Dino Zoff was one of Italy’s greatest captains and to this day remains one of the game’s most iconic and revered figures. Many still draw inspiration from his remarkably long Italy career, during which he earned 112 caps between 1968 and 1983, conceding just 83 goals.
He is also remembered for his extraordinary world record of 1,142 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal for Italy between 1972 and 1974. That is not all. Dino Zoff remains the only Italian player to have won both the European Championship (Italy 1968) and the FIFA World Cup (Spain 1982).
Zoff sat down with FIFA to look back on the defining moments of Enzo Bearzot’s great side and the remarkable journey that, after a sluggish start, ended with the Azzurri getting their hands on their third World Cup. He also reflected on the travails of the current Italy side after missing out on qualifying for the last three global tournaments.
DZ: That journey showed our sense of responsibility. At the beginning, we feared we wouldn’t get through the early rounds, and that weighed heavily on us. Despite all that, we knew we had what it took to go all the way and win the World Cup. At the start of the tournament, though, there was always a huge sense of responsibility, just as there had been at every other one I played in.
Enzo Bearzot was the secret behind that triumph. Despite the controversy surrounding his squad selections and all the criticism levelled at him, he was a general who shielded the team and took the flak on our behalf. He was amazing. He gave us strength and a real sense of responsibility. We won it for Italy and for ourselves, but we did it for Bearzot as well. He was the real leader. I was simply the one wearing the captain’s armband.
No matter the era, Paolo Rossi is missed by everyone, and always will be. He had a perfect knack for making the most of the work done by his team-mates. That was one of his biggest strengths. As is always the case, he needed his team-mates to help him score as many goals as he did. But a player like him would thrive in any era.
More than lifting the trophy at the end of the match or kissing the Queen, what stays with me is kissing Enzo Bearzot. He was the real deal. He never received the credit he deserved. He was constantly having to deal with criticism, and was treated unfairly because of political or media issues. That victory was a complete success for him; he stood firm in the face of everyone and everything.
It’s an indescribable, unique feeling. In that moment, we were on cloud nine, especially after a journey that, as I said at the start, was difficult and had us fearing we might get knocked out. It was one of the happiest moments of my career, without a shadow of a doubt.
I’m not sure if he has the same personality as me. I had already had a long career and gained a great deal of experience by that point. In a few years’ time, he’ll certainly have that too.
It’s more difficult for a goalkeeper to be captain. You can’t speak to the referee, you can’t always be right in the thick of the action, but sometimes one look is enough to sort everything out.
The values are simply the values of sport, but when you pull on your country’s shirt, they become more of a responsibility. Now Italy need to put together a side capable of winning people over through results. Sport is simple: you either win or you don’t. There’s no room for anything in between.
Sources: FIFA Official
