Former Inter striker Alessandro Altobelli spoke about 1982 World Cup hero Paolo Rossi, who sadly passed away earlier this week, in an interview in today’s paper edition of the Turin based newspaper Tuttosport.
“He opened the scoring and I closed the scoring on that wonderful evening, where the triumph was as if it were there waiting for us. An exciting journey. It began amidst doubts, criticism and fears.
“Yes, even those of Paolo, who thought he did not deserve all the trust that coach Enzo Bearzot was giving him, who seemed willing to step aside. But our head coach knew how to read the souls of our players, he saw the man beyond the attacker.
“And he was certain that Rossi would be our driving force. As in fact he was. We raised the World Cup with his goals and all of us Italians should be forever grateful to him.”
He commented on how he took over for Francesco ‘Ciccio’ Graziani after the player’s injury, where he said:
“Come on Ciccio, don’t worry, I’m coming on now. Come on, now let’s go score goals.”
The 65-year-old Italian spoke about how he and Rossi started in the World Cup final together.
“The truth is that we could very well play together. It’s not true that, being two forwards, we couldn’t coexist.
“Paolo liked to be in the penalty area, turning even bad balls into gold, while I liked to start from the left and then enter the area.”
Altobelli spoke about his continued friendship with Rossi over the years and his complete sadness upon learning of the former striker’s death.
“In the chat that we’ve had on WhatsApp for years, us 1982’s, it was at the end of June that Paolo didn’t write anything anymore. One day I called Marco Tardelli who, being in contact with his wife, phoned to find out if everything was okay.
“Federica rightly decided to respect his privacy, the pain and probably also not to make us worry, she said that there were problems but nothing serious. However, we had could tell it was something. It was not like him to stay so long without talking.
“Also, because in that chat we don’t just say good morning and good night, we talk about many topics, we comment on what happens in football and in the world every day. When I turned on the phone the other morning and read the terrible news, my blood ran cold.
“In just a few days I lost two true and sincere friends. First Diego Armando Maradona then Paolo Rossi.
“And there are those who have said that Diego was not a champion off the field, I answer that it was his life and that everyone should look at their own house where there are many skeletons in the closet.
“Everyone is talking about Paolo’s life as an irreproachable person, a man who liked to be with people, who had a smile for everyone, who transmitted a positivity with which it is easier to face life and certain illnesses that, as in his case, do not look anyone in the face.”
Finally, Altobelli spoke about a game between Brescia and Vicenza in Serie A in October 1976, where both himself and Paolo Rossi scored.
“In that match I scored two good goals but he was decisive in making his team win and at the end of the season they were promoted to Serie A while we were saved only at the last day. It was the beginning of our dreams, we started out together, we blossomed together, with the hardships of Serie B.
“Finding ourselves in the national team after a few years together was like seeing a dream come true. I will miss everything about Paolo, he was a sweet and kind person, as true friends should be.”
Rossi, who sadly passed away earlier this week at the age of 64, was the hero of the Azzurri in the 1982 World Cup. He scored six goals on route to the final and won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards, as well as the Ballon d’Or that year.
