Comunardo Niccolai is dead: king of own goals, scudetto with Riva’s Cagliari

Comunardo Niccolai is dead: king of own goals, scudetto with Riva’s Cagliari

Football mourns the death of Comunardo Niccolai at 77 years old, one of the great protagonists of the scudetto won in 1970 by Cagliari driven by ‘Thunderclap’ Gigi RivaIn the Italian champion team he was a defensive lynchpin and played as a stopper. Also famous for his own goals, which were 6 (Riccardo Ferri and Franco Baresi later surpassed him, with 8), the one in the direct clash against Juventus in Turin in 1970 went down in historywhen with his header on a cross from Furino he anticipated Alobertosi and created the first Juventus goal (then Riva equalised a match that ended 2-2). Comunardo Niccolai also played for the national team, taking part in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. He made 3 appearances for Italy and one in the World Cup. (the first against Sweden, in which he was injured after 37 minutes) which saw the Italian team graduate as vice-champion after the legendary victory in the semi-final against Germany (4-3 with the match-winning goal by Gianni Rivera) and the defeat in the final against Pelè’s Brazil (4-1). Born in Uzzano, in the province of Pistoia, on 15 December 1946, with the Cagliari played for 12 seasons, collecting 228 matches and 4 goals. Cagliari itself announced the death of Comunardo Niccolai, in which it remembered the career of the great Tuscan footballer. Here is the statement from the Sardinian club.

Who was Comunardo Niccolai, the memory of Cagliari with whom he won the championship in 1970

“All of Cagliari Calcio mourns the loss of Comunardo Niccolai, unforgettable protagonist of the 1970 Scudetto. He was born in Uzzano, a small town in the province of Pistoia, on December 15, 1946. He owes his curious first name to his father, Lorenzo, who called him Comunardo in homage to the Paris Commune.

After starting out in the Montecatini youth team, Niccolai arrived very young in Sardinia, at Torres. It was 1963: he played 22 games in Serie C, standing out as one of the best prospects in the category. An excellent season that earned him the attention of Cagliari, who bought him before all the teams interested in his registration. Niccolai confirmed his skills also in red and blue, even if he initially had to act as a reserve for the more experienced Vescovi. With the latter’s departure in 1968, he definitively took possession of the number 5 shirt. He remained at Cagliari until 1976, then moved to Perugia and ended his career at Prato. With Cagliari he made over 270 appearances, scoring 6 goals”.

“He then began his coaching career within the FIGC – we read on the Cagliari Calcio website -. He was an appreciated selector of the Azzurri youth teams, christening players who would write the history of the national team, such as Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Totti. In 1993-94 he led the senior women’s national team. His name is traditionally linked to his own goals, some of which have remained famous. He himself spoke about them with philosophy and self-irony: ‘At first it bothered me but then I got used to it. There are players who have had an excellent career but no one remembers them; at least I left a mark on the history of Italian football.'”

“It would be unfair, however, to limit his career to these unfortunate setbacks. In reality, Niccolai was a defender of great value, tough, attentive in marking, but also good at coming out of the area with the ball at his feet and his head held high. -Cagliari emphasizes-. His exchanges with the libero, Cera or Tomasini, were ahead of their time: over the years, the exchange of positions between the central defenders has become a standard in the way of defending required by modern football. The exceptional performance of the back line in the year of the championship (only 11 goals conceded, a record still unbeaten in 16-team championships) is also due to his formidable contribution. It is no coincidence that he was included in the list of 22 Azzurri players called up for the World Cup in Mexico. Coach Ferruccio Valcareggi fielded him as a starter in the first match against Sweden. He has made 3 appearances for the Azzurri. Niccolai leaves the memory of a great sportsman, a polite, kind, respectful, cordial man, who knew how to make himself loved. A master of football and life. Thank you for everything, Comunardo”.