.jpg) Capello in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fabio Capello[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1946-06-18)18 June 1946 (age 79) | ||
| Place of birth | San Canzian d'Isonzo, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1962–1964 | SPAL | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1964–1967 | SPAL | 49 | (3) |
| 1967–1970 | Roma | 62 | (11) |
| 1970–1976 | Juventus | 165 | (27) |
| 1976–1980 | AC Milan | 65 | (4) |
| Total | 341 | (45) | |
| International career | |||
| 1972–1976 | Italy | 32 | (8) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1982–1986 | AC Milan Primavera | ||
| 1987 | AC Milan (caretaker) | ||
| 1991–1996 | AC Milan | ||
| 1996–1997 | Real Madrid | ||
| 1997–1998 | AC Milan | ||
| 1999–2004 | Roma | ||
| 2004–2006 | Juventus | ||
| 2006–2007 | Real Madrid | ||
| 2007–2012 | England | ||
| 2012–2015 | Russia | ||
| 2017–2018 | Jiangsu Suning | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Fabio Capello ([ˈfaːbjokaˈpɛllo,-ˈpel-];[2] born 18 June 1946) is an Italian former professionalfootballmanager and player.
As a player, Capello representedSPAL,Roma,AC Milan andJuventus. He played as amidfielder and won several trophies during his career which lasted over 15 years. He won theCoppa Italia with Roma in 1969, though he was most successful with Juventus, winning threeSerie A titles in1972,1973 and1975. With Milan, he won the Coppa Italia again in 1977 and also won another Serie A in1979. Capello also played internationally for Italy during his career, amassing 32 caps and scoring 8 goals.
In his first five seasons as a manager, Capello won four Serie A titles with Milan, where he also won the1993–94 UEFA Champions League, defeatingBarcelona 4–0 in a memorablefinal. He then spent a year atReal Madrid, where he won theLa Liga title at his first attempt, and in 2001 led Roma to their first league title in 18 years. Capello also won two titles at Juventus (which were later stripped after theCalciopoli scandal), and in 2006 returned to Real Madrid, where he won anotherLa Liga title. Overall, he has won a major league championship in seven (or nine, counting the two revoked titles with Juventus) of his 16 seasons as a coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time.[3][4]
Capello was appointed as manager of theEngland national team in December 2007. During his time as manager, he was successful in tournament qualification, guiding the team to the2010 FIFA World Cup, where they were knocked out in the second round, andUEFA Euro 2012, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals under new managerRoy Hodgson. In February 2012, he resigned as manager due to a dispute withThe Football Association, before being appointed coach of the Russian national team in July 2012. On 14 July 2015, he was sacked by theRussian Football Union and replaced withLeonid Slutsky. In 2017, he was appointed as the coach of Chinese clubJiangsu Suning, but was sacked the following year, after which he subsequently retired from coaching.
Capello was signed byPaolo Mazza, the President ofSPAL, for the fee of two millionlire despite interest fromMilan.[5] In his second season in the youth team, he helped the club win the Italian Youth Championship and made his first-team debut in a 3–1 away defeat againstSampdoria in Serie A on 29 March 1964.[6] A talented and tactically intelligentholding midfielder, with a good positional sense, he could read the play well and was strong both in the air and in the tackle, in spite of his lack of notable height and unorthodox physique. He usually operated as adeep-lyingplaymaker in midfield, however, due to his outstanding technique and vision, which enabled him to orchestrate his team's attacking moves or create chances for teammates, and furthermore was an excellent passer of the ball with both feet. Going forward he was also equally effective, and possessed an eye for goal from midfield, due to his powerful and accurate shot, as well as his ability atpenalty kicks, but he lacked pace, and was notorious for not being particularly hard-working.[7][8][9] With SPAL, he made four appearances for a struggling side that was relegated fromSerie A.[6] After returning to the top division at the first attempt, Capello became a key player in the1965–66 season, taking penalties and helping them avoid a swift return toSerie B. He was also called up to the Italian under-23 side alongside teammateEdoardo Reja despite still being a teenager.[10] However, injury to his left knee restricted him to just 16 appearances the following season.[11]
In 1967, Capello moved toRoma where he became a key player for the club. In his first season, he helped them to first place after eight matches, including scoring the winner in a 1–0 victory overJuventus. A recurrence of the injury to his left knee, however, kept him out for the rest of the season and Roma eventually finished in tenth place, just five points away from relegation. The following season, under new managerHelenio Herrera, a fit Capello scored six goals as Roma finished eighth and won his first major trophy, theCoppa Italia.[12] This qualified Roma to play theAnglo-Italian League Cup, where they playedSwindon Town. Capello played in both legs against Swindon, Roma winning 2–1 at home in the first leg but losing 4–0 in the second leg at theCounty Ground. They also reached the semi-finals of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup, but were knocked out by Polish sideGórnik Zabrze after losing the deciding coin toss following three draws.[13]
He was then sold to Juventus in 1970. He had a poor start to his time there, as he publicly criticised managerArmando Picchi on the same day it was revealed that Picchi had been diagnosed with cancer.[14] Capello escaped with a fine from the club after Picchi insisted that he not receive a suspension.[15] Capello became an influential figure under new managerČestmír Vycpálek, despite being only 24, and was assigned thenumber 10 shirt;[16] he largely decided the team's tactics for the1971 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final againstLeeds United.[17] Capello scored at theStadio Olimpico di Torino, but Juventus lost the tie on away goals. Juventus went on to win the league title in the1971–72,1972–73 and1974–75 seasons. They also reached the1973 European Cup final, where they were beaten 1–0 by the dominant "Total Football" approach ofAjax.[18] They missed out on the chance of winning the double after losing to Milan on penalties in the 1973 Coppa Italia final.[19] Reaching the semi-finals of the1974–75 UEFA Cup, Juventus were surprisingly beaten by Dutch sideTwente.
Juventus were concerned with Capello's knee injuries, and so traded him to Milan in exchange forRomeo Benetti and 100 million lire in 1976.[20] He missed just two league starts in the1976–77 season playing under influential managerNils Liedholm.[21] However, he was limited to just eight appearances in the1978–79 title-winning season.[22] He played just three games in the1979–80 season, before finally accepting that he was unable to continue as a professional footballer.[23]
Capello played 32 times forItaly between 1972 and 1978, scoring 8 goals; he made his international debut on 13 May 1972, in a 2–1 defeat toBelgium.[24] He is particularly remembered for a goal with which Italy beatEngland 1–0 atWembley Stadium for the first time in its history (14 November 1973), which he himself regarded as the highlight of his playing career.[25] Capello scored the lone goal for Italy againstPoland during the1974 World Cup, though Italy lost the match 2–1 and failed to qualify for the second round of the competition.[26] He was overlooked for the1978 World Cup even after having good club form with Milan:[27] the manager at that time,Enzo Bearzot, preferred otherdefensive-minded midfielders such asMarco Tardelli over the moreattacking minded Capello.
Regarded as one of the best Italian players of his generation, Capello was a talented, dynamic, energetic, and tactically intelligentholding midfielder, with a good positional sense and excellent intuition. He could read the play well and was strong both in the air and in the tackle, in spite of his lack of notable height and unorthodox physique. He usually played in thecentre of the pitch, however, where he operated as adeep-lying playmaker in midfield, due to his outstanding technique and vision, which enabled him to orchestrate his team's attacking moves or create chances for teammates, and was an excellent passer of the ball with both feet. In spite of his playing role, he was an offensive-minded midfielder. Indeed, going forward he was also equally effective as he was creatively and defensively, and possessed an eye for goal from midfield, due to his powerful and accurate shot, as well as his ability atpenalty kicks. His offensive movement and ability to make late runs into the area from behind also made him an offensive threat, but at the same time he lacked pace, and was notorious for not being particularly hard-working.[7][8][9][24][28]
After several years as a football pundit for Italian TV SPW and a brief spell as caretaker manager of Milan in 1987, Capello became a leading candidate to succeedArrigo Sacchi as coach of the team, and he was formally appointed as manager of Milan in 1991.
As a guest of theSFA, Capello began coaching on a three-week visit toScotland. He worked withCraig Brown andAndy Roxburgh in the early 1980s. Capello coached training sessions withClyde atShawfield inGlasgow and took charge of theScotland youth team training inPaisley.[29]
Before going into management, Capello spent the early 1980s coaching theMilan youth teams.[30] Bringing through talent such asPaolo Maldini andAlessandro Costacurta, he led the under-19s to numerous youth tournament successes.[31] He completed the last of his coaching badges in 1986.[32] He was promoted to first team coach in 1987, and worked as Nils Liedholm's assistant.[33] His first experience as a head coach was leading Milan in the last six games of the1986–87 season, replacing Liedholm and achievingUEFA Cup qualifications in a play-off with Sampdoria. The following season, however,Silvio Berlusconi hiredArrigo Sacchi as the newRossoneri manager and Capello stepped aside, but still worked for the club.
A student atCoverciano, in 1984 he penned a research article entitled "The Zonal Marking System".[34] While at Coverciano, Capello acted as general manager for a variety of sports, includingbaseball,ice hockey,volleyball andrugby union.[35][36] After standing aside as manager, Berlusconi sent him on high-level business courses.[37]
Capello replaced Sacchi as Milan manager in June 1991, and was a controversial appointment as he was seen as a Berlusconi "yes-man" compared to the demanding (both on the club's finances and on his players) but highly successful Sacchi.[38] Capello largely retained the players and tactical systems put in place by Sacchi, though he replaced ageingcentral midfielderCarlo Ancelotti with a youngDemetrio Albertini and signedgoalkeeperSebastiano Rossi.[39] Allowing for more creative freedom from his attackers, Milan won theSerie A title undefeated in1991–92.[40]
He spent around £15 million onwingerGianluigi Lentini, breaking theworld football transfer record.[41] He also signedFernando De Napoli,Stefano Eranio,Jean-Pierre Papin,Dejan Savićević andZvonimir Boban.[42] Already boasting talent such asMarco van Basten,Ruud Gullit,Paolo Maldini andFrank Rijkaard, Capello was one of the first managers to introduce a squad rotation approach.[43] He played Rijkaard and Albertini as deep-lying central midfielders, allowing his wingers more license to attack.[44] Milan dominated the league in the1992–93 season, defending the Serie A title,[45] and reached the1993 UEFA Champions League final, losing 1—0 toMarseille.[46] Milan remained unbeaten for 58 league games, between 19 May 1991 and 21 March 1993, which included an entire season in the league, a record in Italian football. They were finally defeated 1–0 byParma after a goal fromFaustino Asprilla.[47][48]
Building for the1993–94 season, Capello signedChristian Panucci,Brian Laudrup,Florin Răducioiu andMarcel Desailly.[49] Playing the formerdefender Desailly as a holding midfielder allowed the rest of the midfield to push on and attack.[50] His side lost 3–2 toSão Paulo in the1993 Intercontinental Cup and 2-1 overall toParma in the1993 European Super Cup, but defended the Serie A title, the club's third consecutiveScudetto,[51] and won the1994 Champions League final with a 4–0 victory overJohan Cruyff'sBarcelona "Dream Team".[52][53] Due to injuries endured by several of the club's attacking stars, in particular Van Basten, Milan only scored 36 goals in 34 games in the league that season, but finished with the best defence in Italy, conceding just 15 goals.[54] The club's back four at the time, primarily made up byMauro Tassotti,Franco Baresi,Alessandro Costacurta and Maldini, is regarded as one of the greatest defences of all time;[a] the club's defensive strength under Capello helped Milan's goalkeeper Rossi achieve thelongest streak without conceding a goal in Serie A history during the 1993–94 season: in an 11-match span, from 12 December 1993 to 27 February 1994, Milan's defence went unbeaten for 929 consecutive minutes.[64] The record was broken by Juventus'Gianluigi Buffon during the2015–16 season.[65]
With Van Basten and Papin gone, Capello recalled Gullit from Sampdoria and signed wingerPaolo Di Canio; Milan struggled at the start of the1994–95 season, losing in the1994 Intercontinental Cup toVélez Sársfield.[66] However, they beatSampdoria on penalties in the1994 Supercoppa Italiana (securing the third Supercoppa title in a row), andArsenal in the1994 European Super Cup,[67] and reached theirthird consecutive Champions League final in 1995, where they were defeated by Ajax.[68] They finished in fourth place in the league, however, failing to qualify for the Champions League the following season.
Building for the1995–96 season, Milan signed strikersGeorge Weah andRoberto Baggio, as well as wingerPaulo Futre; this created a selection problem as Capello already had severalforwards and wingers in his squad, including Di Canio, Lentini, Savićević, Eranio,Roberto Donadoni andMarco Simone.[69] Capello, however, was once again able to implement a squad rotation policy successfully, and even modified Milan's4–4–2 formation at times, introducing an attacking trident in which the lonestriker Weah was supported by Baggio and Savićević, thus allowing the two playmakers to play alongside each other.[70] That season, Milan won the league title, the fourth in five years, by an eight-point margin.[71]
Capello was unveiled as the newReal Madrid coach in1996. A major task was combining the attacking talents ofDavor Šuker,Predrag Mijatović andRaúl in a single team, which Capello did by playing a three-man attack, in spite of his reputation for cautious and defensive football.[72] A simple but effective tactic would be the long ball from defenderFernando Hierro to a sprintingRoberto Carlos, who would be supported on the left by Mijatović and Raúl; Roberto Carlos would then have the option of either going to goal or passing to Šuker, Mijatović or Raúl.[73] He had a single season in charge of Real guiding the club to theSpanish league title in1997. Real managed to edge out their bitter rivals Barcelona by just two points. Despite his tenure withLos Merengues lasting only a year, he was credited with bringing in a number of players such as Šuker, Mijatović, Roberto Carlos andClarence Seedorf who helped the club establish their Champions League dominance over the next few years.[74] Despite his success, he fell out with chairmanLorenzo Sanz and was not popular with fans or the Spanish press for "demoting" Raúl to the left-wing.[75]
Despite a belief by theLazio ownerSergio Cragnotti that Capello had made a verbal agreement to coach his club, Capello instead returned to Milan for a brief and less successful spell.[76]Some of the previous squad had departed, and others such asFranco Baresi were coming to the end of their careers. The squad had to be extensively rebuilt, and high quality signings such asPatrick Kluivert,Leonardo,Winston Bogarde,Christian Ziege,André Cruz andIbrahim Ba did not gel. The team managed to win just 11 games all season, with a particular low occurring in March 1998 when they lost 4–1 to Juventus and Capello was sent off for protesting a decision by the referee. This was followed by a 5–0 defeat to Roma in May.[77]Milan finished the1997–98 Serie A season in tenth place, 30 points behind the champions Juventus, by which time Capello had already departed the club. Some of the players suggested that Capello had instituted a more lax training regime than he had in his previous spell.[78] A run in theCoppa Italia ended when Milan were beaten in thefinal by Lazio 3–2 on aggregate, despite taking a 1–0 lead in the first leg. Capello took credit for Milan's title win the following season claiming, as he had rebuilt the side, that it was "my team".[79]
Following his dismissal at Milan, Capello took a short break from coaching. He told a reporter that he "sat on a beach and thought about football". He also enjoyed a spell as acolour commentator for Italian television, participating in coverage of the1999 Copa América.[80] In May 1999, he moved to Roma, the club he had first joined as a player 30 years prior. His arrival was hailed by Roma presidentFranco Sensi, who said, "Capello is a winner and I believe in him."[81] Capello was joined byFranco Baldini, who became the club's sporting director. Capello built his side aroundMarco Delvecchio, sometimes leavingVincenzo Montella on the bench. Believing his squad lacked a world-class striker, Capello made a move to signRuud van Nistelrooy, but the deal was wrecked following a serious injury. His first season saw Roma finish sixth, made particularly disappointing as cross-city rivals Lazio won the title, and they were knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Leeds United.[82]
Capello's breakthrough at the club occurred when he won the2000–01 Serie A title, having signedWalter Samuel to strengthen his defence, andGabriel Batistuta as a main goalscorer. Although the large fee for Batistuta was initially questioned, the Argentine striker scored a number of vital goals. With Roma, Capello switched from his trademark 4–4–2 to an aggressive3–4–1–2 formation, which allowed the club's star playmaker and captainFrancesco Totti to function in his preferred role as an attacking midfielder, whileCafu andVincent Candela served as attack-mindedwing-backs on the flanks.[45][83][84] The season began in difficult fashion with Roma struggling for form and an angry fans protest at the club's Trigoria training complex which turned violent when players cars were attacked. Capello resisted calls for his resignation, and the team's results dramatically improved helped by the performances of the Brazilian midfielderEmerson. The title was sealed with a 3–1 victory over Parma at theStadio Olimpico on 17 June, prompting a majorpitch invasion by the Roma supporters.[85] Capello was praised for fielding Montella, a player he had had a bust-up with just days before due to the fact that he often substituted him for tactical reasons in the second half, in the final match of the season; Montella, along with Totti and Batisuta went on to score in the title-deciding victory.[86][87]
That was Roma's first major honour in a decade and only the third time ever that they had been crowned champions of Italy. Following the title win there was also a widespread belief that he had done a secret deal to succeedSir Alex Ferguson atManchester United.[88] Ferguson had announced his decision to retire, with Capello a leading candidate to replace him allegedly going so far as to meet with the Manchester United chairmanMartin Edwards. Capello did little to dispel the rumours when he remarked, "I like the spirit of English football and I would like to work in English football", adding that it was an honour to be pursued by the club.
Capello's link with United eventually came to nothing after Ferguson abandoned his decision to retire and signed a new contract, with Martin Edwards claiming that United had been three or four days away from appointing a new manager, believed to be Capello, when Ferguson changed his mind.[89] The2001–02 season developed into a battle between Roma and Juventus. After a heated encounter between the teams, Capello used an interview to criticise Luciano Moggi from Juventus, particularly their dealings with playersagents.
Capello signed a new contract in April 2002, worth £2.37 million a season. One of the highlights of the season was a 5–1 win over rivals Lazio which saw Montella score four goals. The defence of the title, however, was dealt a major blow when the club drew with bottom-placedVenezia, as Roma finished second in the table behind Juventus by a single point.[90] The following season Roma failed to maintain a serious challenge, and finished in eighth.
Their Champions League ambitions were also ended following a defeat and a draw against Arsenal which saw them finish bottom of their group. Once again, it had been English opposition that had thwarted Roma in Europe. Roma lost theCoppa Italia final to Milan, with Capello particularly angered by supporters who waved banners calling on him to go. Capello's final year at Roma began well with the team playing much better football. They went on a seven-game winning streak before Christmas, including comfortable victories over Juventus andInter Milan. This led to speculation linking him with Juventus, despite his past differences withLuciano Moggi. Capello believed he had taken Roma as far as he could, and began to seriously consider a move. In the run-in, the club's form dipped and they ended up finishing 11 points behind champions Milan.[91]
In 2004, Capello left debt-ridden Roma to sign with Juventus. His move came as a surprise because he had kept it such a secret, and because he had been engaged in a war of words with Luciano Moggi.[citation needed] One of Capello's first moves was to signEmerson from Roma, further angering many of his critics who believed he had betrayed Roma.[92] Capello's Juventus reached the quarter-finals of the2004–05 and2005–06 Champions Leagues before being eliminated byLiverpool and Arsenal respectively. Juventus also won the2004–05 and2005–06Scudetti under Capello's leadership, but were later stripped of their trophies due to the team's involvement in theCalciopoli scandal.[93]
In July 2006, with Juventus in the midst of the aforementioned scandal, Capello resigned as Juventus manager. Press reports strongly linked him with a move back to Real Madrid; new club presidentRamón Calderón had publicly stated his hope that Capello would return for a second stint at the club and on 5 July 2006, the official Real Madrid website announced Capello's appointment.[94]
In2006, Capello took charge of a Real Madrid side suffering one of the longest spells without a trophy in their history. He quickly drew the disdain of Madrid's ardent supporters because of his defensive playing style. In interviews, Capello responded to those critics by saying that the beauty of attacking plays was old. He said that results were much more important than playing beautifully. He also added that "those days are over". His remit was to bring the title back to Madrid, a task that had been too much for five other coaches since 2003.
In Spain, he was commonly referred to as"Don Fabio".[95] At Real Madrid, Capello had several high-profile falling outs. He was criticised for not playingDavid Beckham because of his contract wranglings andRonaldo, who struggled for fitness and form. Capello also feuded with his compatriotAntonio Cassano; the two had previously had disputes at Roma.[45]
On 20 February 2007, Real Madrid were forced to deny rumours that Capello would be leaving after that day's match.[96] The next month, Madrid were again eliminated early from theChampions League byBayern Munich,[97] and were mired in fourth place in the league, six points behind Barcelona.[98] Despite the unrest, Capello recalled Beckham, whose return was pivotal for the team's recovery. A string of successful results in the latter half of the season took Madrid to the top of the table, while Barça's results became inconsistent.
Real Madrid won their 30th league title on the final day of the season by beatingMallorca 3–1 at home. The victory was achieved after Capello substituted an injured Beckham and brought onJosé Antonio Reyes. Madrid had been 1–0 down prior to thesubstitution and Reyes turned the match scoring two goals.[99] Despite winning La Liga, Capello was sacked on 28 June due to his pragmatic style of play at a club with recent memories of the individualistic and free-flowing, but ultimately unsuccessful,Galácticos era.[100]
Capello was formally appointed as manager of theEngland national team on 14 December 2007.[101] He began his day-to-day role on 7 January 2008 on a four-and-a-half-year deal. His annual pay was claimed to be £6 million.[102] After being confirmed for the job, he announced it would be his last in football.[103] Capello announced on the day of his unveiling that it was a dream come true to manage the England national team and that he hoped to learn the English language in the following month prior to his first official meeting with the players.[104]
Capello was welcomed by many English fans and the press who hailed his appointment as a triumph, citing in particular his impressive trophy haul and his reputation as a disciplinarian in contrast to the excessive leniency perceived to have existed under his two predecessors,Sven-Göran Eriksson andSteve McClaren. His arrival generated some criticism, notably from thenFIFA PresidentSepp Blatter, who said, "I would say it is a little surprising that the motherland of football has ignored a sacrosanct law or belief that the national team manager should be from the same country as the players."[105]
England's first match with Capello as manager was atWembley Stadium againstSwitzerland on 6 February 2008. On 31 January 2008, it was confirmed that a number of senior players includingSol Campbell andDavid Beckham had not been selected for Capello's debut squad. GoalkeeperPaul Robinson was also dropped after recent erratic form. Debut call-ups were handed to two players:Curtis Davies andGabriel Agbonlahor, both ofAston Villa.[106]Jermaine Jenas andShaun Wright-Phillips scored in England's 2–1 win at Wembley.[107] England lost their second match under Capello, an international friendly againstFrance. England lost the game 1–0 after aFranck Ribéry penalty.[108]
Capello's third game in charge was against theUnited States on 28 May 2008. England won the game 2–0 thanks to goals fromJohn Terry andSteven Gerrard.[109] On 1 June 2008, England beatTrinidad and Tobago 3–0.[110] Capello had been rotating thecaptaincy around several senior players during his first few matches in charge. On 19 August 2008, he announced that Terry would be named the permanent captain.[111][112] On 20 August 2008, England drew 2–2 with theCzech Republic after goals fromWes Brown andJoe Cole.[113]
England opened Capello's first competitive campaign with a 2–0 victory overAndorra inBarcelona on 6 September 2008.[114] Four days later, on 10 September, England playedCroatia, the team that had already secured a spot atUEFA Euro 2008 in the final qualification matchday but won 3–2 which prevented England from qualifying as well. England won 4–1 withTheo Walcott scoring a hat-trick.[115] The next qualification game was at Wembley just over a month later, on 11 October, againstKazakhstan. The game remained goalless at half-time, but England went on to win 5–1.[116] A fourth-straight win on 15 October made this England's best ever start to a World Cup qualifying campaign as they beatBelarus 3–1.[117] England rounded off 2008 by beatingGermany 2–1 on 19 November. Goals from Terry andMatthew Upson secured the victory.[118]
In the spring of 2009, England fell to a 2–0 defeat against reigningEuropean championsSpain and beatingSlovakia 4–0.[119][120] In the summer of 2009, England played another friendly against theNetherlands, coming back from 2–0 down to secure a 2–2 draw away from home.[121]Slovenia were beaten 2–1 in Wembley in the same year.[122] England resumed their qualification campaign by beatingUkraine 2–1, on 1 April 2009, at Wembley.[123] On 6 June, they travelled toAlmaty and beatKazakhstan 4–0,[124] and four days later, they returned to Wembley and to beat Andorra again 6–0, making it seven wins out of seven in the qualification campaign.[125] A notable feature of the campaign was the goalscoring form ofWayne Rooney: eight in seven games. With two in the friendly against Slovakia in March 2009, Rooney had scored ten goals in eight England games.[120]
On 9 September 2009, Capello successfully guided England to qualification to the 2010 World Cup following a 5–1 win at home to Croatia.[126] England's hopes of a 100% record in their 2010 qualifying campaign were ended with a 0–1 defeat in Ukraine in the final away match.[123] However, a 3–0 victory over Belarus confirmed England as thetop scorers in the UEFA zone with 34 goals, 6 ahead of second top scorers Spain.[127] In November 2009, England were beaten 1–0 byBrazil inQatar, Capello's third defeat as England manager.[128]
In March 2010, England played a friendly againstEgypt and beat theAfrican champions 3–1.[129] Two months later, in the last home match before the World Cup, they beatMexico by the same scoreline.[130] In May 2010, England played a friendly againstJapan atUPC-Arena,Graz, and won 2–1.[131] The two goals conceded by Japan were both own goals byMarcus Tanaka andYuji Nakazawa.[132] After constant speculation linking him with the vacant managerial post atInter Milan, on 2 June 2010, Capello committed himself to the England job until at least afterEuro 2012. England's build-up to the World Cup started badly, with John Terry being stripped of the captaincy by Capello after his involvement in a tabloid scandal in February 2010.
Terry's successor as captain,Rio Ferdinand, was injured in a training session prior to England's opening match, resulting in his withdrawal from the squad. England drew the first game 1–1 with the United States due to an error by goalkeeperRobert Green,[133] after which Capello declared the tournamentAdidas Jabulani ball was "impossible to control".[134] This was followed by a poor display againstAlgeria, leading to a 0–0 draw and widespread criticism of both Capello and the England team.[135] On 23 June, Capello led England into the round of 16 of the World Cup after they beat Slovenia 1–0.[136] However, they were beaten in their first knockout match 4–1 by Germany.[137]
With Germany leading 2–1,Frank Lampard scored a 20-yard strike. However, even though the ball clearly bounced a full yard over the German goal-line, all the match officials failed to see it and did not award a goal. As England pressed forward in the second half, they conceded two counter-attack goals. Nevertheless, England's performance led to much criticism from fans, the media, and pundits alike. After England's elimination, Capello was criticized for imposing a strict military regime at England'sBloemfontein training camp,[138] and not allowing his senior players to have tactical input.[139] His 4–4–2 formation was derided as "outdated"[140] withSteven Gerrard's positioning on the left of midfield also criticized.[141]
Capello's squad selection was questioned, with the selection of an unfitLedley King and out of formEmile Heskey, as well as the surprising omission of Theo Walcott also coming under fire.[142] Capello's indecision over his starting goalkeeper was cited as a reason for Green's error in England's opening match with the United States.[143] On 2 July 2010,The Football Association (FA) announced that Capello would remain as the manager of the England national team following speculation over his future following the World Cup.[144]
England kicked off their Euro 2012qualifying campaign with two wins, 4–0 againstBulgaria and 3–1 away against Switzerland,[145][146] yet could only draw 0–0 against group leadersMontenegro at Wembley.[147] Capello made some changes afterwards, with Ferdinand and Gerrard out of the picture. John Terry was reinstated as captain to much criticism.[148][149] The traditional 4–4–2 was transformed to 4–3–3, withDarren Bent ascentre forward and Rooney as aleft-sided forward. The result was successful, as England beatWales 2–0 at theMillennium Stadium on 26 March 2011.[150] England's next game was at Wembley against Switzerland on 4 June 2011, which they recovered from a 0–2 deficit to draw 2–2 with goals from Frank Lampard andAshley Young.[151]
After a narrow 1–0 win against Wales at Wembley,[152] Capello claimed that several England players were "mentally fragile" and suggested he intended to reinvent his squad once Euro 2012 qualification had been sealed.[153] On 7 October 2011, England qualified for the European Championships with a 2–2 draw inMontenegro.[154]
England completed their campaign with a record of five wins, three draws and no defeats. England completed an unbeaten 2011 with 1–0 friendly victories over Spain andSweden in November 2011.[155][156] Capello resigned on 8 February 2012 following the FA's removal of the captaincy from John Terry.[157]
On 26 July 2012, Capello became manager of theRussia national team,[158] following the resignation ofDick Advocaat. His first game in charge was a 1–1 draw withIvory Coast. Capello's first competitive game in charge of Russia was the opening match of the2014 World Cup qualification campaign, a 2–0 victory at home toNorthern Ireland.[159] He led Russia into the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification finals, finishing first inGroup F. In January 2014, Capello committed his future to the Russia national team until the end of the2018 World Cup in Russia.[160]
At the2014 World Cup, Russia were knocked out at thegroup stage, finishing third after a 1–1 draw against Algeria in their final match.[161] During qualifying forUEFA Euro 2016, Capello had six games as the head coach of Russia with results: two wins, two draws and two losses. On 14 June 2015, Russia lost 1–0 toAustria.[162] Thereafter, on 14 July, Capello was sacked as Russian manager.[163]
On 11 June 2017, Capello signed a contract with Chinese clubJiangsu Suning.[164] The club finished as the 12th (out of 16 teams) in2017 Chinese Super League. On 28 March 2018, Capello was sacked after only three games into the new season.[165] In April, later that year, he officially announced that he had retired from coaching.[166]
When Capello gets angry, hardly anyone dares to look him in the eye, and if he gives you an opportunity and you don't take it, you might as well be selling hot dogs outside the stadium, basically. You don't go to Capello with your problems. Capello isn't your mate. He doesn't chat with the players, not like that. He's thesergente di ferro, the iron sergeant, and it's not a good sign when he calls for you. Then again, you never know. He breaks people down and builds them up. [...] After the very first training session, all the others in the team had gone in to shower, and I was completely exhausted. I would have gladly called it a day as well. But a goalie from the youth team came over from the touchline, and I twigged what was going on.Italo was going to feed me balls – bam, bam! They came at me from all angles. There were crosses, passes, he chucked the ball, he gave me wall passes, and I shot at goal, one shot after another, and I was never allowed to leave the box, the penalty area. That was my area, he said. That's where I was supposed to be and shoot, shoot, and there was no chance of taking a break or taking it easy. The pace was relentless. [...] "I'm gonna knockAjax out of your body," he [Capello] said. "I don't need that Dutch style. One, two, one, two, play the wall, play nice and technical. Dribble through the whole team. I can get by without that. I need goals. You understand? I need to get that Italian mindset into you. You've got to get that killer instinct." [...] Under Capello, I was transformed. His toughness was infectious, and I became less of an artiste and more of a bruiser who wanted to win at any price.—Zlatan Ibrahimović, on how Capello trained his strikers atJuventus.[167][168]
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Considered to be one of the greatest and most successful football managers of all time,[3][4] Capello has been described as being a "pragmatic" coach, and is known for his tactical versatility and ability to adapt his formations to tactical systems which best suit his players. He was nicknamedDon Fabio by the Spanish media during his time with Real Madrid.[169] While he has drawn praise for his success, tactical awareness, leadership, and effectiveness as a manager, as well as for often developing several promising young players, he has also drawn criticism at times from both players and pundits for being overly strict and defensive minded as a coach, which has led to many well-publicised disagreements with several of his players, as well as other managers, includingDejan Savićević,Roberto Baggio,Antonio Cassano,Alessandro Del Piero,Ronaldo,Carlo Ancelotti andArrigo Sacchi.[8][45][170][171][172][173][174][175][176][177][178][179][180] However, he did like to have players with strong leadership qualities and dressing room personalities in his teams.[181] Capello has described his own coaching philosophy as one of copying and developing.[182] He has also occasionally been criticised by pundits for his perceived arrogance and stubbornness as a manager.[4][183] In 2008, when writing forThe Guardian, David Lacey likened Capello toAlf Ramsey for their shared belief in the importance of a solid defensive base, while also praising him for his ability to identify a problem and deal with it in a quick and successful manner, his ability to command respect in the dressing room and maintain a professional attitude with his players, and his ability to manage press conferences effectively.[184] Capello was known for his defensive style, as well as his use of high pressing and quick counter-attacks to score goals.[185][186][187] Due to his strong character and tough personality, Ibrahimović nicknamed Capello "sergente di ferro" in his autobiography (the "iron sergeant," in Italian).[168][185]
In his highly successful first spell with Milan, Capello retained many of the players and the 4–4–2 tactical system put in place by Sacchi,[39] although his style of management was less demanding and rigorous than Sacchi's, which initially gave his forwards more creative freedom to attack; he also introduced several younger players into the first team.[40][45][188] In subsequent seasons, following injuries to several attacking players, he adopted a more conservative4–1–4–1 formation, in which the team's strong defensive line, further protected byMarcel Desailly, a formercentre back who was converted to a holding midfielder by Capello, provided the foundation for much of the team's success, and also gave the wingers and more creative, offensive-minded midfielders licence to attack.[50][188] In the final season of his first spell at the club, Capello often rotated several of the team's attacking players in order to get the best out of each them without offsetting the balance within the team; he also abandoned the club's trademark 4–4–2 formation for a 4–3–2–1 formation at times, featuring an attacking trident that allowed the team's two offensive playmakers, Baggio and Savićević, to play alongside each other, behind the club's main strikerGeorge Weah.[45][70][173]
In his first spell with Real Madrid, Capello once again built a title-winning side based on a strong defence and an efficient playing style, but also fielded three strikers –Davor Šuker,Predrag Mijatović, andRaúl – while promoting several other promising young players to the first team. A key component of the team's success was the club's new left-backRoberto Carlos, who excelled at making overlapping attacking runs to beat the opposition's defensive line and get on the end ofFernando Hierro's long balls from the back; the role gave him the freedom to either run on goal or look to deliver the ball to one of the team's strikers. He was also criticised in the media, however, for using striker Raúl as a left winger at times.[45][73]
When you talk about me and Capello, you talk about two personalities. If I have an opinion and I don't agree with you that's it, and he was the same. Capello used the guys with strong personalities – I remember he did it with [striker] Predrag Mijatovic as well – he motivated the team by creating a discussion with somebody, by looking for conflicts. And when he did, the team would go out and kick butt.— Clarence Seedorf in 2010 on Capello's first spell at Real Madrid[189]
During the 2000–01 title-winning season with Roma, Capello adopted a 3–4–1–2 formation, which made use of a three-man back-line and attacking wing-backs (Cafu andVincent Candela), whileFrancesco Totti operated as the team's advanced playmaker behind a main striker and a more mobile, creative forward; the offensive trio was supported by two hard-working and aggressive defensive minded midfielders, namelyEmerson, andDamiano Tommasi.[45][83][188] Following the purchase of talented youngster Cassano the next season, Capello switched to a3–5–2 formation.[190]
At Juventus, Capello rejected the club's board members' requests to field a three-man front line and once again reverted to his preferred 4–4–2 formation. Capello won consecutive league titles, and put together a balanced and efficient side which was built upon a strong and highly organised back-line, which was further supported by two dynamic, defensive-mindedbox-to-box midfielders in thecentre, such asManuele Blasi,Stephen Appiah,Alessio Tacchinardi, Emerson, and laterPatrick Vieira, who both alternated defensive and playmaking duties in midfield; the team's attacking wingers,Pavel Nedvěd andMauro Camoranesi, were required both to drop back defensively and also assist the strikers from an offensive standpoint. Capello usually partnered the team's main strikerDavid Trezeguet alongside the emergingZlatan Ibrahimović up-front, with the latter playing in a morecreative role, while the team's captain, Alessandro Del Piero, was used mostly as a substitute. Capello also introduced several younger players into the squad, such as the Romanian strikerAdrian Mutu, and left-backGiorgio Chiellini; the latter's performances later prompted Capello to benchJonathan Zebina and shift left-backGianluca Zambrotta to right-back, in order to accommodate the youngster into the first team.[45][188][191][192][193]
In his second spell with Real Madrid, Capello implemented a4–2–3–1 formation, which made use of two defensive-mindedfull-backs, two defensive midfielders, and two wingers who also often tracked back; however, as a result, the club's main striker,Ruud van Nistelrooy, was often isolated, while the team's efficient playing style was described as being boring in the media, and Capello was frequently derided for his overly defensive tactics. Despite the criticism he endured, Capello made several bold decisions which allowed several talented players to co-exist, benching Ronaldo, and reinstatingDavid Beckham into the starting line-up, as well as Brazilian forwardRobinho, Spanish midfielderGuti, and centre-backIván Helguera, who were initially out of favour with the manager at the start of the season. He was also able to get the best out of new signings van Nistelrooy, Emerson,Mahamadou Diarra andFabio Cannavaro, despite their poor form at the beginning of the season. He was consequently able to create an organised, determined, and unified team environment through his disciplined and pragmatic approach; he ultimately led the club to an eight match unbeaten streak to come back from behind and claim the Liga title, although he was sacked at the end of the season.[45][188][194]
Capello was born inSan Canzian d'Isonzo, near Gorizia, in north-eastern Italy, in what was then theAllied-occupied Zone A of theJulian March. His parents were Guerrino and Evelina Capello. Capello is a devout Catholic who prays twice a day, and he has expressed admiration forPope Benedict XVI.[195] His father, a schoolteacher, played football, and his uncleMario Tortul was also a football player; forTriestina,Padova, Sampdoria and the Italy national team during the 1960s. Capello has spent his entire adult life working in football.[195] He has been married to his wife Laura, whom he first met on a bus as a teenager, for over 40 years. He is represented by his son Pier Filippo, who acts as his agent. In January 2008,Italian police announced that they were launching an investigation into tax irregularities by Capello.[196] The probe, however, has been dismissed as routine by Capello's spokesmen, who said this was part of a wider investigation into a number of wealthy Italians.[197] The FA revealed that they had known about the upcoming probe when they had appointed Capello, and expected no charges to be brought.[198]
Capello is afine art enthusiast. Hisart collection is estimated to be worth £10 million.[199] His favourite artist is reportedlyWassily Kandinsky.[200]
Capello holdsright-wing political views, despite having previously been a self-described "socialist" in the 1960s, and subsequently a long-time supporter of theChristian Democrats; he was later a long-time supporter of Silvio Berlusconi and his centre-right partyForza Italia. He attracted controversy when he expressed admiration for Spanish dictatorFrancisco Franco in 2006 and the "legacy of order" he believed him to have left in Spain. He later distanced himself from these comments, however, stating that he did not intend to praise dictatorships. In 2002, he also admitted to having voted for the Northern Italian right-wing separatist political partyLa Lega once in the past, as well as theItalian Socialist Party and theRepublicans in his youth. He has rejected the label of a "conservative," however, noting that he supported the trade unions, stating: "I have great respect for all they have done to alleviate the exploitation of workers."[195][201][202][203]
| Club | Season | League | Coppa Italia | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| SPAL | 1963–64 | Serie A | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| 1964–65 | Serie B | 9 | 0 | |||||||
| 1965–66 | Serie A | 20 | 1 | |||||||
| 1966–67 | Serie A | 16 | 2 | |||||||
| Total | 49 | 3 | ||||||||
| Roma | 1967–68 | Serie A | 11 | 1 | ||||||
| 1968–69 | Serie A | 25 | 6 | |||||||
| 1969–70 | Serie A | 26 | 4 | |||||||
| Total | 62 | 11 | ||||||||
| Juventus | 1970–71 | Serie A | 27 | 5 | ||||||
| 1971–72 | Serie A | 29 | 9 | |||||||
| 1972–73 | Serie A | 27 | 3 | |||||||
| 1973–74 | Serie A | 27 | 4 | |||||||
| 1974–75 | Serie A | 28 | 3 | |||||||
| 1975–76 | Serie A | 27 | 3 | |||||||
| Total | 165 | 27 | ||||||||
| AC Milan | 1976–77 | Serie A | 26 | 1 | ||||||
| 1977–78 | Serie A | 28 | 3 | |||||||
| 1978–79 | Serie A | 8 | 0 | |||||||
| 1979–80 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 65 | 4 | ||||||||
| Career total | 341 | 45 | ||||||||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1972 | 6 | 1 |
| 1973 | 8 | 3 | |
| 1974 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1975 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 8 | 2 | |
| Total | 32 | 8 | |
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Milan (caretaker) |  | 5 April 1987 | 3 July 1987 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 042.86 |
| Milan | 20 June 1991 | 31 May 1996 | 249 | 142 | 77 | 30 | 410 | 169 | +241 | 057.03 | |
| Real Madrid |  | 31 May 1996 | 23 June 1997 | 48 | 31 | 12 | 5 | 96 | 41 | +55 | 064.58 |
| Milan | | 24 June 1997 | 20 May 1998 | 44 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 53 | 52 | +1 | 036.36 |
| Roma | 6 June 1999 | 28 May 2004 | 241 | 118 | 73 | 50 | 402 | 222 | +180 | 048.96 | |
| Juventus | 28 May 2004 | 4 July 2006 | 105 | 68 | 24 | 13 | 181 | 81 | +100 | 064.76 | |
| Real Madrid | | 6 July 2006 | 28 June 2007 | 50 | 28 | 12 | 10 | 91 | 55 | +36 | 056.00 |
| England |  | 14 December 2007 | 8 February 2012 | 42 | 28 | 8 | 6 | 89 | 35 | +54 | 066.67 |
| Russia |  | 16 July 2012 | 13 July 2015 | 33 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 56 | 22 | +34 | 051.52 |
| Jiangsu Suning |  | 11 June 2017 | 28 March 2018 | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 36 | 34 | +2 | 033.33 |
| Total | 843 | 459 | 241 | 143 | 1,421 | 714 | +707 | 054.45 | |||
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|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
