Juan Alberto Schiaffino Facts for Kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Schiaffino and the second or maternal family name is Villano.

Quick facts for kids
Juan Alberto Schiaffino

Schiaffino (left) with Gianni Rivera in 1960

Personal information

Full name

Juan Alberto Schiaffino Villano

Date of birth

28 July 1925

Place of birth

Montevideo, Uruguay

Date of death

13 November 2002 (aged 77)

Height

1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)

Position(s)

Attacking Midfielder/Forward

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

1943–1954

Peñarol

227

(88)

1954–1960

Milan

149

(47)

1960–1962

Roma

(3)

Total

415

(138)

International career

1946–1954

Uruguay

(9)

1954–1958

Italy

(0)

Managerial career

1974–1975

Uruguay

1975–1976

Peñarol

Medal record

FIFA World Cup

Representing Uruguay
Winner	1950 Brazil

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

The A.C. Milan squad for the 1957–58 season. From left to right, standing: Reina, Galli, Fontana, Soldan, Lorenzo Buffon, Nils Liedholm, Juan Alberto Schiaffino, Radice, Bean; crouched: Beraldo, Grillo, Mariani, Cesare Maldini, Bergamaschi, Zannier, Francesco Zagatti, Cucchiaroni.

Juan Alberto "Pepe" Schiaffino Villano (born 28 July 1925 – died 13 November 2002) was a famous Italian-Uruguayan football player. He played as an attacking midfielder or forward. An attacking midfielder is a player who helps both in defense and attack. A forward is a player who mainly tries to score goals.

Schiaffino was known for his amazing skill and creativity on the field. He played for CA Peñarol in Uruguay. Later, he played for A.C. Milan and Roma in Italy. He helped the Uruguayan national team win the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. Later in his career, he played for the Italy national football team.

Many people consider him the best Uruguayan footballer ever. An IFFHS poll even ranked him the 17th greatest player of the twentieth century.

Playing for Clubs
- Moving to Italy
- Winning Championships
Playing for His Country
- World Cup Hero
How He Played
Later Life and Death
Achievements and Awards
See also

Playing for Clubs

Juan Alberto Schiaffino started his career in Uruguay with Peñarol. He played there for eight successful years.

Moving to Italy

In September 1954, Italian Serie A club A.C. Milan bought Schiaffino. This was a very big transfer at the time. He played 171 games for Milan and scored 60 goals.

He helped Milan reach the 1958 European Cup Final. Milan lost this game to Real Madrid 3–2 after extra time. Schiaffino was a key player in a strong Milan team. This team also had other famous foreign stars like Nils Liedholm and Gunnar Nordahl.

Winning Championships

Schiaffino won three national championships with Milan. These wins were in 1955, 1957, and 1959.

In 1960, Schiaffino moved to Roma. He played his last two seasons there. Roma finished fifth in the league during his time.

Playing for His Country

Schiaffino played for two national teams during his career. He first played for the Uruguayan national team from 1946 to 1954. Later, he played for the Italian national team from 1954 to 1958. He could play for Italy because his grandfather was from Italy.

He played 21 games for Uruguay and scored nine goals. For Italy, he played four games.

World Cup Hero

Schiaffino was a big part of Uruguay's win in the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He scored one goal in the final game. Uruguay beat Brazil in their home stadium, the Estádio do Maracanã. This famous victory is known as the Maracanazo.

He also played in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. Uruguay finished fourth in that tournament.

How He Played

Juan Alberto Schiaffino was a very smart and flexible player. He often played as an attacking midfielder. This role allowed him to help create goals for his team.

He was known for his amazing ability to understand the game. He could organize his teammates and set up scoring chances. He was also great at controlling the pace of the game. This made him an excellent playmaker and a player who gave many assists.

Schiaffino had excellent technical skills. He was great at passing the ball and had a clear vision of the game. He was also a strong leader on the field. Besides his attacking skills, he worked hard to defend. He would often track back and challenge opponents for the ball. Many experts consider him one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Later Life and Death

After retiring from playing, Schiaffino also managed football teams. He coached the Uruguayan national team from 1974 to 1975. He also managed his former club, Peñarol, from 1975 to 1976.

Schiaffino passed away on 13 November 2002. His remains are buried in the Cementerio del Buceo, Montevideo in Uruguay.