Madrid, 11 July 1982. At the Santiago Bernabeu, Italians were euphoric. Italy, with Enzo Bearzot at the helm, conquered the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time in 44 years.
Among the hugs, tears and waving flags, one player lifted the trophy with the poise of someone who had been through it all: Dino Zoff. At 40 years and 133 days, he became the oldest man to win the World Cup – a record that still stands.
Oldest World Cup-winning players
Zoff was far more than just a goalkeeper. He represented an Italy side that knew how to dig deep, defend and win. Born and raised in Friuli, and familiar with the hardships of life in the countryside, Zoff crafted a career for himself marked by calm professionalism often displayed by the game’s greats. Following a stint at Napoli and his rise to stardom with Juventus, he was approaching the end of his career in 1982. Yet there was never any doubt in Bearzot’s mind as to whom should captain the Azzurri in Spain.
Italy struggled in the group stage, but got through despite not registering a victory, with Zoff making big saves to earn draws with Poland, Peru and Cameroon. Italy finally found their groove in the second round, beating formidable foes in Argentina and Brazil.
Zoff stole the plaudits in both games. In the dying embers of their dramatic 3-2 win over Brazil, he pulled off a spectacular stop. “At that moment,” Zoff said years later, “I was just thinking about doing my job.”
Italy then went on to beat West Germany 3-1 in the final. Zoff was presented with the trophy by the King of Spain and lifted it with a shy smile on his face. No flashy celebrations, only sheer pride.
That evening Zoff, who never raised his voice, always led by example, and embodied the discipline and composure of an entire generation, went down as a legend. Not only did he become the competition’s oldest winner, but he also became the only Italian player to taste World Cup and UEFA EURO glory.
“I stayed behind at the stadium longer than the other lads doing interviews, and when I went back to the hotel, it wasn’t with bodyguards, as it would be today, but in the kit man’s van,” said Zoff. “Gaetano was there waiting for me. We grabbed a quick bite to eat, had a drink, and it just didn’t feel like the done thing to go over the top with our celebrations.
“We didn’t fancy going out dancing because it’d have ruined the moment. We went back to our rooms and conked out on our beds, utterly exhausted and overcome by joy. However, we did milk it as much as we possibly could. There’s nothing else in the world that can give you the joy that sport does, even if only for a moment, which is why you have to cherish them.”
