Giovanni Trapattoni

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Lore & Background

A former defensive midfielder, as a player he spent almost his entire club career with AC Milan, where he won two Serie A league titles (1961–62 and 1967–68), and two European Cups, in 1962–63 and 1968–69. Internationally, he played for Italy, earning 17 caps and being part of the squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. One of the most celebrated managers in football history, Trapattoni is one of only six coaches to have won league titles in four different European countries; in total, he has won 10 league titles in Italy, Germany, Portugal and Austria. Alongside Udo Lattek and José Mourinho, he is one of the three coaches to have won all three major European club competitions and the only one to do so with the same club (Juventus). Also, he is the only one to have won all official continental club competitions and the world title, achieving this during his first spell with Juventus. He is one of the rare few to have won the European Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup and Intercontinental Cup as both a player and manager. Regarded as the most famous and consistent disciple of Nereo Rocco, Trapattoni coached his native Italy national team to the 2002 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2004. Trapattoni led the Republic of Ireland national team to their first European Championships in 24 years, enjoying a successful UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying campaign. He is one of a select group of coaches to have managed 1,000 or more club games and 100 or more national team games.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Trapattoni's Bayern career is defined by two distinct chapters separated by a brief absence. In his first chapter, starting in summer 1994, he reached the Champions League semi-finals but failed to lift any silverware before leaving due to complaints about his struggle with the German language. The story changed upon his return in July 1996. He immediately revitalized the squad's domestic performance, winning the Bundesliga title in 1996–97. The momentum continued into the 1997–98 season, where he added the DFB-Pokal and the DFB-Ligapokal to his collection of trophies. This successful second spell concluded at the end of the 1997–98 campaign, marking the end of his tenure as Ottmar Hitzfeld took over the reins.

Reader's Guide

Trapattoni became coach of Bayern Munich in the summer of 1994, after the end of his second spell with Juventus. However, he left at the end of the 1994–95 season, after complaints that he struggled with German. He reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, but failed to win any silverware. He returned to manage Bayern again in July 1996. As Bayern manager he won the German Bundesliga in 1996–97, the German Cup (DFB-Pokal) in 1997–98 and the German League Cup (DFB-Ligapokal) in 1997. He left Bayern at the end of the 1997–98 season and was replaced by Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Did You Know?

• Trapattoni is one of only six coaches to have won league titles in four different European countries.
• He is the only coach to have won all three major European club competitions with the same club (Juventus).
• As a player, he man-marked Eusébio in the 1963 European Cup Final and Johan Cruyff in the 1969 final.
• He is one of a select group of coaches to have managed 1,000 or more club games and 100 or more national team games.