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Giuseppe Bergomi (born 22 December 1963) is a former Italian footballer, who spent his entire career at Internazionale Milano. He currently holds the record of most appearances for the club, having enjoyed 19 seasons with the same team.

Equally at ease as a centre or right back, he was also a key member of the Italian national team in the 1980s and 1990s.

He is affectionately referred to as "Lo zio" ("the uncle") because of the impressive moustache he wore, even as a 18-year old in the 1982 World Cup. Also considered one of the greatest defenders in the history of the game, he was also dubbed "Il Capitano" ("the captain").

Football career

Born in Milan, Bergomi made his professional debut in the 1980–81 season, at the age of 17. The 19 seasons he went on to spend with his sole club, Inter Milan, were often in the shadow of A.C. Milan, as he only won the scudetto once, in 1989 (he did win the UEFA Cup on three occasions). For a moment in his career, he held the records for both the most appearances in European competition by an Italian player and the most Milan derbies played, both broken by Paolo Maldini.^[1][2]

With the national team, Bergomi won the 1982 FIFA World Cup, and also played in the 1986 and 1990 campaigns, as well as UEFA Euro 1988. After being sent off in a match against Norway in an Euro 1992 qualifier, Bergomi spent years without getting a callback to the Azzurri, but received a surprise recall for the 1998 World Cup, at nearly 35,^[3] after playing 28 times in the league and leading the Nerazzurri to the UEFA Cup - his third and last.

He retired in 1999 at almost 36, with a total of 81 appearances for his country, subsequently working as a football pundit for Italian satellite television Sky Italia, and commented Italy's matches in the 2006 FIFA World Cup together with Fabio Caressa.

Bergomi was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.^[4]

Club statistics

Honours

Club

• Italian League: 1988–89
• Italian Cup: 1981–82
• Italian Supercup: 1989
• UEFA Cup: 1990–91, 1993–94, 1997–98

Country

• FIFA World Cup: 1982; Third place 1990

See also

• List of one-club men

References

External links

• National team data (Italian)
• NationalFootballTeams data

Italy squads Italy squad – 1982 FIFA World Cup Winners (3rd Title) 1 Zoff • 2 Baresi • 3 Bergomi • 4 Cabrini • 5 Collovati • 6 Gentile • 7 Scirea • 8 Vierchowod • 9 Antognoni • 10 Dossena • 11 Marini • 12 Bordon • 13 Oriali • 14 Tardelli • 15 Causio • 16 Conti • 17 Massaro • 18 Altobelli • 19 Graziani • 20 Rossi • 21 Selvaggi • 22 Galli • Coach: Bearzot Italy squad – 1986 FIFA World Cup 1 Galli • 2 Bergomi • 3 Cabrini • 4 Collovati • 5 Nela • 6 Scirea • 7 Tricella • 8 Vierchowod • 9 Ancelotti • 10 Bagni • 11 Baresi • 12 Tancredi • 13 De Napoli • 14 Di Gennaro • 15 Tardelli • 16 Conti • 17 Vialli • 18 Altobelli • 19 Galderisi • 20 Rossi • 21 Serena • 22 Zenga • Coach: Bearzot Italy squad – UEFA Euro 1988 semi-finalists 1 Zenga • 2 Baresi • 3 Bergomi • 4 Cravero • 5 Ferrara • 6 Ferri • 7 Francini • 8 Maldini • 9 Ancelotti • 10 De Agostini • 11 De Napoli • 12 Tacconi • 13 Fusi • 14 Giannini • 15 Romano • 16 Altobelli • 17 Donadoni • 18 Mancini • 19 Rizzitelli • 20 Vialli • Coach: Vicini Italy squad – 1990 FIFA World Cup Third Place 1 Zenga • 2 Baresi • 3 Bergomi • 4 De Agostini • 5 Ferrara • 6 Ferri • 7 Maldini • 8 Vierchowod • 9 Ancelotti • 10 Berti • 11 De Napoli • 12 Tacconi • 13 Giannini • 14 Marocchi • 15 Baggio • 16 Carnevale • 17 Donadoni • 18 Mancini • 19 Schillaci • 20 Serena • 21 Vialli • 22 Pagliuca • Coach: Vicini Italy squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup 1 Toldo • 2 Bergomi • 3 P. Maldini • 4 Cannavaro • 5 Costacurta • 6 Nesta • 7 Pessotto • 8 Torricelli • 9 Albertini • 10 Del Piero • 11 D. Baggio • 12 Pagliuca • 13 Cois • 14 Di Biagio • 15 Di Livio • 16 Di Matteo • 17 Moriero • 18 R. Baggio • 19 Inzaghi • 20 Chiesa • 21 Vieri • 22 Buffon • Coach: C. Maldini