Pietro Vierchowod facts for kids
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Vierchowod in 2013
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Pietro Vierchowod | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 6 April 1959 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Calcinate, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1973–1976 | Romanese | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1981 | Como | 115 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1982 | Fiorentina | 28 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1983 | Roma | 30 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1995 | Sampdoria | 358 | (25) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Juventus | 21 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | AC Milan | 16 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Piacenza | 79 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 647 | (42) | |||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1993 | Italy | 45 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Catania | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Florentia Viola | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Triestina | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Budapest Honvéd | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Kamza | ||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Pietro Vierchowod (born 6 April 1959) is a famous Italian former professional football player. He played as a centre-back, which is a defender. He also worked as a manager. Pietro played for the Italian national team and was part of the squad that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
Many people think he is one of the best Italian centre-backs ever. He was known for his speed, strong defense, and tough playing style. His nickname was lo Zar ("the Tsar"). This nickname came from his Ukrainian family background. His father was a Ukrainian soldier.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Pietro Vierchowod was born in Calcinate, a town in Italy. His father was a Ukrainian soldier who was a prisoner during World War II. He escaped from a camp in northern Italy. After the war, he stayed in Italy.
Club Career Highlights
Pietro Vierchowod started his football journey with Como. He then moved to Fiorentina. His first big success was with Roma, where he won the Serie A league title in 1983.
Success with Sampdoria
After Roma, he joined Sampdoria. This was a very successful time for him. With Sampdoria, he won the Italian Cup four times. He also won the European Cup Winners' Cup once. In 1991, he won another Serie A title with Sampdoria.
Winning the Champions League
In 1995, Vierchowod signed with Juventus. He was an experienced player by then. At 37 years old, he won his only UEFA Champions League title in 1996. Juventus won the final against Ajax in Rome after a penalty shootout.
Playing Until His 40s
After Juventus, he played for AC Milan and Piacenza. He kept playing regularly until he was in his early 40s. In the 1998–99 season, he scored three goals for Piacenza. These goals helped his team avoid being relegated from Serie A. One goal was scored just three days before his 40th birthday. He retired from playing in 2000, when he was 41 years old. Vierchowod played 562 Serie A matches. He is one of the players with the most appearances in Serie A history.
International Career with Italy
Pietro Vierchowod played 45 times for the Italian national team. He scored two goals for his country. He first played for Italy in 1981 when he was 21.
World Cup Achievements
He was part of the Italian squad that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. In the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Italy finished in third place on their home soil. Vierchowod played three matches in that tournament. He is also the oldest player to score a goal for the Italian national team. He scored in a match against Malta in 1993.
Olympic Games
Vierchowod also played for Italy in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. Italy reached the semi-finals in that competition.
Playing Style and Nickname
Pietro Vierchowod was nicknamed lo Zar because of his strong and fast playing style. He was a left-footed centre-back. Many people consider him one of Italy's best defenders ever. He was known as one of the fastest defenders in the world. He was also one of the toughest defenders in Serie A during the 1980s and 1990s. This was because of his great strength and how closely he marked opponents. He was also very good at tackling.
Defensive Skills
He was excellent at stopping opposing attacks. He could win the ball back and intercept passes. Even though he wasn't the tallest defender, he was very good at heading the ball. He scored many goals from headers. Despite his aggressive style, he was seen as a fair player. He was also known for playing for a long time and for his leadership.
What Other Players Said
Famous footballer Diego Maradona once said that Vierchowod was his toughest opponent. Maradona called him "an animal" because he was so strong. He said it was easy to get past him, but then Vierchowod would be right in front of him again. Maradona even nicknamed him Hulk.
Gary Lineker also said that Vierchowod was the "hardest defender he ever faced." He described him as "absolutely brutal and lightning quick." Marco van Basten and Gabriel Batistuta also praised Vierchowod as one of the best defenders they played against.
Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Pietro Vierchowod became a football coach. He coached several Italian clubs, including Catania, Florentia Viola, and Triestina. He also coached the Hungarian club Budapest Honvéd in 2014. Later, he briefly coached FC Kamza in 2018.
Honours
Roma
- Serie A: 1982–83
Sampdoria
- Serie A: 1990–91
- Coppa Italia: 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1993–94
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1989–90
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1991
Juventus
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1995
- UEFA Champions League: 1995–96
Italy
- FIFA World Cup: 1982
Individual
- Serie A Team of The Year: 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991
- Guerin d'Oro: 1983
- Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 1995
Orders
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4th Class / Officer: Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 1991
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See also
In Spanish: Pietro Vierchowod para niños
