Roberto Boninsegna(Italian pronunciation:[roˈbɛrtoˌboninˈseɲɲa,ˌbɔ-]born 13 November 1943) is an Italian former professionalfootballerwho mainly played as aforward.After retiring, he worked as a football manager.[citation needed]As a player, he played for the Italy national side at twoWorld Cups,reaching the final in1970.
 Boninsegna inRotterdam,1974 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 November 1943 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Mantua,Italy | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Inter Milan | |||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1963–1964 | Prato | 22 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 1964–1965 | Potenza | 32 | (9) | ||||||||||||||
| 1965–1966 | Varese | 28 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 1966–1969 | Cagliari | 83 | (23) | ||||||||||||||
| 1967 | →Chicago Mustangs(American tour) | 9 | (10) | ||||||||||||||
| 1969–1976 | Inter Milan | 197 | (113) | ||||||||||||||
| 1976–1979 | Juventus | 58 | (22) | ||||||||||||||
| 1979–1980 | Verona | 14 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 443 | (186) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1967–1974 | Italy | 22 | (9) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Club career
editBorn atMantua,Boninsegna started his career inSerie B(the second tier of Italian professional football) withPratoin 1963–64 season. He transferred toPotenza,who wasSerie Bteam in 1964–65 season. He also played forVaresein 1965–66 andCagliaribetween 1966 and 1969, helping the club to a second-place finish during the1968–69 Serie Aseason alongsideLuigi Riva.[1]During the summer of 1967,Cagliaricame to the United States to play in theUnited Soccer Associationas theChicago Mustangs;Boninsegna led the club in scoring with 11 goals in nine matches.[2]Boninsegna gained a status as an efficient striker withInter Milanand theItaly national teamin the 1970s, playing alongsideSandro Mazzola.In Serie A, he totaled 171 goals in 281 games, and wastop goalscorerin Italy during the1970–71and1971–72Serie A seasons, with Inter.
After moving to Inter in 1969, he also won the1970–71 Serie Atitle with the club, and reached the1972 European Cup Final,only to be defeated byAjax.[1][3]He transferred toJuventus FCin 1976 in exchange forPietro Anastasi,[4][1]and he played three seasons for the club, winning twoSerie Atitles, aCoppa Italia,and anUEFA Cup.[3][5]After leaving Juventus in 1979, he finished his career withVerona,retiring from professional football at the end of the1979–80 Serie Bseason.[1]
International career
editBoninsegna made his debut forItalyon 18 November 1967, in an awayUEFA Euro 1968 qualifyingmatch against Switzerland, which ended 2–2,[1]although he was not called up for thefinal tournament,which Italy ended up winning on home soil under managerFerruccio Valcareggi,with whom he would have several disagreements throughout his international career.[3]With the national side, he took part in two World Cups, the first in1970,and the second in1974.[1]In total, he managed 9 goals for Italy in 22 appearances.[1][6]
Boninsegna was a member of the Italian side that reached the final of the1970 FIFA World Cupin Mexico, scoring two goals throughout the tournament. In theepic semi-final matchagainstWest-Germany,he scored a goal, and later set upGianni Rivera'smatch-winning goal in extra time, which allowed Italy to advance to the final after a 4–3 victory.[3][5][7]He scored Italy's only goal (though at the time it was an important equaliser) in thefinalagainstBrazil,which Italy ultimately lost 4–1;[5]he came off for Rivera in the final minutes of the game.[3][6]
Style of play
edit
As a player, Boninsegna was a powerful, agile and acrobatic striker, who was known for his accurate finishing ability and intelligence in the penalty area. He was a prolific goalscorer, who excelled in the air, despite not being particularly tall or imposing physically.[4][8]He was also gifted with pace, stamina, technical ability, opportunism and outstanding consistency, which enabled him to become one of the top Italian forwards of his generation.[1]Because of his jumping ability and his power and accuracy with his head, the Italian sports journalistGianni Breragave him the nickname "Bonimba".[9]Despite his talent, he was criticised on occasion for being a selfish player, although he was also capable of creating chances for teammates.[3]He was also well known for his on the field rivalry withJuventusdefenderFrancesco Morini,who later became his teammate.[10]
Career statistics
editClub
edit| Club | Season | League | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | ||
| Prato | 1963–64 | Serie B | 22 | 1 |
| Potenza | 1964–65 | Serie B | 32 | 9 |
| Varese | 1965–66 | Serie A | 28 | 5 |
| Cagliari | 1966–67 | Serie A | 34 | 9 |
| 1967–68 | Serie A | 19 | 5 | |
| 1968–69 | Serie A | 30 | 9 | |
| Total | 83 | 23 | ||
| Chicago Mustangs(loan) | summer 1967 | United Soccer Association | 9 | 10 |
| Inter Milan | 1969–70 | Serie A | 30 | 13 |
| 1970–71 | Serie A | 28 | 24 | |
| 1971–72 | Serie A | 28 | 22 | |
| 1972–73 | Serie A | 27 | 12 | |
| 1973–74 | Serie A | 29 | 23 | |
| 1974–75 | Serie A | 29 | 9 | |
| 1975–76 | Serie A | 26 | 10 | |
| Total | 197 | 113 | ||
| Juventus | 1976–77 | Serie A | 29 | 10 |
| 1977–78 | Serie A | 21 | 10 | |
| 1978–79 | Serie A | 8 | 2 | |
| Total | 58 | 22 | ||
| Verona | 1979–80 | Serie B | 14 | 3 |
| Career total | 443 | 186 | ||
International
edit| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1969 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1970 | 7 | 3 | |
| 1971 | 6 | 4 | |
| 1972 | 3 | 1 | |
| 1973 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1974 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 22 | 9 |
Honours
editInter Milan
Juventus
Italy
- FIFA World Cuprunner-up:1970[5]
Individual
- Serie A top scorer:1970–71,1971–72[12]
- Coppa Italia top scorer: 1971–72[13]
- United Soccer Associationtop scorer: 1967[14]
- Italian Football Hall of Fame:2023[15]
References
edit- ^abcdefgh"Roberto Boninsegna"(in Italian). Storie di Calcio.Retrieved23 December2014.
- ^"NASL Chicago Mustangs Roster".Retrieved24 April2019.
- ^abcdefAlberto Cerruti (13 November 2013)."Boninsegna festeggia 70 anni:" Solo Inter, ma quanti tradimenti ""(in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport.Retrieved23 December2014.
- ^ab"BONINSEGNA, Roberto"(in Italian). Treccani: Enciclopedia dello Sport (2002).Retrieved23 December2014.
- ^abcdefghStefano Bedeschi (13 November 2013)."Gli eroi in bianconero: Roberto BONINSEGNA"(in Italian). Tutto Juve.Retrieved22 March2016.
- ^abc"Boninsegna, Roberto"(in Italian). FIGC.Retrieved22 March2016.
- ^Diego Mariottini (17 June 2015)."Italia-Germania 4-3: la brutta partita che fece la storia"(in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport.Retrieved7 November2017.
- ^Mario Sconcerti (28 March 2016)."Riva il migliore per i lettori di CM. Sconcerti: 'Ma Rivera era al suo livello'"(in Italian). Calciomercato.Retrieved13 February2017.
- ^"Ecco perchè Brera mi ha chiamato Bonimba"(in Italian). Cremona Oggi. 19 January 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 23 December 2014.Retrieved23 December2014.
- ^Fabio Monti."BONINSEGNA, Roberto"(in Italian). Treccani: Enciclopedia dello Sport (2002).Retrieved7 November2017.
- ^Single source here, if player is inactive. If player has not retired, move source next to "Updated" template.
- ^Roberto Di Maggio; Igor Kramarsic; Alberto Novello (11 June 2015)."Italy - Serie A Top Scorers".RSSSF.Retrieved2 December2015.
- ^Roberto Di Maggio; Davide Rota (4 June 2015)."Italy - Coppa Italia Top Scorers".RSSSF.Retrieved15 June2015.
- ^Steve Holroyd; David Litterer (15 August 2008)."The Year in American Soccer - 1967".US Soccer History Archives.Retrieved10 February2017.
- ^"Hall of Fame del calcio italiano: tra i premiati De Rossi, Spalletti e Shevchenko".Corriere dello Sport(in Italian). 6 November 2024.Retrieved11 November2024.
External links
edit- (in Italian)Roberto Boninsegnaat Inter.it