“Dino Nazionale”: Italy’s record goalkeeper turns 80

The former exceptional goalkeeper was world and European champion, the only Italian footballer. With the 1982 World Cup victory in the final against Germany, he crowned an impressive career and made himself the oldest world champion in history to this day. As a coach, he was very close to European Championship success with the “Azzurri” in 2000.

The fact that he always remained silent and modest only makes him even more extraordinary in the otherwise exciting country of calcio. On Monday (February 28th) Zoff will be 80 years old and the celebration will be held in family circles. “The damn pandemic won’t allow anything more,” he says on the phone, but he doesn’t seem very unhappy. A humble legend The show and the spotlight in football were sought by others; the trained car mechanic from Friuli always disliked the excitement. He doesn't envy today's professionals, neither for their salary ("The market just sets the prices") nor for the constant publicity. “Football has changed,” Zoff told the German Press Agency before the birthday. “The players have changed and are now much more present in the media, perhaps too present.”

Things were different in Zoff's time. At the age of 19, he signed his first professional contract with Udinese Calcio after being too small to be a goalkeeper as a teenager and being rejected by the youth departments in Udine and Inter Milan. Only a growth spurt made his dream come true. In 1967 he made his breakthrough at Napoli, and from 1972 onwards he became a global star at Juventus. 330 Juve games in a row With Turin, the keeper played 330 Serie A games in a row without missing a single match. After the European Championship title in 1968, six championship titles and success in the UEFA Cup in 1977, the final highlight of Zoff's career followed in 1982: at the age of 40 and as captain, he and his national team colleagues conquered the World Cup trophy in Madrid, in the final Federal Republic beaten 3-1.

“That was an extraordinary satisfaction,” he remembers today. “We had a fantastic team, so I didn't have much to do in goal.” That may have been the case in the final, but before that he secured the Azzurri's place with one of the most famous saves in Italian football in the game against Brazil to the semifinals. “I’ll be asked about that today,” says the 112-time national player.

Dino Zoff became world champion with Italy at the age of 40. © ANSA / 111

After the final triumph, Zoff went back to Rome; on the plane, Zoff passed the time playing cards with teammate Franco Causio, coach Enzo Bearzot and the then 85-year-old President Sandro Pertini. “We got together spontaneously,” remembers Zoff. “Something like that would no longer be possible today, as the press departments would have already been planning something for 50 days.” Not a friend of Berlusconi The increasingly aggressive media and commentators in Italy have damaged his coaching career. At the 2000 European Championships he reached the final with the Italians, where the golden goal made it 2-1 for France in extra time. At home there was some harsh criticism, including Prime Minister and media czar Silvio Berlusconi, who accused the coach of making mistakes and indirectly even lacking intelligence. Angered by this development, Zoff resigned.

The joy of football has remained, and today he still watches games from Italy, England and Germany on TV almost every evening at home. He thinks the video referee is good and fair in crucial situations, as long as the technology doesn't interfere too often. “If it gets too strict, then I don’t like it anymore.”

He will be trembling at the end of March, when the “Azzurri” have to fight in the playoffs not to miss a World Cup for the second time in a row. “I remain confident that we can do it,” predicts the old master before the tasks against North Macedonia and then either in Portugal or Turkey.

Before his big birthday, “Dino Nazionale” already received many congratulations and letters from all over the world, as Zoff explains and says: “You could now also say Dino Internazionale.”

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“Dino Nazionale”: Italy’s record goalkeeper turns 80

You can already guess the greatness of Dino Zoff from his nickname: “Dino Nazionale”, that sounds like a folk hero, like a man who an entire country is rooting for and who millions look up to.

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