Happy Birthday to Francesco Graziani

Legendary Italian striker Francesco Graziani celebrates his 71st birthday today. Having worn the jerseys of notable clubs such as Torino and Roma, Graziani is a well-known figure in Italian football.

Younger generations may recognise him from his television appearances, his forthright comments, and his signature flamboyant jackets. Older fans will recall him as a generously committed, prolific goal-scorer, particularly during his time with Torino where he secured the top-scorer title. In a recent interview with Up Magazine Arezzo – in Graziani’s current hometown and his first team – Graziani said that the achievement remains one of his proudest moments.

“It’s true, it’s a personal award, but I won it thanks to the entire team,” Graziani said. “Paolo Pulici and I formed a perfectly assorted attacking pair, and we had Claudio Sala inspiring us. Pulici won the title the year before, then it was my turn. It was known as the Chevron award back then, awarded to the player with the best scoring average. It was an intense joy. At that point, I realised I had entered the ranks of the greatest. But let me be clear: a striker must be selfish to the extent that his decisions should not harm the team. I hope I was, in that sense, a great striker.”

Christian Panucci, a later generation footballer, also offered one of the highest compliments, expressing admiration for Graziani during the last Champions League final on Sportmediaset, “Inter needed to play a smart game and they did. It was perfect. If Ciccio Graziani was in Lukaku’s place, he would have put it in.”

Graziani, popularly known as Ciccio, often speaks highly of his former clubs. Recalling his time with Torino, he expressed his favour for a two-striker formation in an interview with La Stampa, implicitly lauding the Granata’s recent 3-0 victory over Atalanta. “It’s great to see Toro with two forwards. That is the right way, I speak from personal experience. An excellent sign for the future, the Granata have been climbing the ranks since adopting this formula. I am happy that Juric has revised his football idea because having two forwards brings great advantages.”

Graziani was also vocal about his intense rivalry with Juventus when he commented on Luna TV: “When Juventus loses, I enjoy it. Before looking at the results of my heart’s teams, those I played for, I look at what Mr. Max Allegri’s team has done. When they lose, I enjoy it; I can’t help it. I am sorry for the Old Lady fans, but that is the truth.”

The memory of the missed penalty in the Champions League final against Liverpool continues to persist for Graziani, now playing for Roma. He spoke openly of how he always feels he’d let down many people who wanted to win when a penalty is missed.

To conclude, Graziani reflected on his triumph at the 1982 Spain World Cup while addressing participants at his academy. “If I have to remember something about that team, it’s that we weren’t aware of how strong we were. But comparing with today’s players, let me tell you, that was an excellent team. The World Cup was a marvellous experience,” he said. “Of course, leaving the pitch after just eight minutes due to injury in the final against Germany wasn’t pleasing, but you also have to take that into account in football”.

Even at 71, Graziani remains an influential figure in Italian football and the wider sporting world. Here’s to many more years.