Paolo Rossi (born 23 September 1956 in Prato) is an Italian former football striker. In 1982, he led Italy to the 1982 FIFA World Cup title, scoring six goals to win the World Cup Golden Boot as top goalscorer, and the World Cup Golden Ball for the player of the tournament. Rossi is one of only two players to have won all three honours at a single tournament, the other is the Argentinian Mario Kempes in 1978.
At club level, Rossi was a prolific goalscorer at Vicenza. He was top goalscorer in Serie B in 1977 and led his team to promotion to Serie A. The following season, Rossi scored 24 goals, to become the first player to top the scoring charts in Serie B and Serie A in consecutive seasons. Following the 1982 World Cup, Rossi signed for Juventus, winning two Scudetto titles, the Italian Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the European Cup.
Rossi won European Footballer of the Year in 1982, and in 2004 he was named as one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of FIFA's 100th anniversary celebration.[2] Since retiring, Rossi has gone into sports journalism and punditry. He currently works as a pundit for Juventus Channel.
1982 World Cup
Rossi returned just in time for 1982 FIFA World Cup, but Italian journalists and tifosi lamented he was in very poor shape. This view seemed to be confirmed by Italy's first, appalling three matches, in which he was allegedly described as a ghost aimlessly wandering over the field.
Bearzot, however, staunchly confirmed Rossi for the decisive round robin, in which his team was to face Argentina, the reigning World Champions, and Brazil, the biggest favourites to win the title with a team consisting of world-class players such as Sócrates, Zico, and Falcão. After Italy defeated Argentina 3–1 on the defensive work of Gentile and Scirea, who shut down Diego Maradona, Rossi scored three memorable goals to shock Brazil 3–2 to qualify for the semi finals against Poland, where his two goals again won the match for Italy. In the final against Germany, Rossi scored the first of Italy's three goals on a free-kick assist from Gentile to win the match 3–1, giving his team their third World Cup. With six goals total, he won the tournament's maximo goleador award—the Golden Boot—as well.
Italian fans hung banners proclaiming him "Man of the match". Rossi's accomplishments in Spain gained him the title of European Footballer of the Year and World Player of the Year in 1982.
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