Enzo Bearzot

Enzo Bearzot (Photo from Fifa.com)

Enzo Bearzot was never a tremendous soccer player, but he managed to play at a professional level for many years mainly with Torino, where he was the captain and even capped one presence for the national team. He was following a very static and bureaucratic career within the Italian soccer federation when he was appointed coach of the Italian Soccer National team, the most important team in Italian sports. After they qualified for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, he made it very clear that he wanted to have a fresh team made up of young talent. Without saying much and while smoking his pipe, he began the hard work and the ensuring results demonstrated this. Indeed, after a disastrous expedition in Germany in 1974, Italy and the new coach Bearzot surprised the entire world by beating Argentina; they played a phenomenal tournament. Unfortunately they lost the the opportunity to go the final in Holland, but in the end Italy brilliantly classified as fourth, laying the groundwork for a promising future.

A short on Enzo Bearzot

The next main event was the European championship hosted by Italy, and great expectations were laid on the Bearzot team which was still surfing the wave of glory from the previous World Cup. The results unfortunately saw Italy once again in the top four but not on the winning side, a very disappointing result that jeopardized Bearzot's positions and generated much criticism of the team which apparently didn't have enough maturity to win an international championship. As the 1982 World cup approached, the team's morale and enthusiasm were no longer as high, Bearzot's coaching skills were under scrutiny, and the media were truly against him and his choices. Bearzot replied with total silence and the team didn't release interviews or video appearances. Instead, behind the scenes Italy's team gained strength and ultimately won the cup, becoming champions for the third time in its history. Bearzot became a national hero. Italians will always remember the historic card game of "Scopone Scientifico" played on the flight back to Italy after the final, with the President of Republic, Sandro Pertini, who shared with Bearzot the love of the pipe.

Above Italy - Brasil 1982

Bearzot's vision and stubbornness had paid off and Italy was on the top of the world for the first time since 1938. New, fresh money came into the Italian league and for a decade it was the best in the world. Bearzot had more in mind for the team and, due to his success, he could not be denied in his bid to lead Italy into the next European Championship. However, fate and a lack of enthusiasm forced Italy out of the tournament finals, and the World Champions had to actually follow the entire championship on TV. Criticism was not harsh but there was a strong desire for a change. Bearzot seemed to be too attached to his "senators" who had won the cup in 1982 and done so well in 1978. As the 1986 World Cup in Mexico approached, new players were needed. Indeed, Bearzot called some fresh and new people, but the structure of the team was still based on his old players and the game was static and predictable. Italy managed to pass the first round robin, but then was defeated by France for 2-0 in a game that basically ended Bearzot's career and opened the doors for Azeglio Vicini and his under 21 team, ready to replace the old champions.

World Cup final 1982 Italy vs Germany

Bearzot never coached again and went back to desk jobs and TV appearances mainly offered as gratitude for his 1982 success. He is part of a generation of very well-prepared coaches who went the hard way to learn and deserve every moment of glory. For this reason Bearzot is often called by new coaches asking for advice, and he is eager to share his experience. Even Marcello Lippi, who brought the cup back to Italy after 24 years, conversed with him about the national team and its psychological motivation. Ironically, the resultant results were similar: one victory and one disastrous expedition afterward. This comparison, though, is not equitable; styles have changed dramatically and in the end reckoning, Bearzot in fact worked a miracle because his victory was in beating the best teams in the world and probably some of the best in history. His was a clear victory, well deserved, and one that truly marked the timeline of Italian history.