SafekipediaGianni Rivera
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Giovanni "Gianni" Rivera, born on August 18, 1943, is an Italian politician and a former footballer known for his skill as an attacking midfielder. He was often called Italy's "Golden Boy" by the media. Rivera spent most of his club career with AC Milan, starting with his hometown club Alessandria in 1959 before joining Milan in 1960.
During his time at AC Milan, Rivera achieved great success in both domestic and European football. He won three Serie A titles and two European Cups, among other trophies. He also served as the team's captain for twelve seasons.
Rivera played for the Italy national team 60 times from 1962 to 1974, scoring 14 goals. He participated in four World Cups and is especially remembered for scoring the winning goal in Italy's 4–3 extra-time victory over West Germany in the semi-final of the 1970 World Cup. Although Italy lost the final to Brazil, Rivera helped the team win the European Football Championship in 1968 and secure a fourth-place finish at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.
Known for his elegance, efficiency, and creativity on the field, Rivera was awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1969. After retiring from football in 1979, he became involved in politics and later served as President of the educational youth sector for the Italy national team.
Early life
Gianni Rivera was born in Alessandria, Piedmont, to Edera and Teresio; his father worked on the railway. Gianni started playing football with a local team called ASD Don Bosco. There, he was noticed by Franco Pedroni, a former player for Milan who was helping coach Alessandria. This led Gianni to join the Alessandria team when he was just 13 years old.
Club career
Gianni Rivera, called l'Abatino and the Golden Boy, started his football journey with his hometown club Alessandria. He joined their first team in 1958 and played his first Serie A match in 1959 at just fifteen years old. In 1960, he moved to AC Milan, where he had a long and successful career.
Rivera helped Milan win many important trophies, including three Serie A titles and two European Cups. He became a key player and leader for the team, wearing the captain’s armband for twelve seasons. Rivera was known for his skill in setting up attacks and his leadership on the field. He played for Milan for nineteen seasons, making over 500 appearances and scoring many goals.
International career
Gianni Rivera played for the Italy national side from 1962 to 1974. He started with the under-21 team in 1960, scoring two goals in his first game. At just seventeen, he helped Italy finish fourth at the Rome Olympics, scoring three goals.
Rivera made his debut for the senior team in 1962. He was part of the team for the 1962 World Cup but Italy didn’t do well. In 1966, Italy was unexpectedly defeated by North Korea, and Rivera was one of the few players praised for his performance. He later helped Italy win the European Championship in 1968, though he missed the final due to injury.
In the 1970 World Cup, Rivera became a key player. Though he started slowly, he shone in the knockout rounds. In the semi-final against West Germany, he helped Italy win a famous match known as “The Game of the Century” by scoring the winning goal. However, in the final against Brazil, he only played the last few minutes, and Brazil won the tournament.
Rivera also played in the 1974 World Cup, scoring in Italy’s first game. But Italy didn’t advance, and that was his last game for the national team. In total, Rivera played 60 games for Italy, scoring 14 goals. He was one of Italy’s top-scoring midfielders and captained the team four times.
Retirement
After retiring from football, Gianni Rivera took on a new role as vice-president at AC Milan for seven seasons. When Silvio Berlusconi bought the club in 1986, Rivera left this position and began a career in politics.
Rivera entered politics in 1986 and became a member of the Italian Parliament in 1987 with the Christian Democracy party. He was elected again in 1992, then in 1994 under the Segni Pact, and later in 1996 under the Uniti nell'Ulivo coalition. He later worked in important government roles and served as a member of the European Parliament.
In 2013, Rivera was chosen by the Italian Football Federation to lead the training and development of football coaches, based in Florence.
Player profile
Gianni Rivera was known for his clever play and great skills. He could play many positions in midfield or up front, often chosen to sit behind the main striker as a number 10. Even though he wasn't fast or big, he was smart and could control the game with his passes. Coaches loved how he could see the whole field and make smart plays.
People admired Rivera for his smooth control of the ball and his ability to pass perfectly. He wasn't just about making pretty moves; he focused on helping his team score. He could also score himself and was great at taking free kicks and penalties. Rivera is remembered as one of Italy’s greatest players, respected for his calm, fair play and leadership on the team.
Outside of professional football
AIC
On 3 July 1968, Rivera started the Italian Footballers' Association in Milan with other players and a lawyer.
Personal life
Rivera is married to Laura Marconi, and they have two children named Chantal and Gianni. He also has a daughter named Nicole from a different relationship.
Media
Rivera appeared in some EA Sports football video games like FIFA 11, FIFA 14, and FIFA 15. In 2012, he was on the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars called Ballando con le Stelle.
Career statistics
Club
International
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Alessandria | 1958–59 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| 1959–60 | 25 | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 25 | 6 | |
| Total | 26 | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 26 | 6 | |
| AC Milan | 1960–61 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 33 | 6 |
| 1961–62 | 27 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 10 | |
| 1962–63 | 27 | 9 | – | – | 7 | 2 | – | – | 34 | 11 | |
| 1963–64 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 8 | |
| 1964–65 | 29 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 29 | 2 | |
| 1965–66 | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 36 | 8 | |
| 1966–67 | 34 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 19 | |
| 1967–68 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 1 | – | – | 44 | 15 | |
| 1968–69 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 | – | – | 39 | 6 | |
| 1969–70 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 12 | |
| 1970–71 | 26 | 6 | 10 | 7 | – | – | – | – | 36 | 13 | |
| 1971–72 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 4 | – | – | 37 | 9 | |
| 1972–73 | 28 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 0 | – | – | 43 | 20 | |
| 1973–74 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 39 | 7 | |
| 1974–75 | 27 | 3 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 31 | 3 | |
| 1975–76 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 22 | 2 | |
| 1976–77 | 27 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 39 | 4 | |
| 1977–78 | 30 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 36 | 7 | |
| 1978–79 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 22 | 2 | |
| Total | 501 | 122 | 74 | 28 | 76 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 658 | 164 | |
| Career total | 527 | 128 | 74 | 28 | 76 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 684 | 170 | |
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1962 | 4 | 2 |
| 1963 | 5 | 2 | |
| 1964 | 4 | 2 | |
| 1965 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1966 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1967 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1968 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1969 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1970 | 7 | 2 | |
| 1971 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1972 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1973 | 7 | 2 | |
| 1974 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 60 | 14 | |
International goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 2 December 1962 | Bologna, Italy |  Turkey | 1–0 | 6–0 | 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying preliminary round |
| 2. | 5–0 | |||||
| 3. | 10 November 1963 | Rome, Italy |  Soviet Union | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1964 European Nations' Cup round of 16 |
| 4. | 14 December 1963 | Turin, Italy |  Austria | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 5. | 10 May 1964 | Lausanne, Switzerland |  Switzerland | 3–1 | 3–1 | |
| 6. | 4 November 1964 | Genoa, Italy |  Finland | 3–0 | 6–1 | 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7. | 1 November 1965 | Rome, Italy |  Poland | 4–0 | 6–1 | |
| 8. | 29 June 1966 | Florence, Italy |  Mexico | 3–0 | 5–0 | Friendly |
| 9. | 5–0 | |||||
| 10. | 14 June 1970 | Toluca, Mexico | Mexico | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1970 FIFA World Cup |
| 11. | 17 June 1970 | Mexico City, Mexico |  West Germany | 4–3 | 4–3 (a.e.t.) | |
| 12. | 31 March 1973 | Genoa, Italy |  Luxembourg | 3–0 | 5–0 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13. | 20 October 1973 | Rome, Italy | Switzerland | 1–0 | 2–0 | |
| 14. | 15 June 1974 | Munich, West Germany |  Haiti | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1974 FIFA World Cup |
Honours
Gianni Rivera won many important trophies during his time with AC Milan and the Italian national team. With AC Milan, he helped the team win three Serie A titles and two European Cups. He also won several Coppa Italia titles and other European competitions.
Rivera also achieved great success with the Italian national team, reaching the final of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. He received many individual awards, including the Ballon d’Or in 1969 and was named one of the best players of the 20th century by several organizations. He is remembered as one of AC Milan’s greatest players and was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
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