Mauro Tassotti facts for kids
.jpg)
Tassotti in 2012
|
|||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 January 1960 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||
| 1978–1980 | Lazio | 41 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 1980–1997 | AC Milan | 429 | (8) | ||||||||||
| Total | 470 | (8) | |||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||
| 1978–1982 | Italy U21 | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 1979 | Italy U23 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Italy | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||
| 1997–2001 | AC Milan (youth) | ||||||||||||
| 2001 | AC Milan (caretaker) | ||||||||||||
| 2001–2015 | AC Milan (assistant) | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | AC Milan (caretaker) | ||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | AC Milan (scout) | ||||||||||||
| 2016–2021 | Ukraine (assistant) | ||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Genoa (assistant) | ||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||
Mauro Tassotti was born in Rome, Italy, on January 19, 1960. He is a famous Italian football manager and a former player. He mostly played as a right back, which is a defensive position on the right side of the field.
Mauro Tassotti started his professional career with Lazio. He then played for AC Milan for an amazing 17 years! During his time with Milan, he won 17 major titles. These included five Serie A championships (Italy's top league) and three UEFA Champions League tournaments, which is Europe's biggest club competition.
He is best known for being part of one of the greatest defensive lines in football history. He played alongside legends like Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, and Alessandro Costacurta under coaches Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello.
Even though he was a top player, Tassotti only joined the Italian national team when he was over 30 years old. He helped Italy qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and won a silver medal when Italy finished second. After he stopped playing in 1997, Tassotti continued to work with AC Milan in different roles, like a youth coach and an assistant manager. He later became an assistant coach for the Ukrainian national team.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting with Lazio
Mauro Tassotti began his football journey in his hometown of Rome. He played his first professional season with Lazio in 1978. He quickly became an important player for the team. His first game in Serie A was on November 5, 1978. He played 41 league games for Lazio over two seasons.
Joining AC Milan
In 1980, both Lazio and AC Milan faced a tough time and were moved down to Serie B (the second division). Milan then signed Tassotti. He became a key player for Milan, even during this difficult period for the club. He played his first game for Milan on August 24, 1980.
Milan won the Serie B title in his first season, which meant they returned to Serie A. Even though Milan went back down to Serie B once more, they quickly returned to Serie A in 1983. During these years, Milan didn't win many trophies, but they often qualified for European competitions.
Becoming a Milan Legend
Tassotti became a very important player for Milan in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He usually wore the number 2 shirt. He was a crucial part of Milan's incredibly strong defense. This defense included Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, and Alessandro Costacurta. Many people believe this was one of the best defenses ever in football.
Under coach Arrigo Sacchi, Tassotti became the team's vice-captain. He helped Milan win the 1987–88 Serie A title. They also won the Supercoppa Italiana and two European Cup titles in a row, in 1989 and 1990. Milan also won two Intercontinental Cups and two UEFA Super Cups during this time. In the 1987–88 season, Milan's defense, with Tassotti, was the best in the league, letting in only 14 goals.
More Trophies with Capello
When Fabio Capello became coach, Tassotti continued to win many titles. Milan reached three Champions League finals in a row. They won the Champions League in 1994, with Tassotti even being the captain in the final because Franco Baresi was absent. They also reached the finals in 1993 and 1995.
Tassotti also won three Serie A titles in a row from 1991 to 1994, and another one in 1996. Milan also won the 1994 UEFA Super Cup and three Supercoppa Italiana titles. In the 1991–92 season, Milan won the league without losing a single game! They also went undefeated for a record 58 matches in Serie A.
Towards the end of his career, Tassotti played less often as he got older and a younger player, Christian Panucci, started playing in his position. Mauro Tassotti retired from playing for Milan at the end of the 1996–97 season. He played a total of 583 games for Milan, scoring 10 goals.
International Career
Playing for Italy
Mauro Tassotti didn't play for the Italian national team until he was 32 years old. His first game for Italy was in 1992, in a World Cup qualifier against Switzerland. Before this, he had played for Italy's under-21 team. He also played for Italy at the 1988 Summer Olympics, where Italy finished in fourth place.
Tassotti was part of the Italian team that went to the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Italy reached the final but lost to Brazil in a penalty shootout. This was the only major tournament he played in for Italy.
During the quarter-final match against Spain, Tassotti accidentally elbowed a Spanish player, Luis Enrique. The referee didn't see it at the time, but after the game, football officials reviewed the incident. Tassotti was banned for eight matches, which meant he couldn't play for the rest of the tournament. He never played for Italy again after this. Tassotti later said he was very sorry for what happened and that it was an accident. He even apologized to Luis Enrique in person. In total, Tassotti played 7 games for Italy.
Life After Playing
Coaching at AC Milan
After retiring as a player in 1997, Mauro Tassotti stayed with Milan and became a coach in their youth system. He helped the AC Milan youth team win the Torneo di Viareggio tournament in 1999 and 2001.
In 2001, he briefly became a caretaker manager for the main AC Milan team. He then became an assistant manager for the senior team, working with several famous coaches like Carlo Ancelotti and Massimiliano Allegri. He stayed in this role until 2015. In July 2015, he started working as a talent scout for Milan, looking for new players.
Moving to Ukraine
In July 2016, Tassotti left AC Milan after being with the club for 36 years as a player and coach. He then joined the Ukraine national team as an assistant coach. He worked alongside Andriy Shevchenko, a former Milan star, who became the head coach of Ukraine.
How He Played
Mauro Tassotti was mainly a right back, but he was very versatile. He could also play as a centre back or even in midfield sometimes. He is known as one of Italy's best defenders and one of the top full-backs of his time.
He was famous for his strong defense, always knowing where to be on the field, and being good at marking opponents. He was also very smart tactically, which helped him fit perfectly into Milan's defensive system. When he was younger, he was known for being a tough and strong player. As he got older and played for Milan, he became more calm and consistent, earning him the nickname "The Professor."
Even though he was great at defending, Tassotti was also good at attacking. He was fast, athletic, and had good control of the ball. He could run forward and deliver accurate crosses from the right side of the field, helping his team score goals. He was also known for his elegant style of play and technical skills, which he improved a lot under coach Nils Liedholm. His teammates even nicknamed him "Il Tasso" (which means "The Badger" in Italian).
Career Statistics Summary
Mauro Tassotti played a total of 47 games for Lazio, scoring no goals. For AC Milan, he played 583 games and scored 10 goals. In total, he played 630 club games and scored 10 goals. He played 7 games for the Italian national team, scoring no goals.
Trophies and Awards
Player Honours
AC Milan
- Serie A: 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96 (5 times)
- Serie B: 1980–81, 1982–83 (2 times)
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994 (4 times)
- UEFA Champions League: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94 (3 times)
- UEFA Super Cup: 1989, 1990, 1994 (3 times)
- Intercontinental Cup: 1989, 1990 (2 times)
Italy
- FIFA World Cup runners-up: 1994
Individual Awards
- Serie A Team of The Year: 1987, 1988
- Onze Mondial: 1992, 1993
- Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 1996
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
Images for kids
-
Tassotti (left) holds the UEFA Champions League trophy along with manager Fabio Capello, following Milan's victory in the 1994 tournament.
-
Tassotti assisting for AC Milan
See also
In Spanish: Mauro Tassotti para niños
