Massimo Bonini
Encyclopedia
Massimo Bonini is a retired Sanmarinese
footballer and coach, who played as a midfielder for Italian sides Bellaria Igea Marina
, Forlì
, Cesena
, Juventus
and Bologna
.
Bonini played for Juventus between 1981 and 1988, in which he played 296 matches and scored 6 goals. He won 3 Scudetti
, 1 Italian Cup
, 1 European Champion Clubs' Cup
, 1 Cup Winners' Cup, 1 European Super Cup
and 1 Intercontinental Cup
. He is the only Sanmarinese footballer to have won a European Cup.
Since the San Marino Football Federation
was not officially recognised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) until 1990, players from San Marino were assimilated to Italian players. For this reason, Bonini was entitled to play for the Italian Football Federation and actually played for the Italian Under-21 football team. Since he always refused to give up the citizenship of San Marino, he had to wait until 1990 in order to play for San Marino’s first team
, winning 19 full caps since then. He was also briefly the national coach of the San Marino national team after retirement.
For its 50th anniversary in 2004, UEFA
asked each of its 52 member associations to nominate one player as the single most outstanding player of the period 1954–2003, and Bonini was chosen as the Golden Player
of San Marino by the San Marino Football Federation
in November 2003.http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind=256/newsId=130150.html
San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
footballer and coach, who played as a midfielder for Italian sides Bellaria Igea Marina
A.C. Bellaria Igea Marina
Associazione Calcio Bellaria Igea Marina is an Italian association football club, based in Bellaria – Igea Marina, Emilia-Romagna. Bellaria plays in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione....
, Forlì
A.C. Forlì
Forlì Football Club is an Italian association football club based in Forlì, Emilia-Romagna.The originary club, called Foot-Ball Club Forlì, was founded in 1919, having last been in Serie B in 1947. Later, the name changed into Associazione Calcio Forlì...
, Cesena
A.C. Cesena
Associazione Calcio Cesena is an Italian football club based in Cesena, Romagna. The club was formed in 1940 and won the first promotion to Serie A in 1973. Since then, the club have been in the Italian Premier League for a total of in 11 seasons, reaching the best achievement in 1976 with the 6th...
, Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
and Bologna
Bologna F.C. 1909
Bologna Football Club 1909, known simply as Bologna, is an Italian Football League club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, formed in 1993. The club are nicknamed the rossoblù because of the red and blue striped shirts they wear. Red and Blue are the official colours of the town.During its history...
.
Bonini played for Juventus between 1981 and 1988, in which he played 296 matches and scored 6 goals. He won 3 Scudetti
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...
, 1 Italian Cup
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...
, 1 European Champion Clubs' Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, 1 Cup Winners' Cup, 1 European Super Cup
European Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
and 1 Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
. He is the only Sanmarinese footballer to have won a European Cup.
Since the San Marino Football Federation
San Marino Football Federation
The San Marino Football Federation is the governing body of football in San Marino. It organises the San Marino football league , a national cup , a super cup and the San Marino national football team...
was not officially recognised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) until 1990, players from San Marino were assimilated to Italian players. For this reason, Bonini was entitled to play for the Italian Football Federation and actually played for the Italian Under-21 football team. Since he always refused to give up the citizenship of San Marino, he had to wait until 1990 in order to play for San Marino’s first team
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
, winning 19 full caps since then. He was also briefly the national coach of the San Marino national team after retirement.
For its 50th anniversary in 2004, UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
asked each of its 52 member associations to nominate one player as the single most outstanding player of the period 1954–2003, and Bonini was chosen as the Golden Player
UEFA Jubilee Awards
To celebrate the Union of European Football Associations 's 50th anniversary in 2004, each of its member associations was asked by UEFA to choose one of its own players as the single most outstanding player of the past 50 years . The 52 players were known as the Golden Players...
of San Marino by the San Marino Football Federation
San Marino Football Federation
The San Marino Football Federation is the governing body of football in San Marino. It organises the San Marino football league , a national cup , a super cup and the San Marino national football team...
in November 2003.http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind=256/newsId=130150.html