drew with Mexico, which was enough to reach the next round. In the Round of 16, Italy lost 2–1 to co-hosts South Korea. The game was very controversial, with many decisions going against Italy. Trapattoni and his players felt there was a conspiracy to eliminate Italy.
Italy then qualified easily for UEFA Euro 2004. However, they again failed to do well in the tournament. They drew with Denmark and Sweden, and beat Bulgaria. Despite being undefeated, Italy was eliminated early. This happened because of a tie-breaking rule based on goals scored between the tied teams. Marcello Lippi replaced Trapattoni in 2004.
Coaching in Portugal and Austria (2004–2008)
On 5 July 2004, Trapattoni became the new coach of Benfica in Portugal. He led them to win the Portuguese league title in 2004–05. This was the club's first league title in 11 years. He left Benfica after one season to be closer to his family.
In June 2005, Trapattoni returned to Germany to manage VfB Stuttgart. However, the team had poor results. Some players criticized him, and he was fired after only seven months.
In May 2006, Red Bull Salzburg in Austria announced Trapattoni as their new manager. He quickly brought success, winning the Austrian Bundesliga in 2006–07. This was Salzburg's first league title in 10 years.
Managing the Republic of Ireland (2008–2013)
On 11 February 2008, Trapattoni agreed to become the manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team. He started the job on 1 May. His assistant manager was Marco Tardelli. Manuela Spinelli became his interpreter, often seen with him during interviews.
Trapattoni's first game with Ireland was a 1–1 draw against Serbia. His first win was a 1–0 victory against Colombia. He led Ireland through the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers without a single defeat. They reached a playoff for the World Cup.
In the World Cup playoff against France, Ireland lost 1–0 in the first game. In the second game, Ireland scored, making the total score 1–1. But in extra time, France scored a controversial goal. Replays showed that Thierry Henry used his hand to control the ball before passing it for the goal. This meant France won and Ireland was out.
In 2011, Trapattoni led Ireland to win the Nations Cup. Later that year, they qualified for UEFA Euro 2012 after beating Estonia in a playoff. Trapattoni signed a new two-year contract.
At UEFA Euro 2012, Ireland was eliminated in the group stage after losing to Spain and Italy. In the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Ireland suffered a big 6–1 defeat to Germany. Trapattoni left the Republic of Ireland team on 11 September 2013. This happened after a defeat to Austria, which ended their chances of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.
Other Coaching Roles
Trapattoni has also managed the Vatican City national football team. This team is not a member of FIFA or UEFA. His first match as manager was in 2010. He once said, "When I retire, I would like to become coach of the Vatican."
In 2015, Trapattoni was symbolically appointed manager of S. Pietro e Paolo Desio during a local celebration.
Management Style: The "Old Fox"
Giovanni Trapattoni is considered one of the greatest and most successful managers ever. He is highly respected for his leadership and how he organizes teams. He is often called "the King of Catenaccio" or the "Old Fox."
He was known for his direct style and smart tactics. His teams were usually mentally strong and well-organized. Trapattoni was a key figure in developing the "zona mista" style of play. This was an evolution of the older, more defensive "Catenaccio" system.
The "zona mista" system combined elements of man-marking (like Catenaccio) and zonal marking (like Dutch "total football"). This style was very popular in Italian football from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s.
Even though Trapattoni was known for his defensive approach, his teams often used a skilled sweeper or libero. This player would defend and also start attacks from the back. His teams also had a creative playmaker in midfield. This meant his teams were strong defensively and good at scoring from quick counter-attacks.
Trapattoni believed that his success and tactical intelligence came from playing in midfield. This helped him understand both attacking and defending. He used different formations, like 4–4–2, 4–3–1–2, and 3–5–2.
He was also known for his funny press conference speeches. His difficulties with local languages often made him popular with fans and the media when he coached abroad. He also used a special two-fingered whistle to get his players' attention during games. He even brought a bottle of holy water to games when he was coaching Italy and Benfica!
Personal Life
Trapattoni comes from a working-class family and lost his father when he was young. He is a very religious Roman Catholic. He regularly goes to church in his hometown. He and his wife Paola have a son and a daughter, and they are grandparents.
Health Concerns
In August 2010, Trapattoni was admitted to a hospital in Dublin. This was one day before Ireland's friendly match with Argentina. He had surgery on 11 August and missed the game. In January 2011, there were reports that he had a mild stroke. However, Trapattoni stated that while he had surgery, he did not suffer a stroke.
Honours
Player
Club
AC Milan
- Serie A: 1961–62, 1967–68
- Coppa Italia: 1966–67
- European Cup: 1962–63, 1968–69
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1967–68
Manager
Club
Juventus
- Serie A: 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86
- Coppa Italia: 1978–79, 1982–83
- European Cup: 1984–85
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1983–84
- UEFA Cup: 1976–77, 1992–93
- European Super Cup: 1984
- Intercontinental Cup: 1985
Inter
- Serie A: 1988–89
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1989
- UEFA Cup: 1990–91
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 1996–97
- DFB-Pokal: 1997–98
- DFB-Ligapokal: 1997
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2004–05
Red Bull Salzburg
- Austrian Bundesliga: 2006–07
International
Republic of Ireland
- Nations Cup: 2011
Individual Awards
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
- Seminatore d'Oro: 1976–77, 1985
- Panchina d'Oro: 1997
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2012
- ESPN 12th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013
- France Football 12th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2019
- World Soccer 19th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013
Images for kids
-
Trapattoni as manager of the Republic of Ireland team in 2013
-
Trapattoni (centre) at the 1968 European Cup Winners' Cup Final in Rotterdam
-
Trapattoni (left) with the Italy national football team in 1963, playing against the Brazilian Pelé.
-
Trapattoni as Milan manager at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam before the 1974 European Cup Winners' Cup Final in Rotterdam.
-
Trapattoni with Marco Tardelli as Ireland play against Algeria in June 2010.
