38 Facts About Dino Zoff

1.

Dino Zoff is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

2.

Dino Zoff is the oldest ever winner of the World Cup, which he lifted as captain of the Italy national team in the 1982 tournament, at the age of 40 years, 4 months and 13 days.

3.

Dino Zoff won the award for best goalkeeper of the tournament and was elected to the team of the tournament for his performances, keeping two clean-sheets, an honour he received after winning the 1968 European Championship on home soil.

4.

Dino Zoff was a goalkeeper of outstanding ability, and he has a place in the history of the sport among the very best in this role, being named the third greatest goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS behind Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks.

5.

Dino Zoff holds the record for the longest playing time without allowing goals in international tournaments set between 1972 and 1974.

6.

Dino Zoff placed second in the 1973 Ballon d'Or, as he narrowly missed out on a treble with Juventus.

7.

In 1999, Dino Zoff placed 47th in World Soccer Magazine's 100 Greatest Players of the Twentieth Century.

8.

In September 2014, Dino Zoff published his Italian autobiography Dura solo un attimo, la gloria.

9.

Dino Zoff was born in Mariano del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy into a farming family.

10.

Dino Zoff's career got off to an inauspicious start, when at the age of fourteen he had trials with Inter Milan and Juventus, but was rejected due to a lack of height.

11.

In 1967, Dino Zoff was transferred to Napoli, in exchange for fellow goalkeeper Claudio Bandoni, and a transfer fee of 130 million Lire; he spent five seasons in Naples, making 143 Serie A appearances with the club.

12.

Dino Zoff is currently Juventus's 6th record appearance holder in all competitions, their 7th all-time appearance holder in Serie A, their 3rd all-time appearance holder in the Coppa Italia, their 7th all-time appearance holder in UEFA Club competitions, and their 9th all-time appearance holder in international club competitions.

13.

Dino Zoff held the Serie A record for most consecutive clean sheets alongside Rossi, until Gianluigi Buffon overtook them both with his 10th consecutive clean sheet in 2016.

14.

Dino Zoff holds the record for most consecutive matches played in Serie A, a streak which went unbroken from 21 May 1972, until his final league appearance with Juventus in 1983.

15.

At 41 years and 86 days, Dino Zoff is the oldest player to have appeared in a European Cup or UEFA Champions League Final.

16.

Dino Zoff ended up being promoted to starting goalkeeper over his perceived career rival Enrico Albertosi during the tournament, and Italy proceeded to win the European Championship on home soil, with Dino Zoff taking home a winners' medal after only his fourth international appearance, keeping two clean sheets, and winning the award for the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

17.

Dino Zoff returned to the starting line-up ahead of Albertosi, in Italy's disappointing 1974 World Cup campaign, during which they would be eliminated in the first round.

18.

From 1972 onwards, Dino Zoff became Italy's undisputed number 1, and he participated in the 1978 World Cup with Italy, during which he managed a fourth-place finish, keeping 3 clean-sheets.

19.

Dino Zoff was Italy's starting goalkeeper at the 1980 European Championships on home soil helping his side to reach the semi-finals, finishing the tournament in fourth place .

20.

Dino Zoff had established the record for most minutes unbeaten European Championship qualifying, which was beaten, by compatriot Buffon in 2011.

21.

Dino Zoff still holds the record for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal at the European Championships including qualifying, having kept eight consecutive cleans sheets between 1975 and 1980, while going unbeaten for 784 minutes.

22.

Dino Zoff was a level-headed goalkeeper, capable of staying calm during the toughest and the most exhilarating moments.

23.

Dino Zoff always held back both out of modesty and respect for his opponents.

24.

Dino Zoff holds the record for the longest stretch without allowing any goals in international football, set between 1972 and 1974.

25.

Dino Zoff currently sits in sixth place in this category, as well as second among goalkeepers, with Gianluigi Buffon having surpassed the latter record.

26.

Dino Zoff was a traditional, effective, and experienced goalkeeper, who usually favoured efficiency and caution over flamboyance and making saves, although he was capable of producing spectacular dives and decisive saves when necessary due to his strength and athleticism.

27.

Dino Zoff was particularly regarded for his outstanding positioning and handling of the ball, in particular when coming out to collect crosses, as well as his concentration, consistency, calm mindset, and composure under pressure; he was an elegant player, who possessed good reactions and excellent shot-stopping abilities.

28.

Dino Zoff was noted for his attention to detail during matches, as well as his ability to read the game, anticipate his opponents, communicate with his defenders, and organise his back-line, which enabled him to start attacking plays quickly from the back after claiming the ball.

29.

On occasion Dino Zoff was accused by certain pundits of occasionally struggling when facing long-range shots, and for not always being particularly adept at stopping penalties.

30.

Dino Zoff subsequently coached the Italian Olympic side, his first experience as a coach, helping the team to qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, before returning to Juventus in a coaching role; the Italian Olympic side eventually managed a fourth-place finish in the final tournament.

31.

Dino Zoff served as Juventus's head coach from 1988 to 1990.

32.

Dino Zoff then joined Lazio, where he became the coach in 1994, and later the club's sporting director, winning the Coppa Italia in 1998, and helping the club to an UEFA Cup final the same season, and was defeated by compatriots Inter.

33.

In 1998, Dino Zoff was appointed as the head coach of the Italy national team.

34.

Dino Zoff helped the team to qualify for Euro 2000, and he introduced several younger players to the team, such as Francesco Totti, Gianluca Zambrotta, Stefano Fiore, Massimo Ambrosini, Christian Abbiati, Marco Delvecchio, and Vincenzo Montella.

35.

Dino Zoff was voted the World Soccer Manager of the Year in 2000.

36.

Dino Zoff preferred not to base his team's play on set plays and formations, as he believed that cultivating a good relationship with his players and fostering a winning team mentality were the keys to getting the best out of them, and that this would allow their natural creativity to come through in matches.

37.

Dino Zoff is married to Annamaria Passerini; they have a son, Marco, born in 1967.

38.

On 28 November 2015, it was reported Dino Zoff was hospitalised for three weeks with a viral neurological infection, which made it difficult for him to walk.