Giovanni Trapattoni is a famous Italian footballer and coach. He spent most of his career in Milan, where he played as a defender.
Soccer player biography
Was born on March 17, 1939 in the town of Cuzano-Milanino. The first team was the youth composition of “Milan”, in which the player was in 1953. Giovanni Trapattoni joined the main team in 1959. In Milan, the defender spent almost twenty years. We can say that this club was the only player in the player’s career.
Trapattoni was known by the nicknames "Maestro" and "Trap". In the camp of the "devils" he twice became the champion of Italy, and also once won the national cup. He helped the team to bring the European Cup to Italy twice.
Of course, besides him, the “Milan” at that moment shone more famous and popular players. However, only Giovanni Trapattoni managed to make a dizzying coaching career.
In the “Milan” defender was until 1971. During this period, he appeared on the field 274 times and was able to distinguish himself three times. The final club in his career was the Italian “Varese”. The player went out for the team only ten times and decided to end his career.
National team
In the national team, the defender could not become the main star, but once he had an amazing game against Pele. It happened in 1963, at a meeting between Italy and Brazil. During the half, Giovanni constantly did not allow the legendary Brazilian to get close to the ball, and in the case of mastery, he selected it. Subsequently, Pele noted that for the first time had to play against such a "guardianship." At one point, Pele wanted to throw the ball over Trapattoni with a beautiful feint, but he stretched out wonderfully and was able to intercept it. This game as part of the national team became the best defender in his career. In the national team, he was able to enter the field only in seventeen matches.
Career coach
Giovanni Trapattoni, whose biography we are considering, after the completion of his career as a football player, became a mentor for the youth squad of Milan. Having taken the place of a coach, Trapattoni managed to achieve many titles and gained worldwide fame.
"Milan"
At the beginning of the coaching, he headed the youth team of Milan. Soon he was able to become a mentor and the main staff. However, coaching his native club, he failed to achieve significant achievements. Anyway, when the “Maestro” of Italian football Giovanni Trapattoni led the “devils”, luck turned away from the club.
Having suffered a defeat in the final of the Cup of Cups, he was replaced by another specialist. He returned in 1975 to the post of mentor and helped that team take third place in the national championship that season. In total, he played forty-seven matches with the team as a coach.
Juventus
With the arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni in this club, he was finally able to show his ability to coach. Headed Juventus in 1976. “Old Signora” has always been the main rival of “Milan”, and it was she who brought the first fame to Trapattoni.
“Juventus” in the first season under his leadership was able to win the championship of the country. This success of the team, we can say, was made possible largely due to the new redesigned tactics. The main emphasis was placed on heavy-duty defense, but the attack did not disappear. The mentor was able to successfully use aggravating attacks. In addition, at that time, Juventus was not deprived of excellent footballers who could act in any situation - Platini and Paolo Rossi.
It was Giovanni Trapattoni, whose career, ranking and fame went uphill, that was able to optimally use every available player, which allowed him to create one of the most formidable teams in Europe.
Trapattoni managed to take a special place in the history of Juventus. None of the mentors of the “Old Signora” could not stay on the post for ten years. In addition, not a single Italian club in such a short time could become the champion of the country six times. Plus to this were two Italian Cups.
In his very first year as a team coach, it was Giovanni Trapattoni who was able to achieve stunning results in international competitions. The history of football cannot be boasted by another Italian coach, who in such a short time was able to win so many trophies in the international arena. The first European Cup was able to succumb to the mentor in the first season. According to the results of the two-match confrontation with Athletic Bilbao, Juventus took the UEFA Cup. By the way, he became the first European trophy in the history of the club.
To numerous achievements, the famous Giovanni Trapattoni so successfully assembled the squad that the World Championship in 1982 was won in the Italian national team mainly by Juventus players.
Inter
In 1986, Giovanni Trapattoni - an Italian footballer and coach - surprised many football fans, especially Juventus fans, with his move to Inter. Most fans understood what caused it. Many famous football coaches of the world, Giovanni Trapattoni was no exception, after they achieve all possible titles with one team, they begin to look for another. The Italian mentor decided to try his hand at another club, try to build his tactics and game. Subsequently, Trapattoni more than once surprised his fans with unexpected transitions from team to team.
In 1989, Inter took the title of champions of Italy. The main surprise was that the club managed to break away from second place by eleven points. This has not happened since the 50s. The following seasons, the team completed with bronze medals. In addition, the team while working as a coach Trapattoni was able to win the UEFA Cup. By the way, the next triumph in the national championship occurred only after seventeen years. In the 2005/2006 season, Inter managed to take first place in the Italian Championship for the first time after the success of Giovanni Trapattoni.
Return to Juventus
In 1991, an Italian specialist returned to Juventus, which was experiencing severe difficulties. During the leadership of Trapattoni, the club twice became the silver medalist of the national championship, and the coach managed to bring the team to the Cup of the country. In 1993, he helped the team win the UEFA Cup.
Bayern and Cagliari
The transition to the German club took place in 1994 and was unexpected for so many fans. However, to shine in the first season failed. In the national championship, “Bavaria” took fifth place, and last season she finished in first. The club performed more successfully in the Champions League, where it was able to reach the semifinals. Perhaps the failures were related to the language barrier.
The next season, the coach began at the helm of the middle man of Serie A Cagliari. However, he soon returned to Bayern and immediately led her to first place in the championship. The team finished the next season with a victory in the country's Cup and the German League Cup. By the way, Giovanni Trapattoni is the first foreign specialist who managed to win the Bundesliga.
"Fiorentina"
Flashing in Germany, the specialist decided to return to his homeland, where he headed the "violets." Many fans of the club were wary of this appointment, as Fiorentina is a longtime rival of Juventus, with whom Trapattoni won many trophies. Nevertheless, the results did not have to wait long. In the first season, “violets” were able to get into the top three winners of the Italian Championship, as well as reach the final of the Cup of the country, where they lost to “Parma”. The team could prove itself in the UEFA Cup, but was disqualified due to the fact that fans threw firecrackers into the judge.
Italy national team
In the summer of 2000, Giovanni Trapattoni rose to the post of coach of the team. Together with the coach, the team quite successfully passed the qualifying games for the 2002 World Cup. However, the national team could not prove themselves at the championship itself. Having spent uncertain games in the group, the team somehow reached the 1/8 finals. Here a new sensation awaited the fans - Italy lost to South Korea. Then the Italian coach beat Dutchman Guus Hiddink.
The 2004 European Championship was also dramatic for the Italian team. The team could not leave the group due to the number of points. Before the start of the championship, Giovanni said that regardless of the results he would leave the post of coach of the national team.
Benfica
In the summer of 2004, the specialist led the Portuguese team. For the season she won the national championship for the first time in eleven years and reached the final of the country's cup, where she lost to Vitoria.
Stuttgart and Red Bull
In 2005, Giovanni Trapattoni moved to the German “Stuttgart”. However, in the first half of the season the team showed unsatisfactory results. Many experts called the reason for the poor performances that the players did not want to act according to the tactics of the mentor, but wanted to show attacking football. The result was a resignation nine months after the appointment.
In May of the same season, Giovanni led the Austrian “Red Bull” and immediately took the national championship for the first time since 1997.
National team of ireland
In 2008, again unexpectedly for many, Trapattoni led the national team of Ireland. The team did not include players who grab stars from the sky. Nevertheless, the team was able to confidently perform in the qualifying matches at the 2010 World Cup, but lost in the butt games to the French.
In 2012, Giovanni was able to break into the European Championship, where he became the oldest coach. This tournament for the team was the most significant achievement in the last ten years.
In the fall of 2013, the mentor left the post.