 Picchi with Inter Milan in 1965 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1935-06-20)20 June 1935 | ||
| Place of birth | Livorno, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 27 May 1971(1971-05-27) (aged 35) | ||
| Place of death | Sanremo, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender,libero | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1949–1954 | Livorno | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1954–1959 | Livorno | 99 | (5) |
| 1959–1960 | SPAL | 27 | (1) |
| 1960–1967 | Inter Milan | 206 | (1) |
| 1967–1969 | Varese | 46 | (0) |
| Total | 378 | (7) | |
| International career | |||
| 1964–1968 | Italy | 12 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1968–1969 | Varese | ||
| 1969–1970 | Livorno | ||
| 1970–1971 | Juventus | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Armando Picchi (Italian pronunciation:[arˈmandoˈpikki]; 20 June 1935 – 27 May 1971) was an Italianfootball player and coach. Regularly positioned as alibero, hecaptained theInter Milan side known as "LaGrande Inter".
Born inLivorno, Picchi started his career by playing forLivorno. In 1959, he moved toSPAL, before moving later at the peak of his time, and most of his career, toInter Milan.
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A versatiledefender, Picchi started to play atInter Milan as aright-back, a role he previously held at SPAL. During the course of1961–62 season, the legendaryGrande Inter coachHelenio Herrera experimented by placing him as alibero. The new position was successful; he became an important figure in the team's strong defence, and indirectly set examples for teammatesTarcisio Burgnich andGiacinto Facchetti with his leadership. During that time, Inter Milan was still captained byBruno Bolchi.
When Bolchi moved toVerona, Picchi was then selected as teamcaptain. It was in his captaincy that Inter Milan evolved into the era famously known asGrande Inter, when they won threescudetti, twoEuropean Champions Cups and twoIntercontinental Cups in the 1960s.[1][2]
After his time at Inter Milan, Picchi played for two seasons atVarese before retiring in 1969, at the age of 34.
Picchi made his debut forItaly several months after becomingIntercontinental champion with Inter Milan, in a 6–1 victory overFinland in November 1964. However, Italy coach at that time,Edmondo Fabbri, deemed him unsuitable for the team's scheme, as he felt he was too defensive minded, and subsequently left him out of the squad for1966 World Cup inEngland.[3]
Under the management ofFerruccio Valcareggi, he was regularly called for the qualifying matches ofEuro 1968. Yet a fractured pelvis injury in a match againstBulgaria in April 1968, ruled him out of thecompetition, which concluded his last match with the Azzurri, totalling 12 international appearances.[4]
_-_Helenio_Herrera%2c_Lu%25C3%25ADs_Vin%25C3%25ADcio_and_Armando_Picchi.jpg)
A quick, versatile and tenacious defender, Picchi began his career playing as aforward or as acentraldefensive midfielder, before being moved to right back, where he excelled, but later came into his own in thelibero role. Picchi was primarily an old-fashionedsweeper, who was mainly known for his defensive skills, strong physique, and ability to win back, intercept and clear loose balls as a last man, while he was not particularly good in the air, due to his small stature; despite his more traditional, defensive-minded interpretation of the role, he was, however, also occasionally capable of getting forward, and of carrying the ball out into midfield, orstarting plays from the back-line, due to his good technique and ability to read the game. Regarded as one of Italy's greatest defenders, and as one of the best sweepers of his generation, he was highly regarded for his tactical intelligence as well as vocal leadership on the pitch, and was known for his ability to organise the back-line and motivate his teammates.[3][5][6][7][8][9]
After his playing career was over, Picchi pursued a coaching career in 1969; he went on to coach Varese, Livorno and thenJuventus, until 16 February 1971, when he was hospitalised because ofcancer, which ended his coaching career prematurely. He died three months later, at the age of 35, due a tumour in his sixth left rib.[6][7]
After his death in 1971, a memorial tournament,Memorial Armando Picchi, was played in his honour.[10] On 21 October of the same year, the football clubArmando Picchi Calcio was founded in his memory.[11]
As of 1990, thefootball stadium ofLivorno, his hometown club, is named after him.[8]
Inter Milan[6]
Individual
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
