Luigi Simoni facts for kids
Simoni with Torino in the mid-1960s
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 January 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Crevalcore, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 22 May 2020 (aged 81) | ||
| Place of death | Pisa, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Fiorentina | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1959–1961 | Mantova | 47 | (10) |
| 1961–1962 | Napoli | 11 | (1) |
| 1962–1964 | Mantova | 48 | (8) |
| 1964–1967 | Torino | 81 | (18) |
| 1967–1968 | Juventus | 11 | (0) |
| 1968–1971 | Brescia | 100 | (12) |
| 1971–1974 | Genoa | 88 | (13) |
| Total | 386 | (62) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1974–1978 | Genoa | ||
| 1978–1980 | Brescia | ||
| 1980–1984 | Genoa | ||
| 1984–1985 | Pisa | ||
| 1985–1986 | Lazio | ||
| 1986–1987 | Pisa | ||
| 1987–1988 | Genoa | ||
| 1988–1989 | Empoli | ||
| 1989–1990 | Cosenza | ||
| 1990–1992 | Carrarese | ||
| 1992–1996 | Cremonese | ||
| 1996–1997 | Napoli | ||
| 1997–1998 | Internazionale | ||
| 1999–2000 | Piacenza | ||
| 2000–2001 | Torino | ||
| 2001–2002 | CSKA Sofia | ||
| 2002–2003 | Ancona | ||
| 2003–2004 | Napoli | ||
| 2004–2005 | Siena | ||
| 2005–2006 | Lucchese | ||
| 2011–2012 | Gubbio (caretaker) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Luigi "Gigi" Simoni (born January 22, 1939 – died May 22, 2020) was a famous Italian football player and manager. He was known for being a smart coach. Simoni helped many teams get promoted from Serie B to Serie A. He did this seven times with five different clubs!
He is most famous for his time as manager of Inter Milan in 1997–98. During this time, he won the UEFA Cup in 1998. His team also came very close to winning the Italian league title, called the scudetto. He had the amazing Brazilian player Ronaldo on his team, and Simoni used Ronaldo's skills perfectly.
Contents
Luigi Simoni's Football Journey
Luigi Simoni was born in Crevalcore, a town in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He started his football career as a player.
Playing Career
Simoni played as an attacking midfielder. He played for several well-known Italian clubs. These included Mantova, Napoli, Torino, Juventus, Brescia, and Genoa.
One of his biggest achievements as a player was winning the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) in 1961–62 with Napoli.
Becoming a Manager
After his playing days, Simoni became a football manager. He started coaching Genoa in the 1974–75 season. The very next year, he helped Genoa get promoted back to Serie A, Italy's top football league.
Simoni became known for his ability to lead teams to promotion. He helped clubs like Pisa, Brescia, and Cremonese move up to Serie A.
Time at Inter Milan
In 1997, Massimo Moratti, the president of Internazionale (Inter Milan), asked Simoni to be their coach. This was a big moment in his career. With Ronaldo playing incredibly well, Simoni led Inter to win the UEFA Cup in 1998. They beat Lazio in the final.
Inter Milan also finished second in Serie A that season, just behind Juventus. Even though he was fired in November 1998, Inter fans still remember him fondly.
Later Coaching Roles
After Inter, Simoni continued to coach different teams. He managed clubs like Piacenza and Torino. He even had a short time coaching in Bulgaria with CSKA Sofia.
In 2003, he helped Ancona Calcio get promoted to Serie A. Later, in 2011, at the age of 72, Simoni took on a role as technical director for Gubbio. He even stepped in as caretaker coach for a short time. Under his guidance, Gubbio achieved a historic promotion to Serie B.
Later Years and Passing
Luigi Simoni passed away on May 22, 2020, at the age of 81. He had been unwell for some time.
Honours
Player
Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 1961–62
Manager
Inter
- UEFA Cup: 1997–98
Individual
- Panchina d'Oro (1): 1997–98
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2021
See also
In Spanish: Luigi Simoni para niños
- List of UEFA Cup winning managers
