Roberto Rosato facts for kids
Rosato in 1969
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 August 1943 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Chieri, Kingdom of Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 20 June 2010 (aged 66) | |||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Chieri, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defender | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1960–1966 | Torino | 131 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 1966–1973 | Milan | 187 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 1973–1977 | Genoa | 84 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1977–1979 | Aosta | 48 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 450 | (11) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1965–1972 | Italy | 37 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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Roberto Rosato (born August 18, 1943 – died June 20, 2010) was a famous Italian footballer. He played as a defender.
Roberto was known for being a strong and reliable player. Many people think he was one of Italy's best defenders ever.
He played for four different Italian clubs during his career. He is best remembered for his time with A.C. Milan. There, he won many important titles both in Italy and around the world. Roberto also played for the Italy national football team. He played in two FIFA World Cup tournaments. In 1970, his team reached the final. He also helped Italy win the UEFA Euro 1968 championship.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Roberto Rosato played football for 15 seasons. He played 351 games and scored 10 goals in Italy's top league, Serie A. He played for A.C. Torino from 1960 to 1966. Then he joined A.C. Milan from 1966 to 1973. After that, he played for Genoa C.F.C. from 1973 to 1977.
He started his Serie A career with Torino in 1961. His most successful time was with Milan. At Milan, he won many important trophies. These included one Serie A title and three Coppa Italia titles. He also won the European Cup once. This is a very big European club competition.
Roberto also won two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups and one Intercontinental Cup. He was part of a strong defense team at Milan. He played alongside famous players like Cudicini and Schnellinger. He played 269 games for Milan and scored 8 goals. After Milan, he played for Aosta in a lower league before retiring in 1979.
Playing for Italy
Roberto Rosato also played 37 matches for the Italy national football team. He played for his country from 1965 to 1973. He was a very important player for the Italian team.
In 1966, he had a great debut game against West Germany. After that match, the media called him "The Hammer of Hamburg". This was because he played with so much strength and determination.
He played in two FIFA World Cups: in 1966 and 1970. In the 1970 World Cup semi-final, Italy played West Germany. This game is famous as "the Match of the Century". Roberto made an amazing save, clearing the ball off the goal line. This stopped Gerd Müller from scoring.
Italy reached the final in 1970 but lost to Brazil. After the tournament, Roberto was chosen as the best central defender. He swapped shirts with the legendary player Pelé after the final. He later sold Pelé's shirt for a lot of money in 2002. Roberto was also part of the Italian team that won the 1968 UEFA European Football Championship. He also won a Gold Medal at the 1963 Mediterranean Games.
How He Played
Roberto Rosato was a powerful and consistent centre-back. He was known for his strong tackles and never giving up. Many people consider him one of the best Italian defenders ever.
Even though he played tough, he was also very calm and elegant with the ball. He had great technical skills and balance. Roberto was also known for being a leader on the field.
His Life Off the Field
His teammates and the media sometimes called Roberto "Angel Face" (Faccia d'Angelo). This was because he had gentle, handsome features. It was a funny contrast to how tough and determined he was on the football field.
Interestingly, Roberto Rosato was born on the same day as his Milan teammate, Gianni Rivera. They were often called "twins" because of this.
Roberto passed away on June 20, 2010, at the age of 66. He had been sick for a long time. When news of his death came out, the Italian national team wore black armbands. This was a tribute to him during their 2010 FIFA World Cup game against New Zealand.
Honours
Club
Milan
- Serie A: 1967–68
- Coppa Italia: 1966–67, 1971–72, 1972–73
- European Cup: 1968–69
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1967–68, 1972–73
- Intercontinental Cup: 1969
International
Italy
- UEFA European Football Championship: 1968
- Mediterranean Games: 1963
Individual
- A.C. Milan Hall of Fame
- Medaglia d'oro al valore atletico
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Rosato para niños
