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Giuseppe
Bergomi
(Italy)
Giuseppe
Bergomi was born in Milan and devoted his entire
career to his beloved Internazionale. This central
defender or right-back blossomed early and broke into
the first team already during the 1980/81 season as a
17 year-old. He was soon acknowledged by national team
coach Enzo Bearzot and was included in the 1982 World
Cup squad having barely played 30 senior matches in
the Italian league.
Bergomi started the
tournament on the bench, but came on as a substitute
against Brazil in the memorable 3-2 second phase win.
He did a great job and was included in the starting
line-up against Poland in the semifinal because
Gentile was suspended. Everyone was impressed with how
mature he played and Bearzot could not drop him for
the final against West Germany. Bergomi was given the
job of marking Rummenigge and completely took him out
of the game. The German star was substituted in the
second half as Italy ran out 3-1 winners. Giuseppe was
a World Cup winner just over a year after making his
first appearance in a senior match!
At clublevel, Bergomi
and Inter were in the shadow of AC Milan for much of
the time. Having won an Italian Cup title in 1982, it
took seven more years until another title was won.
This time the Serie A, Bergomi’s only league
championship title in his nineteen seasons at Inter.
He experienced more success in European competitions
winning the UEFA Cup on three occasions.
Italy hosted the World
Cup in 1990 and Bergomi captained his country and
played in every game as the Azzurri captured
bronzemedals. A painful semifinal defeat on penalties
to Argentina was all that stood betweem them and the
final. Giuseppe didn’t figure frequently in the
Italian line-up as the 1990s progressed. In a Euro 92
qualifying game against Norway, he came on from the
bench only to be sent off seconds later for a bad
foul! He wasn’t wearing the blue shirt of the
Azzurri again until he, against all odds, was called
up for the 1998 World Cup by Cesare Maldini. He made
three appearences in his fourth World Cup, took one
more domestic season with Inter, before retiring at
the age of 36.
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