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In the World Cup Final of 1982 in Madrid German defender Uli Stielike missed a penalty early in the game, and on the foot of their semi final win against France days earlier, it seemed that maybe their luck was running out when they met a tough and unpcmsiing style of Italian football in the final.
Ironically the tournament’s top scorer was Italian and Paulo Rossi came to life after 57 minutes and reclaimed the momentum from the Germans who had bossed the early stages of the World Cup final. Then twelve minutes later Marco Tardelli drove a low ball into the back of the next leaving the German keeper stranded to make it 2-1.
With momentum gone from their efforts Germany went forward in search of an equaliser and were punished for their troubles by a future team mate of Brady's at Inter Milan, Alessandro Altobelli. That third goal settle the result despite a late reply from Paul Breitner three minutes from the full time whistle.
Italy were deserved victors, even if surprising ones, and the abiding memory remains the images of Tardelli and the celebration - after scoring a goal at such a pivotal point in the match - is as vibrant today as it was in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium twenty six years ago.
For the record the names on the Italian side that Sunday afternoon in July atill ring out like a footballing hall of fame starting with Dino Zoff in goal; then Giuseppe Bergomi, Antonio Cabrini, Fulvio Collovati, Claudio Gentile in defence, with Gaetano Scirea, Gabriele Oriali, Marco Tardelli in the midfield, Bruno Conti and Paolo Rossi leading the attack. On that day Franco Baresi was just a young sub on the bench.
Having spent a ten years of a playing career with Juventus with Giovanni Traptattoni as his manager, Marco Tardelli departed to Inter Milan in 1986. When he retired from the game two years later in Switzerland he switched immediately to coaching joining the Italian Under 21 set up where his team won Youth European Championship.
A year later he left to become manager of Inter Milan but that did not last beyond the end of that same season. He then had stints managing Bari, the Egyptian national football team and Arezzo, all of them without any success.
It was as a player that he really made his mark winning a World championship in 1982 and between 1975 - 985 winning 5 Serie A titles; two UEFA Cups in 1985 and 1977, and Cup Winners Cup in 1984 – all with Juventus.
It was also all with the one manager, Giovanni Trapattoni.
First published June 2009
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