Romeo Benetti facts for kids
Benetti in 1974
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Romeo Benetti | ||
| Date of birth | 20 October 1945 | ||
| Place of birth | Albaredo d'Adige, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.82 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1963–1964 | Bolzano | 31 | (10) |
| 1964–1965 | Siena | 31 | (7) |
| 1965–1967 | Taranto | 63 | (11) |
| 1967–1968 | Palermo | 35 | (2) |
| 1968–1969 | Juventus | 24 | (1) |
| 1969–1970 | Sampdoria | 27 | (2) |
| 1970–1976 | AC Milan | 170 | (32) |
| 1976–1979 | Juventus | 83 | (12) |
| 1979–1981 | AS Roma | 27 | (1) |
| Total | 491 | (78) | |
| National team | |||
| 1971–1980 | Italy | 55 | (2) |
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Romeo Benetti, born on October 20, 1945, is a famous Italian professional footballer. He was known for being a strong and tough defensive midfielder. Throughout his career, Benetti played for many big Italian clubs. He won important titles with teams like AC Milan, Juventus, and AS Roma.
He also played for the Italy national football team 55 times. He represented Italy in the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups. He also played in UEFA Euro 1980. In the 1978 World Cup and Euro 1980, his team finished in fourth place.
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Club Career Highlights
Romeo Benetti started his top-level football career in 1968. This was after his team, Palermo, won the 1967–68 Serie B title. He joined Juventus and played 24 games, scoring one goal. However, he soon moved to Sampdoria for a season.
Success with AC Milan
Benetti truly shined when he joined AC Milan in 1970. He helped the team finish second in the league three times in a row. These were from 1970 to 1973. During his time at AC Milan, he won the 1972–73 European Cup Winners' Cup. He also won two Coppa Italia trophies in 1972 and 1973. Benetti even became the team's captain. He scored a memorable long-range goal against rivals Inter in March 1973.
Return to Juventus and Roma
In 1976, Benetti went back to Juventus. There, he helped them win the Serie A titles in 1977 and 1978. He also won the 1976–77 UEFA Cup with Juventus. In 1979, he won another Coppa Italia with the club.
As his career neared its end, he moved to AS Roma in 1979. He stayed there until 1981. With Roma, he won two more Coppa Italia titles in a row before he retired from playing.
Playing for Italy
Benetti played 55 games for the Italian national team. He scored 2 goals during his international career. His first game for Italy was on September 25, 1971, against Mexico.
He was part of the Italian teams that played in the 1974 FIFA World Cup and the 1978 FIFA World Cup. In the 1978 World Cup, he wore the number 10 shirt. Italy finished in fourth place in that tournament. Benetti scored a goal from outside the penalty area in a 3–1 win against Hungary.
He also played in the 1980 UEFA European Championship. This tournament was held in Italy. He helped his team reach the semi-finals, where they again finished fourth. His last international game was in the third-place match. Italy lost to Czechoslovakia in a penalty shootout. Benetti successfully scored his penalty kick in the shootout.
Benetti's Playing Style
Romeo Benetti had several nicknames, like Panzer (tank), El Tigre (the tiger), and Roccia (rock). These names show how he played. He was a very strong, energetic, and complete midfielder. People knew him for his physical strength, stamina, and strong will. He was also a great leader on the field. He was famous for the mustache he wore for most of his career.
He usually played as a central or defensive midfielder. His tough tackling style was a perfect example of the catenaccio tactics. These tactics were famous in Italian football during the 1970s.
Even though he focused on defense, he could also score goals. He had a powerful and accurate shot from far away. Benetti also had good technique and could pass the ball well. This allowed him to sometimes play as a deep-lying playmaker. He could start attacks and create chances after winning the ball back.
Awards and Trophies
Romeo Benetti won many titles throughout his career:
With Juventus
- Serie A: 1976–77, 1977–78
- UEFA Cup: 1976–77
- Coppa Italia: 1978–79
With AC Milan
- Coppa Italia: 1971–72, 1972–73
- UEFA Cup Winners Cup: 1972–73
With AS Roma
- Coppa Italia: 1979–80, 1980–81
With Palermo
- Serie B: 1967–68
With Italy National Team
- FIFA World Cup: 1978 (fourth place)
- UEFA European Championship: 1980 (fourth place)
See also
In Spanish: Romeo Benetti para niños
