Omar Sívori
Argentine-Italian forward who won the Ballon d'Or in 1961 and starred for Juventus.
Enrique Omar Sívori (2 October 1935 – 17 February 2005) was an Argentine-Italian football player and manager who played as a forward. He is known for his successful time with Italian side Juventus during the late 1950s and early 1960s, where he won three Serie A titles among other trophies; he also played for River Plate in Argentina and Napoli in Italy.
Lore & Background
Sívori was born in San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Buenos Aires Province, into a family of Italian descent. He made his international debut for Argentina, winning the South American Championship in 1957. Later he represented Italy and took part in the 1962 World Cup. He won the Ballon d'Or in 1961 and scored over 200 competitive goals in his career. At River Plate he won the Argentine Primera División in 1955 and 1956. He was signed by Juventus in 1957 for a world-record transfer fee. With Juventus he won three Serie A titles (1957–58, 1959–60, 1960–61) and two Coppa Italia titles (1958–59, 1959–60). He scored six goals in a 9–1 victory against Inter Milan on 10 June 1961, a feat matched only by Silvio Piola in a different match. He later played for Napoli, helping them to a third-place finish and a Coppa delle Alpi win. He was sent off in his last game for Napoli against Juventus and suspended for six matches.
Reader's Guide
Sívori was a quick, diminutive, highly creative, and technically gifted forward, known for his pace, dribbling, and trademark nutmeg. He was primarily left-footed but could score with both feet and his head. He was named European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) in 1961.
More in Club History & Eras
Elsewhere in Fiorentina
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced