Gigi Riva
Italian footballer (1944–2024) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Luigi "Gigi" Riva (Italian: [luˈiːdʒi ˈriːva]; 7 November 1944 – 22 January 2024) was an Italian professional footballer who played as a centre-forward.
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Luigi Riva[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | (1944-11-07)7 November 1944 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Leggiuno, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 22 January 2024(2024-01-22) (aged 79) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Cagliari, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Centre-forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1961–1962 | Laveno Mombello | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1962 | Legnano | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
1962–1963 | Legnano | 23 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||
1963–1976 | Cagliari | 315 | (164) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 338 | (170) | |||||||||||||||||||||
International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1965–1974 | Italy | 42 | (35) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1988–2013 | Italy (Team manager) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Considered to be one of the best players of his generation, as well as one of the greatest strikers of all time,[3][4][5][6] Riva enjoyed a remarkable scoring record for Cagliari, thanks to his composure in front of goal, powerful left foot and aerial ability; his speed, strength and eye for goal led the Italian journalist Gianni Brera to nickname him "Rombo di Tuono" (Roar of Thunder).[4][5] Aside from his debut season with Legnano, Riva remained with the Sardinian club for his entire career: he helped Cagliari achieve promotion to the Italian top-flight for the first time in 1964, and later led the club to their only Serie A title in 1969–70.[4][7]
At international level, Riva won the 1968 UEFA European Championship and was runner-up at the 1970 FIFA World Cup with the Italy national team; he also took part at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. With 35 goals in 42 appearances (in all official competitions) between 1965 and 1974, he is Italy's all-time leading goalscorer.[4]
After retiring in 1976, Riva briefly served as the president of Cagliari during the 1986–87 season,[8] and was later the team manager and director of the Italy national team from 1988 until 2013.[9][10]