CAGLIARI CALCIO S.p.A. -

CHAMPIONS OF "SERIE A" 1969/70

Cagliari Calcio S.p.A. "The Islanders" - Founded 100 years ago 30/5/1920

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS IMPOSSIBLE DREAM THAT, ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, BECAME A REALITY

The above mentioned commemoration remains a most important event for Sardinians at home and abroad, which this year celebrates its 50th. Anniversary. That is the Cagliari FC, founded 100 years ago, winning for the first and only time the Italian Serie A 1970 Soccer Title.

You may well ask why was this so important, as you may not follow soccer nor sport in general ? Well let me explain that this event was extremely important to non soccer, non sport followers and Sardinians in general, even Padovani like me who have been fortunate to have lived till 10 years of age in what to me is the most beautiful city in the world - Cagliari, because till then as recently eloquently written in the Sardinian Journal - Tottus in Pari, there was "Un muro di pregiudizi che vedeva nella Sardegna più un povero avamposto d’Africa che una fiera Regione dell’Italia".

This event was about Italy's mainland and the world taking notice of a proud people and their culture, as a result by gaining National respect with people taking notice through sport, in some way "putting Sardinia on the map".

By way of background, Cagliari's team in its debut season in Serie A - 1964 featured relatively unknown players like Captain Martiradonna, Nenè de Carvalho, Cera, Greati, Tomasini etc. and a certain relatively unknown Luigi Riva, fondly known as "Gigi", who had been acquired by Cagliari, in 1963 aged 19 , from minor team in Serie C - Legnano in Lombardy.

In 1967 a poor first half of the season saw Cagliari in last place with nine points at the halfway mark. An astonishing second half of the season saw Cagliari defeat the likes of Juventus and Milan and finish in seventh place.

Three seasons later, now with established stars like Domenghini and Albertosi, nearing the end of their careers, Gigi Serie A's top scorer and Cagliari finishing with the league's best defensive record, Cagliari won the Serie A title in 1970. They were Coached by Manlio Scopigno from Paularo in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, an eccentric individual with unique coach methods very much ahead of his time. This period resulted in many of Cagliari's players being selected for the Italian national team, of which Gigi remains leading goal scorer with 35 goals in 42 games, that is .83 per game.

At the forefront of all this event was what became a "Grande Storia d'Amore" between Gigi, and in this regard the Sardinian Journal Tottus In Pari writes "Di sicuro non è stato amore a prima vista. Poco male perché a noi sardi non piacciono le cose scontate e lineari, preferiamo la conquista sudata. Preferiamo la tempesta domata in "Rombo Di Tuono" che diventano leggenda. Siamo diffidenti, badiamo al sodo, ma quando diamo il cuore è per sempre

Tutte le più grandi storie d’amore, reali e letterarie, hanno un inizio travagliato, e quella tra i sardi e Gigi non fa eccezione. Nel 1963 i sogni di gloria di un calciatore esordiente non ancora ventenne, Diciamolo Gigi in Sardegna non ci voleva venire, eppure, strada facendo, si è reso conto che non l’avrebbe più lasciata. Non poteva. Qualcosa era scattato, un innamoramento reciproco, un desiderio di affrancamento dal proprio passato che rivelava un’imponderabile affinità"

Gigi's nick name become "Rombo Di Tuono/Thunderbolt" due to the ferocity of his shots at goal. Notably before and after Cagliari winning the Serie A Title, Gigi received huge money offers from the big Italian clubs, yet he knocked them back, most suppressing to the sporting world was the one from arguably Italy's biggest Club Juventus, and stayed with Cagliari till he retired in 1976.

Gigi now 76, years of age still lives in Cagliari, as many of his then Sardinian and non Sardinian teammates do, and as a sign of everlasting respect he recently was made Presidente Onorario of Cagliari FC.

During the relevant packed media conference, Cagliari's President Tommaso Giulini stated "La decisione di nominare Gigi Riva come Presidente Onorario è stata presa con grande naturalezza, dopo alcune chiacchierate e senza particolari corteggiamenti. Siamo due persone molto schive, non abbiamo voluto creare clamore. Lui è il nostro primo tifoso e rappresenta la storia del Cagliari, ci è sembrato naturale rafforzare il rapporto tra la società e un mito come lui alle porte dell’anno del centenario e a pochi mesi dal cinquantesimo anniversario dello scudetto. Gigi vuole essere considerato un amico della squadra, della società e di tutto il popolo rossoblù. Torna nel Club in un momento particolare per noi ma anche per lui e per chi, cinquant’anni fa, ha scritto le pagine migliori nella storia del Cagliari"

It may or may not surprise you, that whilst writing this report I shed a few tears as the above brought back memories of my and my now deceased mother and father's failed attempt to resettle in Italy in 1970, as it also made me realise that the above in addition to being a "Love Story", is also a story of mutual respect, which we could a lot with these days.

In closing I can only state "Bravo & Grazie Gigi and FORZA CAGLIARI!