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Fabio Capello the player was not the cold emperor he later became on the bench, but many of the clues were already there. A smart, elegant and tactically serious midfielder, he gave teams passing quality, positional discipline and a rare sense of control in the centre of the pitch. At Roma, Juventus and Milan, he was more than a functional organiser: he could dictate rhythm, arrive from midfield and strike the ball cleanly, including the famous goal at Wembley in 1973 that gave Italy its first win in England. He was not a pure fantasista, nor a defensive grinder, but a cultured central midfielder with authority, vision and competitive intelligence. Strong personality, educated right foot, excellent football brain. A manager’s mind already living inside a very good midfielder.
