On the pitch, he won everything. Even the Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup. Then Stefano Tacconi stopped playing. He invested in various entrepreneurial ventures, fell and got up again, just like when he played and even saved the moon with the jerseys of Avellino, Juventus, and Genoa.
Until 2022, when a brain aneurysm halted his activities and resulted in significant medical and rehabilitation costs, as well as forcing him into a long coma. Tacconi obtained public housing in Milan after experiencing serious financial and personal difficulties.
But he bounced back again, with the help of his wife, Laura Speranza, and his children Andrea, Virginia, Vittoria, and Alberto. He's now touring Italy to present his book, "The Art of Saving," published by Rizzoli, which stops today at 7:15 pm in Arborea , at the theater in Piazza Maria Ausiliatrice, at the Sports Book Festival organized by Ideario, under the aegis of journalist Fabio Meloni: "The book recounts my life as a child, as a teenager, and then as a young man, as a player for Juventus and the national team," says Tacconi, who turned 69 on May 13. "A journey of experiences that, at a certain point, unfortunately, culminated with the aneurysm and, later, with arterial ischemia."
How do you deal with the disease?
"Certainly with grit, but also with effort. Life placed her in my hands: but she didn't understand who I was. For now, I've managed to parry her too."
Now he is presenting his book around Italy.
"I go where I'm called, always with pleasure. Connecting with people keeps me alive."
He has received a lot of affection over the years, and not just from Juventus fans.
"Yes, from everyone. On such a vast scale that I wasn't expecting it. It was almost moving."
Why did he get sick?
"I had an exaggerated lifestyle, definitely the wrong one. I was constantly traveling for work, always in the car. I never stopped and I demanded too much of myself. In the end, I paid for it."
And now?
"I just think about feeling good."
Did it hurt when you stopped playing, when you hung up your gloves?
No, at the time, I got over my retirement from football well. I have four children, a family, and many interests. I've certainly changed my lifestyle, but I've sown well: I've been able to enjoy what I've achieved. With Juve, I won everything, from the Intercontinental Cup to the Champions League, from the Cup Winners' Cup to the UEFA Champions League. Then there were the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia, and other tournaments. I can only be happy about that.
Do you still hear from the teammates with whom you shared those victories?
We have a chat. And I meet them every now and then: it happened recently, on the fortieth anniversary of the Intercontinental Cup victory in Tokyo. And it was a wonderful moment: everyone was there, from Platini to Boniek, from Tardelli to Cabrini.
She won the Champions Cup at Hysel.
"It was terrible to take the field in that game. We truly played with a heavy heart. They were destroying my lifelong dream, the dream I had as a child."
You also played for Avellino. Do you remember any teammates?
"Many. One was Sardinian, Mario Piga, who I sometimes hear on the phone: he's always fishing. I have fond memories of those years. Avellino's president was Antonio Sibilia. I wish we had more players like him today. It was a more humane game, with more creativity. There weren't just strong players. Today, it's all about strategy; only physicality counts."
Will Italian football regain its place at the table of the superpowers?
"First, a few things need to change. There are too many foreigners in the Primavera teams. I'd only put Italians in the youth teams."
How long will it take for Italy to return to the World Cup?
"I think about it for a long time. Mancini is good, one of the best coaches. But the players are what they are."
She was a symbol of the nineties.
"But now I have other things to think about."
He has always been considered a right-wing man, why?
"I agreed to run for the 1999 European elections with the National Alliance. However, there's no point in them attacking me: I've always been on that side, I've always said so, and I'm proud of it. And now I'm with Giorgia Meloni."
Do you go to see matches at the Juventus Stadium?
"I'm bored watching them, even Juventus's. I'm really bored, even more so at the stadium. It will take years for Juventus to become great again, the same goes for the national team. I hope Spalletti is the right person, the coach capable of turning things around."
When Dino Zoff retired, Juventus considered signing Ivano Bordon. In the end, however, they chose her because she was the youngest and brightest prospect of the time.
I almost went to Napoli; in fact, it was all done. Boniperti called Sibilia, and not asked for information, but exclaimed, 'That boy must come to us.' And Sibilia replied, 'But I've already sold him to Napoli.' In the end, Campania president Ferlaino tore up the contract, and I went to Juve. The rest of the story is well known.
You had dealings with Gianni Agnelli. Football is sorely missing someone like the Lawyer.
"I don't have a particular anecdote to share. Juve certainly misses him."
In Azzurro he met Gigi Riva.
"Of course, he also came with us from Olimpica, to Seoul. He was a calm, very good person."
Your relationship with Sardinia?
"When I was a player, I used to spend my summer holidays on the Costa Smeralda. Now I'm back to present my book, but I'll only be staying in Arborea for two days."
Has he ever been linked with Cagliari?
"It's a hot spot, I would have liked that. I also see that they're doing very well with young players. If they continue like this, I don't think there will be any problems with staying up."
Rather, does he know that Sant'Elia, where he often played as an opponent, is a ruin?
"It's a sign of the times, but I'm sure that an important municipality like Cagliari will soon build a new stadium."
What do you remember about Cagliari as a player?
"It wasn't an easy pitch; the rossoblù have always been a tough team. I remember when I played at the Sant'Elia against Genoa and Juventus: even when we won, we had to work hard."
