By the start of the world cup Spain 82, one could say that Italians had a good reason to feel good about their national team. After all Italy had finished fourth in the previous world cup and had also taken fourth in the most recent European Champion yet Italian fans were far from being content let alone happy. Yes, a fourth place finish was better than many had expected before the start of Argentina 78 yet sensational victories over such strong rivals as Argentina (eventual winner), France and Hungary and coming in first in the most difficult group in Argentina 78 raised hopes beyond merely being wanting a 4th place.
It perhaps being in the second round of Argentina 78 were frustration first set in their match against Germany which ended in a 0-0 draw. This result perhaps in another world cup would have been welcome yet for Italy to have drawn with such a fine squad against a German team which was very below their regular standards; was hardly anything worth celebrating. It also being a factor that Italy just about dominated the whole game from start to finish and even hit the post on one occasion while having another shot practically cleared of the line by a German defender just as the ball was about to go in for a goal. So many near misses against Germany yet all to come up with only 1 point.
The situation had been a little better but not much against their second rival in the quarterfinals. It being Austria, whom they beat by 1-0 though again in a match where they really would have scored more goals if they had just used more of the chances they created in front of Koncilia's goal. A 1-0 victory over Austria leaving Italy with a chance to progress on to the final yet only if they went on to beat the Netherlands in their remaining match.
This a match which many Italians felt they should have won as they in fact were leading by a score of 1-0 by the end of half time. Italy even clearly controlling the Dutch during the first half yet it was in the second half that fatigue set in along with perhaps being too cautious. It being then that the Dutch pressed not only Italy's usually solid defense but their goalkeeper, Dino Zoff; who many blamed for the two goals which gave Holland their pass in to the final. Holland's goal both being long range efforts which perhaps a goalkeeper of Dino Zoff's quality should have been able to save and perhaps would have had he been seen the ball better. This perhaps being Zoff's main weak point of not being able to see the ball well on shots from long distance. I always felt that for Italians, it was not so much that they were unhappy to be playing for third place against Brazil but they had been left with a certain sense that theirs should have been to play in the final against a team they had already beaten once in the tournament.
The match for third place against Brazil perhaps proved to be just as frustrating for Italy as it was in that particular game that Italy hit the post on three occasions. Bettega's last minute header finding the crossbar instead of an equalizing goal for Italy. As for Brazil's goals, they too like Holland's, came of long range efforts which many felt Zoff perhaps should have done better against though perhaps Nelinho's shot was one in a million. As it bent twice from an angle before ending up in the Italian net to put Brazil equal at one a piece with Italy. This just a few minutes before Dirceu scored Brazil's second goal which also came like a missile from outside the box.
Italy went on to loose that game for third place and end up with fourth place which perhaps many Italians would have considered as being good at the start of the tournament yet there was something about Italy's last four games out of which they only won one while drawing one and loosing two which left Italians with a bitter taste in their mouths. This given not only how Italy won their first three matches but the way in which Italy came so close to winning against Holland only to be beaten by Zoff's inability to stop two long range shots.
The European Cup of 1980 also saw Italy finish fourth yet this was hardly something worth celebrating in a country with so many past glories specially since that particular tournament was played in Italy. Italy losing their semifinal encounter against Belgium and then the match for third place to Czechoslovakia. All of which prompting Italians to call for the resignation of their head coach; Bearzot.
It was also in 1980 that Italy suffered a match fixing scandal which saw their star of the 78 world cup; Paolo Rossi suspended for three years from football. This making it impossible for him to play in Spain 82 yet this decision was soon changed when the Italian football association realized that not having a player like Rossi on their world cup squad perhaps would not be such a good thing.
Rossi was back but after not having played in two years, would he play as well as he had in Argentina 78? This many experts doubted while Bettega was going to miss the entire world cup due to a head injury which in fact could have ended not only his playing career but his life. Antognoni for his part also suffering a similar injury yet was fortunate enough to recover in time for the 82 world cup.
As one can see many factors were not looking good for Italy yet in all; they did have a very powerful team which just needed to start playing to best of their abilities. This a team with now legendary players like Zoff, Cabrini, Gentile, Scirea, Collovati, Tardeli, Antognoni, Conti and Rossi which had yet to produce their best football.
Poland for its part also had a good team which had qualified to Spain 82 without any major difficulties yet this was to be expected since they were in a group with only East Germany and Malta. This being a very easy group indeed which Poland won in grand style yet in all truth; one must also take in to consideration the weakness of the teams they faced. Poland however did have solid players like Boniek, who was in his prime along with veterans like Lato; to create a formidable attack along with Buncol. Looking back Poland did have a fine team back then but there was a political angle to consider in all this. It being that martial law had been declared in Poland the previous year which even left Poland's participation in Spain 82 in doubt yet despite these worries Poland sent their team to the world cup.
As for myself, I remember being at home and watching the game alone with my Italian grandmother; who like myself also wanted Italy to win. The game held great enthusiasm for me as I watched Italy once again in a world cup with many of the players who had played in 78 yet with some new players like Conti while old ones like Benetti were no longer on the team.
The game started and it was an immediate thing with me of getting in to the mood of wishing Italy to win to the point of concentrating on each play. It being as if mentally wishing for an Italian victory as if I could will it with my mind. Italy and Poland went at each other like two teams who were still preparing for this world cup. It being both Italy and Poland who played both halves without much in the way of excitement yet at least Italy held its own and gave a good account of themselves. This despite not winning a game which was so uneventful that nobody has even taken the trouble to put highlights of it on YouTube.
The game as can be expected ended in a 0-0 draw with neither team really giving what they were capable of yet for my part; I felt good that Italy at least had a point and that they could have won it or at least came close to doing so when Antognoni hit the post. A point was not a bad start and next would be Peru who would go on to draw their first match against Cameroon by the same score of 0-0.
It perhaps being in the second round of Argentina 78 were frustration first set in their match against Germany which ended in a 0-0 draw. This result perhaps in another world cup would have been welcome yet for Italy to have drawn with such a fine squad against a German team which was very below their regular standards; was hardly anything worth celebrating. It also being a factor that Italy just about dominated the whole game from start to finish and even hit the post on one occasion while having another shot practically cleared of the line by a German defender just as the ball was about to go in for a goal. So many near misses against Germany yet all to come up with only 1 point.
The situation had been a little better but not much against their second rival in the quarterfinals. It being Austria, whom they beat by 1-0 though again in a match where they really would have scored more goals if they had just used more of the chances they created in front of Koncilia's goal. A 1-0 victory over Austria leaving Italy with a chance to progress on to the final yet only if they went on to beat the Netherlands in their remaining match.
This a match which many Italians felt they should have won as they in fact were leading by a score of 1-0 by the end of half time. Italy even clearly controlling the Dutch during the first half yet it was in the second half that fatigue set in along with perhaps being too cautious. It being then that the Dutch pressed not only Italy's usually solid defense but their goalkeeper, Dino Zoff; who many blamed for the two goals which gave Holland their pass in to the final. Holland's goal both being long range efforts which perhaps a goalkeeper of Dino Zoff's quality should have been able to save and perhaps would have had he been seen the ball better. This perhaps being Zoff's main weak point of not being able to see the ball well on shots from long distance. I always felt that for Italians, it was not so much that they were unhappy to be playing for third place against Brazil but they had been left with a certain sense that theirs should have been to play in the final against a team they had already beaten once in the tournament.
The match for third place against Brazil perhaps proved to be just as frustrating for Italy as it was in that particular game that Italy hit the post on three occasions. Bettega's last minute header finding the crossbar instead of an equalizing goal for Italy. As for Brazil's goals, they too like Holland's, came of long range efforts which many felt Zoff perhaps should have done better against though perhaps Nelinho's shot was one in a million. As it bent twice from an angle before ending up in the Italian net to put Brazil equal at one a piece with Italy. This just a few minutes before Dirceu scored Brazil's second goal which also came like a missile from outside the box.
Italy went on to loose that game for third place and end up with fourth place which perhaps many Italians would have considered as being good at the start of the tournament yet there was something about Italy's last four games out of which they only won one while drawing one and loosing two which left Italians with a bitter taste in their mouths. This given not only how Italy won their first three matches but the way in which Italy came so close to winning against Holland only to be beaten by Zoff's inability to stop two long range shots.
The European Cup of 1980 also saw Italy finish fourth yet this was hardly something worth celebrating in a country with so many past glories specially since that particular tournament was played in Italy. Italy losing their semifinal encounter against Belgium and then the match for third place to Czechoslovakia. All of which prompting Italians to call for the resignation of their head coach; Bearzot.
It was also in 1980 that Italy suffered a match fixing scandal which saw their star of the 78 world cup; Paolo Rossi suspended for three years from football. This making it impossible for him to play in Spain 82 yet this decision was soon changed when the Italian football association realized that not having a player like Rossi on their world cup squad perhaps would not be such a good thing.
Rossi was back but after not having played in two years, would he play as well as he had in Argentina 78? This many experts doubted while Bettega was going to miss the entire world cup due to a head injury which in fact could have ended not only his playing career but his life. Antognoni for his part also suffering a similar injury yet was fortunate enough to recover in time for the 82 world cup.
As one can see many factors were not looking good for Italy yet in all; they did have a very powerful team which just needed to start playing to best of their abilities. This a team with now legendary players like Zoff, Cabrini, Gentile, Scirea, Collovati, Tardeli, Antognoni, Conti and Rossi which had yet to produce their best football.
Poland for its part also had a good team which had qualified to Spain 82 without any major difficulties yet this was to be expected since they were in a group with only East Germany and Malta. This being a very easy group indeed which Poland won in grand style yet in all truth; one must also take in to consideration the weakness of the teams they faced. Poland however did have solid players like Boniek, who was in his prime along with veterans like Lato; to create a formidable attack along with Buncol. Looking back Poland did have a fine team back then but there was a political angle to consider in all this. It being that martial law had been declared in Poland the previous year which even left Poland's participation in Spain 82 in doubt yet despite these worries Poland sent their team to the world cup.
As for myself, I remember being at home and watching the game alone with my Italian grandmother; who like myself also wanted Italy to win. The game held great enthusiasm for me as I watched Italy once again in a world cup with many of the players who had played in 78 yet with some new players like Conti while old ones like Benetti were no longer on the team.
The game started and it was an immediate thing with me of getting in to the mood of wishing Italy to win to the point of concentrating on each play. It being as if mentally wishing for an Italian victory as if I could will it with my mind. Italy and Poland went at each other like two teams who were still preparing for this world cup. It being both Italy and Poland who played both halves without much in the way of excitement yet at least Italy held its own and gave a good account of themselves. This despite not winning a game which was so uneventful that nobody has even taken the trouble to put highlights of it on YouTube.
The game as can be expected ended in a 0-0 draw with neither team really giving what they were capable of yet for my part; I felt good that Italy at least had a point and that they could have won it or at least came close to doing so when Antognoni hit the post. A point was not a bad start and next would be Peru who would go on to draw their first match against Cameroon by the same score of 0-0.
My name is Gianni Truvianni, author of many an article to be found on the internet along with the book "New York's Opera Society". My works also include the books "What Should Not Matter", "Love Your Sister" and several others which still remain unpublished though I am presently looking to change this.
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