Gaetano Scirea

Before being a great player, Gaetano Scirea was a great man, and that must be said. Shy and reserved in personality, he was a selfless person with a kind heart, simple in nature, who loved spending time with fans after matches and even inviting them to his home for lunch or dinner. A great man before a great footballer. He was a sweeper of remarkable class, who dominated the game through outstanding decision-making, a vision worthy of a midfielder, a strong sense of sacrifice, and an exceptional reading of defensive situations. He interpreted the role in a modern and elegant way, often building play from the back or stepping into midfield to support the team’s possession. Like Beckenbauer, with whom he shared several traits, he was never a pure man-marker, at Juventus that task was handled by tougher defenders such as Brio and Gentile, but rather a midfielder adapted to defense. With Juventus he formed a steel-like defensive unit between the 1970s and early 1980s, winning everything, and he was also a leader of the Italian national team that triumphed at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. What stood out about him was his natural elegance, composure, intelligence in reading the game, vision, and an exceptionally refined touch on the ball.