Gabriele Oriali
Encyclopedia
Gabriele Oriali is a former football
player from Italy, who mainly played defensive midfield but could also play as defender.
(Lombardy
), son of a Italian
father and a Romanian mother. Oriali –affectionately known as 'Lele'– played for the Inter youth team for four seasons before being promoted to the senior squad. He debuted for Inter in the 1970–71 Scudetto winning season and was an integral part of the Inter squad of the 1970s.
He didn't have the best technical ability but he was excellent in stopping players and was an excellent man-marker. He was labeled a "incontrista", a player who's sole responsibility was to break up plays and distribute the ball to another player to start the attack.
He was called up to the national team for the first time on December 21, 1978 in a friendly against Spain
, quickly earning a starting spot. His one and only goal for Italy
came in a friendly against Sweden
, which was played in Florence
on September 26, 1979; the game finished in an Italian victory, 1:0.
After winning the scudetto in 1979–80 with Inter, he played in the 1980 European Championship
where Italy
finished fourth, losing to Czechoslovakia
in a penalty shootout. With Inter, he won a second Coppa Italia
in 1981–82 after his first Coppa victory in 1977–78. In all he played 70 matches and scored 8 goals for Inter in the Coppa Italia
competition.
Oriali played 45 matches and scored 3 goals for Inter in European cup competitions. He was part of the team that lost to Ajax in the 1971–72 European Cup final.
Oriali is also remembered for a heroic performance in a Milan Derby, played on October 25, 1981. In that game he scored the winning goal but also required thirty stitches having been booted in the face by the A.C. Milan defender Mauro Tassotti
. That year Inter won both of its derby games, a feat that would not be repeated until 2007, the next 26 years.
In 1982 he was a key member of the Italian National team
which traveled to Spain
for the 1982 World Cup. Oriali appeared in five games at the tournament, including the final against West Germany
, which Italy
won 3:1, to win their third FIFA World Cup
. He was also part of the team that defeated the strong teams of Argentina
and Brazil
, and defeated Poland
in the semi-final. His last game for Italy
was on May 29, 1983 against Sweden
, played in Göteborg, as part of the qualifying for the 1984 European Championship
. Italy lost the game 0:2.
After winning the World Cup
, and following the end of the 1982–1983 season, he moved to Fiorentina
where he played for four seasons. He retired from football in 1987 after 384 games (40 goals) in Serie A
and 28 caps (1 goal) for Italy
.
. In 2001, as technical director, he was sanctioned for his part in the Álvaro Recoba
fake passport incident.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player from Italy, who mainly played defensive midfield but could also play as defender.
Playing career
A native of ComoComo
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
(Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
), son of a Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
father and a Romanian mother. Oriali –affectionately known as 'Lele'– played for the Inter youth team for four seasons before being promoted to the senior squad. He debuted for Inter in the 1970–71 Scudetto winning season and was an integral part of the Inter squad of the 1970s.
He didn't have the best technical ability but he was excellent in stopping players and was an excellent man-marker. He was labeled a "incontrista", a player who's sole responsibility was to break up plays and distribute the ball to another player to start the attack.
He was called up to the national team for the first time on December 21, 1978 in a friendly against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, quickly earning a starting spot. His one and only goal for Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
came in a friendly against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
, which was played in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
on September 26, 1979; the game finished in an Italian victory, 1:0.
After winning the scudetto in 1979–80 with Inter, he played in the 1980 European Championship
1980 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1980 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Italy. This was the sixth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. With eight teams competing, the final tournament took place between 11 and 22 June 1980...
where Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
finished fourth, losing to Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
in a penalty shootout. With Inter, he won a second Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
in 1981–82 after his first Coppa victory in 1977–78. In all he played 70 matches and scored 8 goals for Inter in the Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
competition.
Oriali played 45 matches and scored 3 goals for Inter in European cup competitions. He was part of the team that lost to Ajax in the 1971–72 European Cup final.
Oriali is also remembered for a heroic performance in a Milan Derby, played on October 25, 1981. In that game he scored the winning goal but also required thirty stitches having been booted in the face by the A.C. Milan defender Mauro Tassotti
Mauro Tassotti
Mauro Tassotti is a retired Italian footballer. He played for seventeen years with A.C. Milan, mostly at right back but could also fill in at centre back if required, thanks to his versatility and commitment...
. That year Inter won both of its derby games, a feat that would not be repeated until 2007, the next 26 years.
In 1982 he was a key member of the Italian National team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
which traveled to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
for the 1982 World Cup. Oriali appeared in five games at the tournament, including the final against West Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, which Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
won 3:1, to win their third FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
. He was also part of the team that defeated the strong teams of Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
and Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
, and defeated Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
in the semi-final. His last game for Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
was on May 29, 1983 against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
, played in Göteborg, as part of the qualifying for the 1984 European Championship
1984 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in France. West Germany also bid for the hosting of this event. It was the seventh European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA...
. Italy lost the game 0:2.
After winning the World Cup
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
, and following the end of the 1982–1983 season, he moved to Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
where he played for four seasons. He retired from football in 1987 after 384 games (40 goals) in Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
and 28 caps (1 goal) for Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.
Managing career
After finishing his playing career Oriali moved into the managing side of Italian football. First becoming a sporting director at Bologna, then at Parma. He returned to Inter to become its technical director–the position is currently held by another former Inter player, Marco BrancaMarco Branca
Marco Branca is an Italian former football striker who is currently head of the technical staff of Serie A club Internazionale.-Career:...
. In 2001, as technical director, he was sanctioned for his part in the Álvaro Recoba
Álvaro Recoba
Álvaro Alexander Recoba Rivero , nicknamed "El Chino", is a Uruguayan footballer currently playing for Primera División Uruguaya side Club Nacional de Football...
fake passport incident.
Trivia
- His face appeared on a ChadChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
stamp in 1983–one of a series of stamps commorating the 1982 World Cup. He appears on a 60 franc stamp alongside Włodi Smolarek of Poland.
- Oriali is cited in the Luciano LigabueLuciano LigabueLuciano Ligabue , more commonly known as Ligabue or Liga, is an Italian rock singer-songwriter, film director and writer.-Biography:...
song Una vita da mediano (A life as halfback), one of his most popular songs. Ligabue is a known Inter fan.
Honours as a player
- World champion in 1982 with Italian national teamItaly national football teamThe Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
- Italian Serie A championSerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
in 1971, 1980 with Inter - Coppa ItaliaCoppa ItaliaThe Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
1978 and 1982 with Inter