One day far in time, the ‘paron’ Nereo Rocco, AC Milan’s rival coach, told him: “I often hear talk of an exchange between you and one of ours, if you come to Milan – together with Gianni (Rivera, ed) – and one who throws it in, we score at least 100 goals “. Sandro Mazzola, who tomorrow will cross chest out and with his back always straight, the threshold of eighty autumns, in reality he never finished with the Rossoneri. But his dualism with the ‘Golden Boy’ has remained somehow the figure of footballing unforgettable years, even more than the surname inherited from father Valentino. “Where would Sandro Mazzola play today? In Spain, at Real Madrid”, the celebrated man from his home in Milan told ANSA, claiming as always a talent sometimes obscured by the comparison with Rivera.
At the Mexican World Cup, which Italy closed behind champion Brazil, the message passed that the two ‘Golden boys’ could not play together. Or Rivera or Mazzola, in short: at least on the pitch, because outside the two great rivals of Milanese football had united for the foundation of the players’ union in ’68. But in the national team, in the first half, when the game was consumed at a higher pace, on the pitch there was Sandrino’s mustache, or rather the ‘Baffo’, as he was renamed; in the second half it was Gianni’s turn, as the “pace dropped”. It wasn’t like that in the Azteca final against Brazil and Pele himself was not a little surprised: “If they can keep someone like Rivera out, how strong will the others be?”, He exclaimed. But that of Rivera’s 6 minutes is another story.
Sandro Mazzola also ended up in the list of ‘abatini’ drawn up by Gianni Brera, which included people like Rivera, De Sisti, Bulgarelli. He, who grew up between ‘poison’ Benito Lorenzi, Pepìn Meazza, but above all in memory of the myth of father Valentino, so great as to be able to defend and then be the top scorer at the end of the season, in that schematic football is ‘blocked’. The Grande Torino finished winning on the Superga hill, due to a sinister twist of fate; Sandro Mazzola lost his point of reference, and with him his brother Ferruccio. But his very personal balloon continued to roll on the grass and in the mud.
The ‘magician’ Herrera, one who gave the players’ lei, and who remains unique in how he tasted football, threw him into orbit and he finally managed to shake off the label of ‘son of art’. Years passed, he had to score many goals, before putting an end to the rumors of some who pointed the finger, stating that “that Mazzola there has only the name of his father, the rest is nothing ….”. A weight that, after having signed a brace against the great Real Madrid at the Prater in Vienna in the first final of the European Cup won in ’64 by the Nerazzurri of Angelo Moratti and the ‘magician’ Herrera (Carosio called him ‘Mazzolino’ in commentary) , he definitively shrugged off. Two years later he was involved in the defeat of Korea, together with the best Italian youth. Returning from that English World Cup some greeted the national team, he Rivera, Albertosi, Facchetti, no. In addition to the trophies with the Nerazzurri, he contributed to Italy’s first European title, in Rome, in 1968. From a forward he turned into a forward midfielder, as they used to say at the time, but without losing the vice of scoring. Ferruccio Valcareggi put more edi the show of the relay which, in reality, materialized only in two games: in 4-1 against Mexico and in 4-3 against West Germany. A forcing on which the press of the time built skyscrapers of words, also insinuating dark plots hatched to boycott the ‘Golden boy’ of Milan. The year after the Mexican World Cup, Mazzola’s Inter took back the Scudetto and the following year (1972) even challenged the Ajax of total football in Rotterdam in a final of unequal Coppacampioni lost ‘only’ 2-0.
Mazzola, fast and impregnable, continued to draw trajectories on the field and to dispense geometric football, between pragmatic solutions and devastating accelerations. The last performance on 3 July 1977, in yet another derby della Madonnina, this time valid as the final of the Italian Cup: it was a defeat for Inter and, for Sandrino, the end of a career full of racing, between frenetic dribbling and goals – flash.
He became a manager and columnist, distinguishing himself for sobriety and refinement, it was he who initiated the technical commentary during the games.
Tomorrow, when he crosses the 80 spring line, maybe he will smile under his mustache and think of Pope Valentine, how cruel destiny has torn it too quickly and from his hand on his head when he entered the field in a grenade-colored Philadelphia. . “I will celebrate as always – Mazzola confesses to ANSA – with my children: every year, on my birthday, they all show up here at home and bring me the ‘present’. After a life of football and beautiful things, it is the I enjoy the most beautiful at the age of 80. Former teammates I feel few, we are old … But I still watch football, to have fun and to make comparisons. Where would Sandro Mazzola play today? In Spain, sure: in Real Madrid. My best memory is Real Madrid-Inter, I’ve been dreaming for a lifetime of meeting my legend, Di Stefano, and then it ended ‘as it ended’ … “.
Source: Ansa
I work as a news website author and mostly cover the opinion section. I have been writing since I was a teenager, and have always enjoyed telling stories. I studied journalism at university and loved every minute of it. After graduating, I decided to move to London and take up a position with a Global Happenings. It has been an incredible experience, learning about all sorts of different cultures and meeting some amazing people. My goal is to continue learning and growing in my career so that I can provide readers with the best possible content.
