Nereo Rocco

Lore & Background

Rocco played as a winger in midfield; he had a modest playing career, spent mainly with clubs like Triestina, Napoli and Padova. He played 287 Serie A matches within 11 seasons, scoring 69 goals. Rocco was also capped one time for the Italy national team, in Vittorio Pozzo's selection in the 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification match, on 25 March 1934 against Greece, a 4–0 home victory. He made his coaching debut for Triestina in 1947, obtaining a surprising second place in Serie A. In 1953 he signed as coach of Serie B team Padova, obtaining promotion into Serie A the following season.

In 1961, Rocco was appointed as new A.C. Milan coach, winning the Italian league in 1962 and the European Cup in 1963. After a stint at Torino, in 1967 he returned to Milan, winning another scudetto and the Cup Winners' Cup. He left Milan in 1973, having won also another European Cup in 1969, an Intercontinental Cup, two Italian Cups and another Cup Winners' Cup. After one year in Fiorentina, he ended his coaching career in 1975.

In 1977, he was appointed by Milan as Technical Director and Assistant of coach Nils Liedholm. Rocco managed Milan for 459 matches (323 as head coach and 136 as technical director).

Reader's Guide

Rocco was one of first proponents of catenaccio in Italy, using a sweeper and often a 1–3–3–3 formation. His teams were known for work-rate, physicality, defensive strength, and quick counter-attacks. He made use of Gianni Rivera as the team's playmaker. He was known as an excellent motivator who developed strong personal relationships with his players, often discussing tactics over dinner. He was charismatic, shy, humorous, and animated on the bench, popular for his quips and use of his native Triestine dialect. He was known as El Paròn (Triestin for The Master).

Did You Know?

• Rocco coached the Italian team at the 1960 Summer Olympics alongside Giuseppe Viani, finishing fourth.
• A stadium in Trieste was named after Rocco in 1992.