GIANNI RIVERA
IL BAMBINO D'ORO
OF ITALIAN SOCCER
Gianni Rivera is one of the gratesf
football talents of this generation.
Is only 25, born in Alessadria, a little
italian town, and cost 55.000 when
transfered fom local club to Milan, in 1960.
Played in Italy's Olympic teem the same
year, gained his first cap against Belgium,
in 1962, and then went to Chili with the
World Cup side. Since then, Rivera has
played almost permanently in the Italy
national team and has been incorporated
in "squadra azzurra" for the World Cup
in England 1966.
Rivera is "il bambino d'oro" (wonder
boy] of italian football and generals the
Milan attack with an unimitable way. Slight,
slim player of abundant talent, has a
wonderful eye for position and slides off
the most telling passes with a casual
deceptive touch. A beautifully controlled
player, he is now in a magnificent form.
On the other side, Rivera is a grave
young man who has talked and played
like a veteran since he was 16. Outside
of the grounds, Rivera is director and
share-holder of an insurance company in
Milan.
Gianni Rivera, is now the "little boss"
of Milan and deserves the fame he got all
over Italy and Europe, and is destined to
be remembered among the really great
world inside forwards.
