July 11 - The Tardelli Scream

WHAT would you do if you scored in a World Cup final? A cool shrug of the shoulders Cantona style? Raise one arm as you rush to the fans like Shearer? Or you would go mad and celebrate like you used to in the park with jumpers for goalposts?

Today in 1982 Italian Marco Tardelli revealed his inner-child as he scored the pivotal goal of the 1982 World Cup final against West Germany, with one of the greatest goal celebrations of all time.

Italy had come into the final on the back of Paulo Rossi’s footballing resurrection to meet a West German side who won their semi-final in controversial fashion meaning most neutral would be rooting for the Azzurri.

The never-say-die attitude of the West Germans, coupled with an injury crisis in the Italian defence that saw 18-year-old Giuseppe Bergomi marshal the back four meant that Italy had a tough task in front of 90,000 in the Bernabeu, who were hoping the fireworks of the two semi-finals would be repeated.

Antonio Cabrini missed a chance to put Italy ahead when he fired a first-half penalty wide as the two sides played out a goalless first half. Paolo Rossi was the man who again inspired the Italians when he scored just before the hour mark.

Ten minutes later one of the most iconic moment in World Cup history came when Tardelli picked up the ball just outside there area following a long passing move and slotted home.

Realizing that his goal had practically won the World Cup Tardelli set off sprinting to nowhere in particular, tears running down his face, and screaming the world ‘goal’. In what is known as the ‘Tardelli scream’ the midfielder would probably still be running now if no one was there to calm him down.

A couple of late goals took the final score to 3-1 and Italy had won their third title. Captain Dino Zoff made history, being the oldest player to ever pick up the trophy as Italian commentator Nando Martellini screamed “Campioni del mondo, Campioni del mondo, Campioni del mondo!”

It’s a good job that Tardelli got all that celebrating out of the system because his latest job is assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland, so we’re pretty sure that it’s going to be a while until he’s on the biggest stage again. See the pure, unadulterated joy of a man not afraid to show his emotions below and like a Portuguese come-and-get-me plea, we’ll be back tomorrow.

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