Tarcisio Burgnich Facts for Kids

Tarcisio Burgnich (born April 25, 1939 – died May 26, 2021) was a famous Italian football player and manager. He was known for playing as a defender.

Burgnich played for several teams during his career, including Udinese, Juventus, Palermo, Internazionale, and Napoli. He is most famous for his time with Inter Milan. There, he was a key part of the legendary "Grande Inter" team led by manager Helenio Herrera.

He played alongside Giacinto Facchetti in defense. Burgnich was known for his speed, strength, and hard work. He helped Inter win many titles, including four Serie A championships, two European Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups.

For the Italy national football team, Burgnich played in the 1960 Summer Olympics. He also played in three FIFA World Cups. He won a silver medal at the 1970 FIFA World Cup. He was also part of the team that won Italy's first ever UEFA European Football Championship in 1968.

Burgnich was a very flexible player. He could play in any defensive spot, like a right-back, a centre-back, or even a sweeper. Because he was so strong and played with so much effort, his teammate Armando Picchi gave him the nickname "La Roccia," which means "The Rock."

Club Football Career
International Football Career
After His Playing Career
How He Played Football
Honours
- Club
- International

Club Football Career

Burgnich started his football journey with his local team, Udinese. He played his first Serie A game on June 2, 1959. After short periods with Udinese, Juventus, and Palermo, he joined Internazionale in 1962. This is where he truly made his mark.

At Inter, Burgnich was a powerful, fast, and energetic defender. He was great at both attacking and defending. He formed an amazing defensive partnership with Giacinto Facchetti. They played together for both Inter and the Italian national team.

He played 467 games for Inter, scoring 6 goals. His strong and tough playing style fit perfectly with manager Helenio Herrera's "catenaccio" system. This system focused on a very strong defense and quick counter-attacks. With Inter, Burgnich had huge success, winning five Italian championships, two European Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups. He was a key part of the famous "Grande Inter" team of the 1960s.

After 12 seasons with Inter, he moved to Napoli in 1974. He played his last three seasons there, often as a sweeper. With Napoli, he won the Coppa Italia and the Anglo-Italian League Cup in 1976. He retired in 1977. In total, he played 494 games in Serie A during his career.

International Football Career

Burgnich was also a very important player for the Italian national team for over ten years. He played for Italy at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, where they finished fourth.

He played his first senior international game on November 10, 1963. This was a 1–1 draw against the Soviet Union. He then became a regular player for Italy, wearing the number 2 shirt. He helped Italy win their first ever European Football Championship title in 1968, which was held in Italy.

Burgnich also played in the 1966 World Cup and the 1970 World Cup. In the 1970 World Cup, Italy reached the final but lost 4–1 to Brazil. In the unforgettable semi-final match against West Germany, known as the "Game of the Century," Burgnich even scored a goal. This helped his team win 4–3 after extra time. He also played in the 1974 FIFA World Cup for Italy. Overall, he played 66 games for Italy between 1963 and 1974, scoring two goals.

After His Playing Career

After retiring as a player, Burgnich became a manager. He coached various teams for almost twenty years. Some of the teams he managed included Catanzaro, Bologna, Como, Livorno, Foggia, Lucchese, Cremonese, Genoa, Ternana, and Vicenza.

Tarcisio Burgnich passed away on May 26, 2021, at the age of 82. He died in a hospital in Forte dei Marmi after having a stroke.

How He Played Football

Tarcisio Burgnich was known as one of the best Italian defenders of his time. He was strong, big, fast, and full of energy. He was excellent in the air and had a powerful body. His consistent, tough, but fair playing style earned him the nickname "La Roccia" (The Rock). This was true even though he wasn't particularly tall.

He was a smart and hard-working player who could help his team both in defense and attack. He could play in many defensive roles. He was often a man-marking centre-back (a "stopper") or a sweeper later in his career. He was especially good as a right-sided full-back. He excelled in Herrera's "catenaccio" system because of his speed, stamina, and determination.

He formed a very important partnership with Giacinto Facchetti, who was a more attacking left-back. Their partnership is seen as one of the best full-back duos in football history. Burgnich was an "old-fashioned defender." He was excellent at marking opponents and tackling hard. It was very difficult to get past him in one-on-one situations. He was also known for his quick reactions, focus, leadership, and discipline.

Honours

Club

Inter

Serie A: 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1970–71
European Cup: 1964, 1965
Intercontinental Cup: 1964, 1965

Napoli

Anglo-Italian Cup: 1976
Coppa Italia: 1975–76

Juventus

Serie A: 1960–61

International

Italy

UEFA European Championship: 1968
FIFA World Cup Runner-up: 1970

Individual

World Soccer World XI: 1964

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Tarcisio Burgnich facts for kids

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