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Claudio GentileItalian footballer, coach
Date of Birth: 27.09.1953
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Claudio Gentile
Claudio Gentile is an Italian footballer, former player of the Italian national team, and coach. He was born in the capital of Libya, Tripoli, to a Sicilian family.
Playing Career
At the start of his career, Gentile played as a right midfielder and right-back for clubs like "Varese" and "Arona". In 1973, he moved to "Juventus," where he was positioned as a central defender. There, he played alongside another outstanding player, Gaetano Scirea. With Juventus, Gentile won six Italian Championships, two Italian Cups, the UEFA Cup, and the European Super Cup. After Juventus, he played for "Fiorentina" for three years before joining the Serie B club "Piacenza," where he retired.
International Recognition
Gentile gained international recognition in 1982 during the World Cup. He did not play in the first part of the competition but was fielded in the match against Argentina, led by Diego Maradona. Gentile personally marked Maradona and prevented him from showcasing his full potential, resulting in Italy's 2-1 victory. In the next game against Brazil, Gentile marked another outstanding player, Zico, and Italy won a difficult match 3-2. Although Gentile missed the semifinal against Poland due to a yellow card received in the previous match, he played in the final and became a world champion as Italy defeated Germany 3-1.
Coaching Career
After retiring, Gentile became a coach and was entrusted with training the Italian Under-21 national team. His team reached the semifinals of the 2002 U-21 European Championship and won the U-21 European Championship in 2004. However, in the 2006 tournament, the team failed to advance past the group stage, leading to Gentile's dismissal. He also coached the Italian national team at the 2004 Olympics, where Italy reached the semifinals.
