Antonio Cabrini

FIFA.com:What are your childhood memories of the FIFA World Cup? Did you watch them on television?
Antonio Cabrini: I remember the one in Mexico, back in 1970. This was the first World Cup that I watched. I remember the 4-1 victory of Brazil's great team, with Pele. That was a fantastic Brazilian side, and a great Italian one too, but there was no stopping Brazil on that occasion.

As an aspiring footballer, what did the FIFA World Cup mean to you as a competition, when compared to other tournaments?
Unlike club competitions, the World Cup is a rare event. With your club you frequently get to take part in tournaments, but you might only get one chance to play in a World Cup. I played in three, but you could go your whole career and only play in one. So you know it's a very special event, a fundamental step in your career, and you also know it has a very limited duration, so in the course of one month you have to be in the best physical and mental shape possible.

Do you remember your debut at the FIFA World Cup? If I am not mistaken, it was on 2 June 1978.
In Argentina, in 1978, Paolo Rossi and I got our first starts at the same time, against France. It was a rather unexpected beginning, as the decision to give us our debuts was only taken at the last minute. Bearzot also gave Maldera and Graziani their first breaks in this tournament. The coach really took chances. And those choices really paid off in the end, because we finished in the top-four, which was a great result. The coach had come in for a great deal of criticism from the Italian press and supporters, but we ended up performing really well. Not only did we finish in fourth place, we also played some of the best football at that World Cup.

Personally, how did you feel during your debut? Were you overawed or nervous?
I felt pretty cool, because just being part of that adventure was a great achievement in itself. When they select you, you may end up not playing at all, but it is already a great achievement. To be selected in the squad means you already have great value as a player. So I wasn't overawed. I felt ready to play in the World Cup. That came from youthful exuberance and the nonchalance I had as a young man. I could go out onto the pitch without a care in the world.

You mentioned Bearzot. We would have talked about him anyway, but let's take the opportunity now. Bearzot was a man who believed in his players. Aside from the impressive results he obtained, why do you think he is remembered as one of the great coaches?
He was a huge believer in the importance of the group. Before working on the technical and tactical aspects of a team and their ability to get great results on the field, he would take great care of the group. He placed great store on building personal rapport off the field. Bearzot was very gifted and capable, and could incorporate all the players into his side, creating a very relaxed atmosphere and a really great team.

So, could you tell us a little about the 1978 team, which laid the foundations for the side that would win the FIFA World Cup four years later. How was the atmosphere in the squad? Who were you friends with?
The team was principally made up of two groups, with many of the players, including Rossi, Antognoni and others, all playing in Turin. There was some healthy competition between us Bianconero (Juventus) lads and those from Torino. Bearzot had a lot of faith in the Juventus side that had just won the Italian championship.
The seeds of some long-lasting friendships were sown there, with people like Graziani, Altobelli and others. You have to realize that over the course of the month, club allegiances faded away and allowed for friendship between players who normally wouldn't see much of each other. In fact, that month together gave us the chance to get to know each other better and appreciate human qualities in colleagues that you mightn't have expected to see.

How did it feel pulling on the colours of the Azzurri? Did you feel especially motivated, given all it represents?
Being in the team motivated all of us, as it was both an end in itself and a starting point on the road to becoming an integral part of the squad. It goes without saying that international games were always very heartfelt affairs.

What do you remember in particular about the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina? Did you believe the team would do as well as it did, contesting the match for third place?
Well, in our opening game, against France, we conceded an early goal, which was probably the toughest experience of all, because we'd just got going. We were pitted against a very, very strong French side, so that was our hardest game at that World Cup. But we fought back to win the game and that gave us a lot of self-belief. After that we beat Argentina, who were the host country. We knew we were a very strong team and that we were good players. We believed in our strength until the match against the Netherlands, which was [effectively] the semi-final. Maybe we didn't believe enough to get to the Final. We probably realised later that we could have made it.

So what are your regrets looking back on that tournament?
Not having understood right away that this team's strength could have carried us through to the Final.

Let's move on to 1982, which was the last FIFA World Cup Italy won before 2006. You started rather shakily, drawing with Poland and Peru. What happened in that group, and did you fear the team's Spanish adventure would come to a premature end?
Our start at the World Cup was very laboured, and we came in for a lot of criticism from the public and, of course, the press.

Tardelli told us about the huge tension between the players and the media. Why did that come about?
Firstly because in every World Cup you have to make choices that the public and the press won't understand. It's only natural. Bearzot's choices gave the team great potential, but we weren't playing good football. It depends a lot on the circumstances of the games. Italy lost out to Yugoslavia (for top spot in their qualifying group), so the public were very sceptical.

Is it true that there were accusations and even insults from the media, for example against some of the players' wives in Spain ?
No. There was a tongue-in-cheek article written at the start of the tournament, but then the media picked up on it and really laid into Paolo Rossi and I. That led to the famous standoff with the press. The critics were ferocious, and that left us no choice but to refuse to talk to the press for the remainder of the World Cup.

Did it make you more determined to prove people wrong?
The whole team decided to isolate itself, because we wanted to cut ourselves off, not just from the press, but from everything and everyone. We wanted to ease the pressure for a while, to detach ourselves and stay out of sight, so we'd have a chance to compose ourselves.

Was anger part of the equation, and did you want to take revenge on the field, to prove the media wrong?
No, I was never at war with the press. We didn't play because we were angry with them. We played for ourselves, maybe to prove to ourselves we were a team capable of facing up to great challenges. Then, after qualifying from the [first] group phase, we found ourselves in a very tough group with Argentina and Brazil, in which we were considered the underdogs. Maybe you could say we were brash or nonchalant, that we just went out and played, come what may. Then the good results started to come and, once that happened, all the criticism that had previously been levelled at us just disappeared.

You were modest enough not to mention the fact that during the Italy-Argentina match, one Antonio Cabrini scored. Can you still remember it?
I can, but it was the team's performance that made the goal possible. That side had amazing moral conviction, and it showed on the field.

What do you think was the difference between the 1978 squad and the one in 1982? What was the decisive factor in Italy becoming world champions?
We were more realistic in 1982. The team were stronger, faster and just more cynical, and we didn't allow opponents to take advantage of our mistakes.

Going back to the goal you scored against Argentina. Can you describe it for me?
Paolo Rossi ran through on goal, but their keeper managed to get a block on it. After a bit of confusion, the loose ball fell to Bruno Conti, who cut it back for me to run onto and score from close range. It wasn't the greatest goal to be honest.

How did you feel after scoring your first goal at a FIFA World Cup?
Well it's not my nature to get over-excited about victories or too depressed about defeats. I try to keep a balance.

What about the match against Brazil. Do you have any particular memories of that one?
In Brazil, we were facing a superb side. We took advantage of the fact that they viewed us as upstarts and inferior to them. When they finally realised the match wasn't going as they expected, it was too late. Maybe they were guilty of overconfidence. They got too careless by thinking they were the strongest and that they could win the match without breaking sweat.

Is it true that you feared the French the most at the 1982 FIFA World Cup?
France were the hardest team to beat. They were a fantastic side, with incredible players. Their fate was controversially sealed a few minutes from the end of their semi-final against Germany. I believe it would have been much harder for us to beat France than Germany in the Final.

Were you more fired up for some games, for example the Argentina one, or did you approach each match the same?
During the World Cup, you have to treat every opponent the same, whether it's Zico, Maradona or a complete unknown. You know that regardless of who he is, you'll be facing a quality player. So you definitely have to approach each opponent the same way.

Were you always in peak condition arriving at the FIFA World Cup, or were you ever exhausted after your domestic season?
I'd had enough time to recover before the Argentina and Spain World Cups. On both occasions I'd won the Serie A title beforehand, so that really boosted my morale.

Is it true Italy delayed their preparations for the 1982 finals so as not to peak too early? That would explain the disappointing first round.
No, that would be unthinkable. If you lose the first match at a World Cup you could be out. You must be at your absolute best.

From 2006 onwards, FIFA Official Partner Gillette will be sponsoring the Best Young Player Award at the FIFA World Cup. You will be pleased to hear that a panel came to the conclusion that, had the award existed in 1978 in Argentina, you would have received it.
Good, so people still remember me. In that World Cup I played well. I was lucky enough to have eight players who came from the same club as me, so it wasn't too difficult to feel at ease in the team.

What do you think of this initiative to give an award to the FIFA World Cup's best young player?
I think it's a great idea to give an award to exceptional players. Usually it's the same names all the time, with top strikers and goalscorers nominated. It's a good initiative, because it helps rising stars to establish themselves and could recognise less well-known players who perform really well, and not just the Maldinis or Tottis of this world. Moreover, players from lesser-known footballing countries will stand a chance - perhaps from Africa or Asia, regions that could become very important in world football.

Going back to the 1982 Final, was there a particular moment that sticks in your mind?
Running out in front of 90,000 people - many of them Italians - at the Bernabeu in Madrid. It almost felt like playing at home. There was also the knowledge that this might be your only Final. Even if there were another World Cup, there is no guarantee that you'd reach another Final. So we all knew it might be our only opportunity, a case of now or never. It was the chance of a lifetime.

Forgive us for bringing this up, but you did miss a penalty in that Final, didn't you?
That was a tough moment, and something I had to deal with. I can't really explain to you what it felt like, as you have to experience it to know.

Did you have to take the penalty?
Yes I did. Antognoni couldn't play, having injured himself in the Poland game, and so it fell to me as second-choice penalty-taker.

Did you decide where you wanted to put it at the last minute?
I changed my mind at the last moment and made a mistake. I was looking at one side, but the goalkeeper feinted in that direction. Because of that I adjusted the angle, and ended up hitting it wide.

Of course, the Final had a happy ending for you, so you got over the penalty miss I imagine?
I managed to because I was part of a group that ended up winning the World Cup. Everybody makes a mistake at one time or another, but I was champion of the world in spite of mine. But I haven't forgotten it, nobody could forget it.

When the referee blew the final whistle, can you remember where you were on the pitch? Did you fall to the ground, start crying, or give your team-mates a hug?
I celebrated, obviously, but what I most felt was relief. I felt I could at last unwind and let the adrenaline that had been coursing through my veins finally drain out of me. The significance of being world champion doesn't immediately sink in because you're under such physical and mental strain. That evening we knew we were world champions, but we didn't realise what this meant for the group, for the team and for the whole country. The realisation only came the next day when President Pertini flew over in the presidential plane to see us. Later when we got to the Ciampino airport, there were 40,000 people waiting for us. Then you realise. We began to understand what we had done, how important this victory had been, what winning meant for the country. Until then we just couldn't snap out of our trance and shake off our mental weariness.

Do you think a FIFA World Cup can change a country's history? Someone noted that after your win 'Made in Italy' products enjoyed a boom.
Yes, a World Cup can indeed change a country's history. Argentina's victory on home soil in 1978 provided some relief from the problems of the dictatorship and the 'disappeared'. The World Cup can make you forget about the worse things in a country.

Moving on to 1986, your third and least successful FIFA World Cup. What memories do you have of that one, and what went wrong?
Very few players from the 1982 side remained, and we didn't have the same bond with the new generation. That Italy side didn't have the necessary mental and technical ability to have a good tournament. We did make a good start, as some of the guys in the team were in very good shape, but other sides, like France, were much stronger than Italy. They also adapted much better to Mexico City's climate.

With the experience gained at the two previous FIFA World Cups, could you foresee that the 1986 squad would have problems?
Well, when you go to a World Cup, you can't guess who is the strongest. But when we got there we realised the necessary fortitude wasn't there. We were a good team and maybe could have finished fourth if everything had gone well, but we were never going to make it to the Final.

I forgot to ask you earlier if you remembered the moment you raised the trophy in 1982? At what point did the Trophy come to you?
I think I was seventh in line.

Were you anxious to raise the Trophy or maybe fascinated by it?
It might surprise you to hear, but I didn't enjoy it that much. Maybe I enjoyed it more the day after. But right at that moment, I found it rather mechanical. What I experienced on the pitch felt more real than raising a trophy in front of the television cameras. When we all raised the Trophy it felt a bit mechanical.

We have something here...
[Holding the Trophy] Is it the real one? Fantastic. I remembered it as being bigger. It's beautiful.

Did you kiss the Trophy back then?
Yes I did.

If you saw it being displayed in a museum, what would you think of it as an object?
Well, I guess I'd think of it as an object with great meaning, great value, like the Gioconda (Mona Lisa), which was painted some 300 years ago but still fascinates everyone. Seeing it showcased in a museum would mean it has great significance. I feel good because I was one of the few people lucky enough to lift this Cup. I held it in my hands. I won it, and that was an important event for Italian football. It's like a country's national anthem. The World Cup is the ultimate symbol of world football.

As you know, this Cup is one of the world's most famous trophies, and even people who don't care about football recognise it. Why do you think is it so popular?
Because, as I said, football is a very popular sport, and has actually saved governments in many countries around the world. That means that football has a huge following in almost every country. Football is a sport that unites many nations, and this trophy is the visualisation of an unforgettable championship. It's a testimony to how important it is. I wonder what the next cup will be like?

It will be this one.
I thought they'd changed it.

No, it is hugely popular and will continue to be the FIFA World Cup.
It certainly is a good idea to show this ball being lifted, and have it in the form of a globe.

Does holding it again bring back the memories?
Many years have passed since I last saw it, and I couldn't quite remember its weight or size. It brings me back to the old days of Italian football.

Will that famous day in July 1982 remain with you forever?
I will never forget it because it made me realise I'd reached the top, met a great challenge and achieved the ultimate accolade in my profession. You realise that you are and always will be a one of a very select few. In our case we were 22 guys, not 25, not 40, and we will always remain 22. That's now part of our history. I feel proud of this group, because it gave rise to some great friendships. It was a victory not for the team but for the whole group, and it will always remain that way. Nothing has matched it since then.