World Cup sparks revival
By Sergio Di Cesare

On the morning of 11 July 1982, the day of the FIFA World Cup final in Spain,
the whole of Italy woke up draped in red, white and green.

Hat-trick
The Azzurri's eternal rivals, the Federal Republic of Germany, would be their
opponents that night in Madrid, but there was no doubt in the minds of
supporters: the Italian team would win and end a 44-year wait to bring home a
third World Cup. That day is perhaps the Republic of Italy's real national
day, indelibly marked in the collective memory of the people.

Unifying force
One man had achieved the miracle of unifying a country seemingly divided by
geography, language, climate, politics and customs. Coach Enzo Bearzot had
forged together a fine group of players during the tournament - and the
ultimate triumph was made all the more memorable because public opinion had
been against the manager.

Against all odds
In 1982, Italian football was going through a depression following the
Totonero match-fixing scandal two years earlier. AC Milan had been relegated
to Serie B as punishment for their part in the affair. Paolo Rossi, who would
become a World Cup hero, had completed a two-year ban for his involvement
just a month before the tournament began and had played just three league
matches.

Tough start
Draws against Poland, Peru and Cameroon in their opening three games meant
that Italy only qualified for the second phase on goal difference, having
scored once more than the African side. The Italian media were in such an
uproar that Bearzot decided not to speak to them, leaving the obligatory
press conferences to the mumbling and silences of captain Dino Zoff.

Rising star
Ironically, public opinion called for Rossi to be dropped, accusing the coach
of fielding a team with just ten fit players. By the time of the final,
however, the climate had changed and a feeling of inevitable triumph had
taken over. Through victories against Argentina, Brazil and Poland, a
completely different Italy had emerged, at times spectacular, even winning
the admiration of defeated opponents.

'They won't catch us now'
Even after Antonio Cabrini had missed a penalty, the Azzurri supporters did
not lose their optimism that day in the Santiago Bernabéu. Then came the
goals - first Rossi, the tournament's leading scorer, then Marco Tardelli and
Alessandro Altobelli. At the third goal, Italian president Alessandro Pertini
rose to his feet between King Juan Carlos of Spain and German chancellor
Helmut Schmidt, shouting: "They won't catch us now!"

Improved quality
The World Cup victory and the quality of play produced by Bearzot's men had a
great effect. First, it made the Italian league a prestigious stage for
foreign stars. Serie A became a laboratory in which different philosophies of
football mixed. Italian sides returned to dominance in Europe and improved
the quality of their young homegrown players.

New generation
It was in the company of Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, Zico, Falc?o,
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and many others that the generation of Walter Zenga,
Giuseppe Giannini, Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Baggio, Roberto
Donadoni, Carlo Ancelotti, Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi was educated,
later to become the mainstays of the Italian World Cup squad which reached
the 1990 semi-finals and the 1994 final.

National pride
Without 11 July 1982, football would never have become the important social
phenomenon that it is in Italy today. From that point onwards the national
team became a permanent element of unity for all Italian fans, even if rivals
at club level.




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修改:football FROM 166.111.180.39
FROM 166.111.180.39