9781422284278

GREATEST MOMENTS

Rossi’s Hat Trick

Italy won two World Cups in the 1930s, but that 1970 loss to Carlos Alberto and Brazil was the closest they had come since. That all changed in Spain in 1982, when the Azzurri were led by 26-year-old striker Paolo Rossi. Italy faced heavily favored Brazil in the quarterfinals, a match that Rossi won single-handedly. He opened the scoring in the fifth minute, heading in a cross for a 1-0 lead. Brazil scored to tie it at 1-1 when Rossi struck again, intercepting a pass in the Brazilian half and drilling home the goal to make it 2-1. In the second half, Brazil equalized once more, but in the 74th minute, a Brazilian defender botched the clearance of an Italian corner kick, which went right to Rossi, who volleyed it home for the hat trick and the 3-2 win. He scored three more goals in the next two games as Italy won the Cup.

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