Claudio Gentile will go down in history for being the only defender to have stopped two football legends like Maradona and Zico in the same tournament.
A good slice of merit, if Enzo Bearzot's Italy managed to conquer the Mundial in '82, therefore belongs to him.
Relentless hound, with good luck, but above all with the 'bad', put the gag on the strongest in the world, dampening the enormous offensive potential of the overfavorites Argentina and Brazil, who were opponents of Italy in the group of quarters.
"Against Argentina I was convinced that I would have marked Mario Kempes, whom I had already dealt with four years earlier, at their home, in that other Mundial - recalls Gentile, 40 years after those days full of doubts and expectations -. my role was that, but a few days before the Sarrià match Bearzot came to my room, gave me a lot of compliments and said: 'I see you well, you are loaded, ready ... Before leaving, he says to me:' You Do you want to mark Maradona? ". I thought he was joking. I wasn't the one indicated, but a halfback, since Diego played all-court. But I made the joke:" What's the problem? "
Bearzot looked at me fixedly and replied: 'Okay, then go and study him'.
When he left I called myself an idiot, I had been a fool.
But how?
Argentina reigning world champion, and with an extra Maradona?
Everyone thought we were beaten.
However, I couldn't go back.
So I began to study it ... "." Maradona was Maradona.
In 1982 he wanted to win and defend the title.
Four years later in Mexico he won the World Cup practically alone.
Although, it must be said that the British allowed him to go away ball and chain, to skip four of them, the goalkeeper and to score.
With me he would not have done it - Gentile underlines -, I would not have allowed him to jump men like skittles.
Then, history repeated itself with Zico: "That time Bearzot adopted another method - explains the former defender -. I expected Eder, but the coach in the Sarrià underpass said to me: 'So you go to Zico?'. I made a face and sweated cold, even though it was over 40 degrees. I knew Zico and gave him the same treatment as Maradona. In addition, I tore his shirt. "
What Mundial was it?
"The revenge of the underestimated players.
The criticisms were fierce even before leaving, a lot of stories were brought out, even of homosexuality - the memory of Gentile -.
The Italian journalists wanted Italy to go out and tried in every way to influence us on a psychological level.
For us, however, the winning spring was triggered.
Then, only Zoff spoke.
If it had gone badly, they would have massacred us, we would have asked for political asylum in Spain or in Germany ".
" It was the victory of the group - concludes the former blue -, we compacted, one for all and all for one.
We charged up before taking the field, shouting: 'Whoever pulls himself out of the fight ...
I remember that at first I was in the room with Tardelli, but he didn't let me sleep.
Then, we parted, because I fell asleep at 11pm.
If we were the strongest national team?
Well, when you beat Argentina, Brazil and Germany, it means that you can place yourself among the best in Italian history ".
