Paolo Rossi
Italian striker who led Italy to the 1982 World Cup title and won the Ballon d'Or that same year.
Paolo Rossi (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpaːolo ˈrossi]; 23 September 1956 – 9 December 2020) was an Italian professional footballer who played as a striker. He led Italy to the 1982 FIFA World Cup title, scoring six goals to win the Golden Boot as top goalscorer, and the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament. Rossi was also awarded the 1982 Ballon d'Or as the European Footballer of the Year for his performances (remaining the only player in history to win these four awards in a single year). Along with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri, he is Italy's top scorer in World Cup history, with nine goals overall.
- Role
- Striker
- Affiliation
- Juventus FC (1981–1985)
- Major Honours with Club
- European Cup, Serie A Scudetto (2), UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Coppa
- Status
- Retired / Legend
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Rossi was born in Prato, Tuscany, Italy. He made his professional debut with Vicenza, where he was a prolific goalscorer. In 1976, he was signed to Juventus from Vicenza in a co-ownership deal for a world record transfer fee, but Vicenza retained his services. He was the top goalscorer in Serie B in 1977, leading 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. Rossi made his debut for Juventus in 1981, and went on to win two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the European Cup. After the 1982 World Cup, he continued to play with Juventus. He was involved in the 1980 Totonero betting scandal and was disqualified for three years, later reduced to a two-year ban, causing him to miss the 1980 European Championship. He returned to the starting line-up just in time for the end of the 1981–82 season.
In Their Own Story
In May 1983, Juventus reached the European Cup Final against Hamburg. Rossi finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals but could not prevent a loss in the final. The following year, he won his second Scudetto title with the club, scoring 13 goals, and added the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup to his collection. His defining moment at the club came in 1985 when he finally won the European Cup. He finished that tournament with five goals, placing behind only teammate Michel Platini and Torbjörn Nilsson.
Reader's Guide
Rossi is widely regarded as one of the greatest Italian footballers of all time. He was named in 2004 by Pelé as one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of FIFA's 100th anniversary celebration. In the same year, Rossi placed 12th in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. After retiring, he worked as a pundit for Sky, Mediaset Premium, and Rai Sport until his death on 9 December 2020.
Did You Know?
- Rossi is one of eleven players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or.
- He scored a hat-trick against Brazil in the 1982 World Cup second round.
- Rossi was directly responsible for 58% of Italy's goals during the 1982 World Cup.
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