Luigi Riva

Gigi Riva

Riva with Italy in 1968
Personal information
Date of birthNovember 7, 1944
Place of birthLeggiuno, Italy
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionForward
Youth career
1961–1962Laveno Mombello
1962Legnano
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1961–1962Legnano23(6)
1962–1976Cagliari315(164)
Total338(170)
National team
1965–1974Italy42(35)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Luigi "Gigi" Riva (born 7 November 1944) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Unanimously considered to be the best forward of his generation, as well as one of the greatest strikers of all time, Riva enjoyed a remarkable scoring record for Cagliari, thanks to his composure in front of goal, fearsome left foot and aerial ability. He won the 1968 UEFA European Championship and was runner-up at the 1970 FIFA World Cup with the Italian national team, and led Cagliari to their only Serie A title in 1969–70.[1]

With 35 goals (in all official competitions), he is Italy's leading scorer of all time.[1] Due to his speed, power, and composure in front of goal, the Italian journalist Gianni Brera nicknamed him "Rombo di Tuono" (Roar of Thunder).[1]

After his brief presidency of Cagliari in 1986–87, he served as team manager of the Italian national team from 1990 to 2013.[1]

Club career

Born in Leggiuno, in the province of Varese, Lombardy, he started his career in 1962 when he joined Legnano. He was acquired by Cagliari the next season and was to stay there for the rest of his career. He made his league debut for Cagliari on September 13, 1964, when the team lost 2-1 against Roma. He was Serie A top-scorer three times with Cagliari, in 1966-67, in 1968-69 and in 1969-70. His only Serie A title came during the 1969-70 season, during which he helped the club to their first ever Serie A title by finishing the season as top scorer. Although Cagliari often struggled in Serie A, and Riva was a world-class player (placing 2nd in the 1969 Ballon d'or, and 3rd in the 1970 Ballon d'or, his club loyalty was further demonstrated when he turned down a move to Serie A giants Juventus in 1973 at the age of 29 in order to remain with Cagliari.[1][2]

Despite his talent and goalscoring prowess, Riva's career was blighted by major injuries. He broke his left leg playing for the national side against Portugal shortly before the 1966 World Cup. He broke his right leg, again on international duty, this time against Austria just after the 1970 World Cup. In 1976, he ruptured a tendon in his right thigh playing for Cagliari against Milan. He never successfully recovered and, despite comeback attempts, eventually retired in 1978. After retiring, he became an executive with Cagliari. He is currently a team managing staff member for the Italian national football team, and was also a member of the technical staff for the Italian national team that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup under his supervision.[1][2]

In 2005 Cagliari retired his No. 11 jersey to honour him. Riva's jersey was the first to be retired by the Sardinian club, and the only one to date.[1][2]

International career

Riva made his international debut with Italy on June 27, 1965 in a 2-1 defeat against Hungary. He would go on to become Italy's top-goalscorer of all-time, with 35 goals in just 42 matches,[3] and he would win the 1968 European Championships on home soil, scoring in the final, and being named to the Team of the Tournament. In the 1970 World Cup in Mexico the Italian team finished runners up after losing 4-1 to Brazil in the final; before Mexico '70 he had scored 19 goals in 16 matches. He was Italy's topscorer in the competition and he netted a crucial extra-time goal - his 22nd in 21 internationals - against Germany in Italy's 4-3 semi-final victory, which is colloquially known as the "Game of the Century". Despite his initial dominance for Italy, he displayed a series of disappointing performances, along with many other members of the Italian squad, at the 1974 World Cup, and he was eventually dropped for the last game against Poland, as Italy were eliminated in the first round.[1][2][4]

Style of play

Riva was a well rounded, prolific, and opportunistic forward, with an astonishing finishing skill; he was initially deployed as a winger early in his career, but was later played in a more offensive role, as a striker, where he excelled. A Naturally left footed player, he had a very powerful and accurate shot with his left foot, although he was also capable of scoring with his right foot on occasion, or in the air due to his powerful physique, volleying ability, and his heading accuracy. Despite his strong physical attributes, he also possessed excellent technical skill and dribbling ability, as well as a very delicate first touch. In addition to his goalscoring prowess and technique, he was also an extremely fit and fast player, who excelled during sprints and at making attacking runs. He was also an accurate free-kick and penalty kick taker.[1][2]

Career statistics

Club

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Italy League Coppa Italia League Cup Europe Total
1962-63LegnanoSerie C226
1963-64CagliariSerie B268
1964-65Serie A329
1965-663411
1966-672318
1967-682613
1968-692920
1969-70282121
1970-7113833
1971-723021
1972-73261210
1973-742515
1974-7582
1975-76156
Total Italy 337170
Career total 337169

Honours

Club

Cagliari[1]

International

Italy[1]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 "Riva, the Italian roar of thunder". Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Gigi Riva: TANTO D'ESTRO, TANTO SINISTRO". http://www.storiedicalcio.altervista.org'' (in Italian). Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "La top ten dei marcatori azzurri più prolifici nella storia della Nazionale". http://vivoazzurro.it'' (in Italian). 8 July 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Nazionale in cifre: Riva, Luigi". http://www.figc.it'' (in Italian). FIGC. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Golden Foot Legends". http://www.goldenfoot.com''. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "1968 team of the tournament". UEFA. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2015.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Luís Vinício		 Serie A Top Scorer
1966-67 		Succeeded by
Pierino Prati
Preceded by
Pierino Prati		 Serie A Top Scorer
1968-69 & 1969-70 		Succeeded by
Roberto Boninsegna