The Paper's reporter Song Chengliang
In the long history of football, the birth of some names has been tied to its superstars - just like the king of the ball to Pele, Maradona, the football emperor of Beckenbauer, Mrs. Cruy called the ball saint.
The name "Golden Boy", which is not loud but has enough power, belongs to its first owner, Paul Rossi.
This morning, forwarding the news of Paul Rossi's death to my father, his first reaction was to blurt out, "Rossi the Golden Boy?" ”
From Maradona to Paul Rossi, the death of two legendary players of the World Cup champion team in the 1980s in these fourteen days can also be regarded as taking away the youth of their fathers.
Paul Rossi
In my career, I have scored more than three goals against Brazil
Born in the '80s, I've never seen a paul Rossi game in its entirety, but that doesn't stop me from remembering the names of these past stars when I really like football.
In a way, Rossi and Maradona have some similarities, and if you think of the 1986 World Cup as a stage for Maradona, the 1982 World Cup should belong only to Rossi.
If you want to choose the most classic match in the history of the World Cup, Italy's 3-2 victory over Brazil in 1982 must be among them. Rossi's opening five-minute header opened the scoring, it was the fifth game of that World Cup Italy, Rossi had just opened the scoring account, after Socrates equalized, Rossi completed the steal in front of the box and drew in front of the box to help Italy to overtake the score again, Falcao's goal pulled the two teams back to the same running line...
In that era when the format was still very strange, the second stage of the World Cup was still the group stage, 12 teams were divided into four groups, the first place in each group could qualify, Italy and Argentina, Brazil were divided into a group, Italy beat Argentina 2-1, and Brazil won 3-1, which meant that Italy could only advance to the final four by beating Brazil.
The World Cup hat-trick against Brazil is a career classic for Rossi.
In the 74th minute of the match, Rossi completed the relay in the middle of the penalty area, and scored Bruno Conte's less threatening shot into the net, hat-trick, 3-2, Italy won.
After Rossi, completely unstoppable, played Poland in the semi-finals, 2-0, Italy scored two goals, and defeated the then West German team 3-1 in the final to win the cup, rossi opened the record in the 57th minute of the match.
Six goals, a World Cup winner, a legend, was born.
Many years later, in a media interview, a brazilian newspaper reporter for reims asked Rossi, "Paul, what happened to that game against Brazil?" You made me cry all day. ”
"I'm sorry." Rossi said, "I just fulfilled the obligations of the players, in fact, I don't know what happened at that time. I was too focused on the game and didn't know it would make some people cry. ”
"The 1982 World Cup is a distant memory for me." Rossi said, "But the interesting thing is that people always mention Rossi and talk about those three goals against Brazil. In fact, although my career was short, I always achieved results other than goals against Brazil. ”
Rossi lifted the World Cup trophy.
Fake balls, the scandal of true and false discrimination
Just six goals in three World Cup games plus the final title may not make Rossi's career so memorable. The hat-trick against Brazil was celebrated by Rossi's first four world cup games and his two-year suspension.
Rossi had already made his name as early as the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, when he scored three goals, including two in the first group stage and the only goal of the match against Austria in the second stage, when Rossi was just in his early 21s, so he also won the title of "Golden Boy".
However, fate and Rossi then made a big joke, and on December 30, 1979, in the Serie A match between Perugia and Avellino, Rossi, who played for Perugia, scored two goals and drew 2-2.
But after the game, it broke out that someone was secretly manipulating the game, Rossi and several teammates were found guilty of "operating" the game, although they repeatedly pleaded innocent, in the end Rossi was still found to be "unaware", the Italian Football Association banned him for three years, Rossi appealed, and finally reduced his sentence for one year, until April 27, 1982, his punishment period expired.
In 2016, Rossi once came to China to participate in the Seniors Tournament, in an interview with the Chinese media, Rossi mentioned the experience of match-fixing that year, "I always think that I am innocent, because of a thing that has nothing to do with me, I was banned from the Football Association for 2 years, which is very unfair to me, but I always believe that I am innocent, I have no shame, which gives me strength and finally overcomes the difficulties." ”
What is the truth? It's too old, and that history may not be able to be studied.
During the ban, Rossi did not give up training, and the famous coach who had always trusted him, Belzot, also recruited him into the Italian squad for the 1982 World Cup, and Rossi was also the main striker of the national team.
Rossi's handsome appearance earned him the nickname "Golden Boy".
Italy's three games in the group stage were drawn, and they finally managed to qualify by scoring goals, and they also became the first team in world cup history not to win but qualify from the group.
During that time, both Rossi and Bealzot were under extreme pressure from the media, rossi said that his most grateful coach is Bealzot, "My coach always encourages me like a father, trusts me, teaches me flexible strategies and tactics, is good at playing my strengths and strengths, without this kind and serious coach, there would be no Rossi today." ”
As for the choice of that year, Berzott, who died a decade ago, once said, "I know that if I don't bring Rossi to Spain, the Italian team will lose a person who takes his chances in the box." In that area, Rossi was quite good, his reflexes were very agile, and he often used fake moves to easily tease the defenders who defended him. ”
In the end, Rossi responded to Berzott's trust with his performance, and Berzott's choice also left a good story for world football.
The "Golden Boy" has passed away, but that golden memory is destined to remain in the hearts of thousands of fans.
Editor-in-Charge: Pu Yaolei
Proofreader: Zhang Liangliang