Tarcisio Burgnich, one of the best defenders in the history of Italian football, European champion with the national team in 1968 and World Cup runner-up in 1970, died during the night at the age of 82. FIGC President Gabriele Gravina commented “A great champion of Europe has left us. His death is yet another wound inflicted on the hearts of the Azzurri fans and all football fans. With his strength and his determination, he wrote beautiful chapters in the history of Italian football”.

A minute’s silence will be observed in his memory ahead of the friendly between Italy and San Marino which is scheduled for Friday at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari, and at all other championship matches scheduled this week in Italy.

Nicknamed 'the Rock' for his physical prowess and for his ability to mark his opponent, Burgnich wore the jerseys of Udinese, Juventus, Palermo, Inter and Napoli, winning two Champions’ Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, five Scudetti and a Coppa Italia. He made 66 appearances with the national team, scoring two goals, becoming a European Champion in 1968 and World Cup runner-up in 1970. He scored an unforgettable goal to make it 2-2 in the semi-final with Germany, a match which was won 4-3 by the Azzurri and that has been often referred to as 'The Match of the Century'.

At the end of the 1970s, he embarked on a coaching career, making his debut at Bologna in the 1981/82 season. He had the honour of giving a debut to the current national team Coach Roberto Mancini. In addition to Bologna, he led Livorno, Catanzaro, Como, Genoa, Vicenza, Cremonese, Salernitana, Foggia, Lucchese and Ternana, until his final coaching experience in 2001, with Pescara.