Roberto Tricella facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 March 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Cernusco sul Naviglio, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.83 m | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1977–1979 | Internazionale | 5 | (0) |
| 1979–1987 | Verona | 255 | (3) |
| 1987–1990 | Juventus | 80 | (2) |
| 1990–1991 | Bologna | 23 | (0) |
| Total | 363 | (5) | |
| National team | |||
| 1984–1987 | Italy | 11 | (0) |
|
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Roberto Tricella, born on March 18, 1959, is a former Italian football player. He was known for playing as a defender, especially as a sweeper. A sweeper is a defender who plays behind the main defensive line, ready to 'sweep up' any balls that get past his teammates.
Tricella played for several famous Italian clubs. These include Internazionale (often called Inter), Verona, Juventus, and Bologna. During his career, he won important trophies. He lifted the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) with Inter. He also helped Verona win a historic Serie A title, which is Italy's top football league. With Juventus, he won both the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup, a major European competition. Roberto Tricella also played for the Italy national football team, representing his country at the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Playing for Clubs: A Career Overview
Roberto Tricella was born in Cernusco sul Naviglio, a town near Milan. His professional football journey began with Inter Milan in 1977. He played for Inter until 1979, making his first appearance in Serie A, Italy's highest football league. While at Inter, he also won the 1977–78 Coppa Italia, a national cup competition.
In 1979, Tricella moved to Hellas Verona, a club that was then in Serie B (the second division). This move proved to be very successful. During the 1984–85 Serie A season, Tricella became the captain of Verona. Under the guidance of manager Osvaldo Bagnoli, he led the team to an incredible and historic Serie A victory. This was the only time Verona has ever won the league title, making it a truly special achievement.
After eight years with Verona, Tricella joined Juventus in 1987. He was brought in to fill the shoes of the legendary defender Gaetano Scirea. In his final season with Juventus (1989–90), he briefly served as the team's captain. During this period, under manager Dino Zoff, Tricella helped Juventus win a double: both the 1989–90 Coppa Italia and the 1989–90 UEFA Cup. He then finished his club career playing for Bologna from 1990 to 1992.
Playing for Italy: International Matches
Roberto Tricella played for the Italy national football team 11 times between 1984 and 1987. He was chosen to be part of Italy's squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup by manager Enzo Bearzot. Even though he was in the squad, he did not play in any matches during the tournament. He was mainly a backup for Gaetano Scirea, who played in the sweeper position.
After Bearzot, Azeglio Vicini became the national team manager. Under Vicini, Tricella still found it hard to get playing time because of the strong presence of another great defender, Franco Baresi. Tricella also represented Italy at the 1984 Summer Olympics. The Italian team performed well, reaching the semi-finals, where they finished in fourth place.
How He Played: Style on the Field
Roberto Tricella was known as a strong and fair defender. He was excellent at timing his tackles, which means he knew exactly when to challenge an opponent to win the ball without committing a foul. He was also very good at defending against players one-on-one, thanks to his speed and agility.
Tricella wasn't just good at stopping attacks. He was also smart on the field and could start new attacks for his team. After winning the ball back, he could quickly launch plays with his accurate passes and elegant control of the ball.
While he could play as a centre-back (a central defender), he was most often used as a sweeper. He played this role in a modern way, often moving forward with the ball and starting counter-attacks with long passes. This was different from traditional sweepers who mostly focused on clearing the ball away from danger.
What He Won: Trophies and Achievements
Roberto Tricella had a very successful career, winning several important titles with his clubs:
Verona
Inter Milan
- Coppa Italia: 1977–78 (Italian Cup)
Juventus
- Coppa Italia: 1989–90 (Italian Cup)
- UEFA Cup: 1989–90 (European competition)
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Tricella para niños
