“Except for Francesco Totti, I don’t see any club symbols or any standard bearers in this country. He made a choice to reject all other teams even if they offer more money.”
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Gianni Rivera
Giovanni "Gianni" Rivera is an Italian politician and former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
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sports · Italian footballer and politician (born 1943) · association football player · politician · also Gianni Rivera, Giovanni Rivera, Rivera
Born 18 August 1943 · Q230046
70 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 1 entry
2015· 2 entries
Won: Inducted into the Walk of Fame of Italian sport with AC Milan Hall of Fame (2015).
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Became the first Italian footballer out of 100 athletes to be inducted into Italy's sports Walk of Fame
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2014· 2 entries
“I want to compliment Francesco Totti, scoring 206 goals is a great achievement. It does not matter that he has beat me as he is a great player.”
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Was named the 80th greatest player in World Cup history by The Guardian, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil
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2013· 4 entries
Won: Inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame with AC Milan Hall of Fame (2013).
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Sam Tighe of Bleacher Report included Rivera in his list of the "50 Greatest Midfielders in the History of World Football
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Was appointed as President of the educational youth sector for the Italy national team by the FIGC, along with Roberto Baggio and Arrigo Sacchi, under head coach Cesare Prandelli
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Rivera was appointed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) as President of the Technical Sector (settore tecnico), which oversees the training and qualification of technical staff employed by the FIGC and is headquar
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2012· 1 entry
Rivera took part in the eighth season of Ballando con le Stelle (the Italian edition of Dancing with the Stars), on Rai 1
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2011· 4 entries
Awarded UEFA President's Award (2011).
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Won: UEFA President's Award with AC Milan Hall of Fame (2011).
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Former playmaker and UEFA president Michel Platini described Rivera as one of the greatest passers in the history of the sport
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Was the recipient of the UEFA President's Award, which recognises outstanding achievements as a footballer, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities
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2010· 1 entry
“Totti is a treasure for Roma, He is the greatest player of all time after Baggio.”
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2005· 1 entry
Career landmark: Member of the European Parliament (2005–2009).
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2004· 1 entry
Pelé chose Rivera as part of the FIFA 100 greatest living footballers, and he placed 35th in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll
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2003· 1 entry
Won award: Golden Foot "Football Legends" (2003).
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1999· 4 entries
Won award: IFFHS European Player of the 20th Century (12th) (1999).
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Won award: AC Milan Player of the 20th Century (1999).
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Won award: IFFHS Italian Player of the 20th Century (1999).
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Rivera placed 19th in IFFHS's election for the World Player of the 20th Century, and was also chosen by the same federation as Italy's best player of the Century, and the 12th-best European player of the Century; he was
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1996· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic (1996–2001).
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1994· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic (1994–1996).
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1992· 2 entries
Career landmark: member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic (1992–1994).
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In 1994 under the Segni Pact, and in 1996 under the Uniti nell'Ulivo coalition
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1987· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic (1987–1992).
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1986· 2 entries
Becoming a member of the Italian Parliament in 1987 with the Christian Democracy party
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Resigned from his position and entered politics
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1979· 3 entries
Won: Serie A with AC Milan (1978–79).
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Rivera became Milan's vice-president and later went into politics in 1987
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The club's tenth overall, with 13 appearances and a goal, which earned The Devils a star on their jersey
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1977· 1 entry
Won: Coppa Italia with AC Milan (1976–77).
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1973· 5 entries
Won award: Serie A Top-scorer (1972–73).
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Won: European Cup Winners' Cup with AC Milan (1972–73).
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Won: Coppa Italia with AC Milan (1972–73).
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The club's management attempted to persuade Rivera to leave Milan, although Rivera ultimately chose to remain with the club
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And another in 1974; Rivera managed to win the 1973 final with Milan in a hard-fought 1–0 victory against Leeds, but the following year, Milan suffered a 2–0 defeat against Magdeburg in the final of the tournament
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1972· 2 entries
Won: Coppa Italia with AC Milan (1971–72).
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And 1973; one of his most prominent performances in the Coppa Italia during the 70s was in the 1970–71 edition of the tournament, in which Milan finished in second place, largely due to Rivera's 7 goals in the competitio
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1971· 1 entry
Won award: Coppa Italia top scorer (1970–71).
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1970· 2 entries
Runner-up: FIFA World Cup with Italy (1970).
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Won award: FUWO European Team of the Season (1970).
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1969· 6 entries
Won award: FUWO European Team of the Season (1969).
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Won award: Ballon d'Or (1969).
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Won: European Cup with AC Milan (1968–69).
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Won: Intercontinental Cup with AC Milan (1969).
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Making him the first Italian-born player, and the second Italian player after Omar Sívori, to win the award
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And placed 19th in IFFHS's election for the World Player of the 20th Century
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1968· 5 entries
Won: UEFA European Championship with Italy (1968).
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Won: Serie A with AC Milan (1967–68).
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Won: European Cup Winners' Cup with AC Milan (1967–68).
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On home soil, and represented Italy at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, helping the team to a fourth-place finish
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On home soil; however, despite picking up a winner's medal in the tournament, Rivera missed the final against Yugoslavia, after sustaining an injury at the beginning of the semi-final match against Soviet Union, which en
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1967· 3 entries
Won award: World XI (1967).
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Won: Coppa Italia with AC Milan (1966–67).
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Won award: Coppa Italia top scorer (1966–67).
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1964· 1 entry
1965, and 1967, while he helped Milan win the Coppa Italia during the 1966–67 season, finishing the competition as top-scorer, with 7 goals
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1963· 3 entries
Won: European Cup with AC Milan (1962–63).
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Won award: Ballon d'Or (1963).
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At the age of twenty, defeating Benfica 2–1 in the final
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1962· 3 entries
Won: Serie A with AC Milan (1961–62).
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And earned him a sixth-place finish in that year's Ballon d'Or
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Played for Italy men's national association football team (1962–1975) — 63 appearances, 15 goals.
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1960· 3 entries
Played for AC Milan (1960–1979) — 501 appearances, 160 goals.
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Played for Italy national under-21 football team (1960–1962) — 9 appearances, 6 goals.
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Enjoyed a highly successful career in domestic and European football, winning two European Cups, three Serie A titles and four Coppa Italia titles, among several other trophies, and also serving as the team's captain
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1959· 1 entry
Played for US Alessandria Calcio 1912 (1959–1960) — 26 appearances, 6 goals.
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1958· 1 entry
And made his debut in Serie A for the Alessandria senior side against Internazionale on 2 June 1959 at the age of only fifteen years, nine months and fifteen days, in a 1–1 draw; later that year, he scored his first Seri
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1943· 1 entry
Born 1943-08-18.
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