A cultured and stubborn man, a strict and uncompromising father, an affectionate grandfather.
It is also this, Enzo Bearzot.
In the days in which Italy celebrates the 40th anniversary of the victory of the World Cup in Spain, to draw the portrait of the coach of what in the collective imagination is the 'victory' of Italian football is the daughter Cinzia, professor of Greek history at the Catholic University of Milan, together with his son Rodolfo, the technician's only male grandson.
"In 1982 I was already away from home - says Cinzia Bearzot on the phone with ANSA - but I remember those weeks and the atmosphere well. And I also remember my father's stubbornness in carrying out his ideas. He was absolutely indifferent to the atmosphere. popularity; and, above all, if he was convinced of one thing there was no way he would change his mind. In his place I would have reacted differently. "
The reference is to the controversy that preceded the victory of the World Cup, the fierce criticism of which Bearzot was the subject, "to the limit of malice" underlines her daughter.
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"It was ungenerous criticism - he adds -. We have suffered a lot from the media pillory that was unleashed, but he was not interested in being loved by the press and the public. He believed in Paolo Rossi, in his innocence, and decided to wait for him. a risky bet, I think his stubbornness played a role. But the facts proved him right ", he adds.
"Dad had solid cultural foundations that the Salesians at the Collegio San Luigi in Gorizia had given him - he says - he went to classical high school, then he auditioned with Inter and his life changed. My grandfather did not take it well .. . ".
In Spain the Bearzot family was not there: "Dad separated the affections from work. He did not want the plans to overlap.
So we were in Milan during the World Cup.
I only met many people from that group in the last few years, after my mother died.
When he was at home there was no mention of her work.
With him I talked about other things, about our common interests, the Latin and Greek classics, painting, literature, music.
I owe him a lot.
He taught me to always look ahead.
Sure he was a strict and uncompromising dad, but he was fine together.
He always said 'the house should be a pen full of children'.
Then he remade with the grandchildren.
He was convinced that he had stolen time from us children for his work, but with the grandchildren he has largely redone.
He was an affectionate and present grandfather ".
The affinity with the President of the Republic Sandro Pertini, the feeling with Dino Zoff ("by age and in the name of Friulanity"), the great friendship with Professor Vecchiet and then the exaltation of that group "united as never before - underlines Professor Bearzot - from the warehouse workers to the players, something my father was extremely proud of ", and then the great bond with Giovanni Arpino.
"In those days - says Cinzia Bearzot - dad felt the need to explain that famous press silence: that it was a request made to be able to work in peace. An unpopular decision, but he didn't care about popularity".
The bond with Zoff, the esteem in Paolo Rossi, but has anyone disappointed him?
"My father was an intransigent man, in his family as well as in his work: if someone was not reliable, yes, there is someone who has disappointed him but don't let me tell who he is", emphasizes Ms. Bearzot.
The reference is to the current Italian coach Roberto Mancini who after a delay in a retreat, in '84, was no longer called up by Bearzot.
A father and an uncompromising coach, a present and affectionate grandfather Enzo Bearzot: "I was born two years after winning the World Cup - says his grandson Rodolfo, now a lawyer - and it took me some time to realize that my grandfather was actually the man who built that victory. He was the quintessential grandfather. He picked me up from school, played with me in the park, came to see my water polo matches and while the whole pool had eyes for him, he didn't he lost an action and then gave me advice. Watching the games with him was incredible. I have stimulating and playful memories of him. What did he tell me about that World Cup? The nights chatting with Tardelli before the games and the conviction of being able to win the Mundial one once overtaken Brazil and Argentina.He always told me not to waste talent and to achieve goals. "
"He would not like today's football - Cinzia Bearzot and her son say in unison - for him it was an educational tool and now there is a lot of business around. No, he would not like".
(HANDLE).
