Mario Bertini
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Personal information | |||
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Date of birth | 7 January 1944 | ||
Place of birth | Prato, Italy | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1962–1963 | Prato | 3 | (0) |
1963–1964 | Empoli | 31 | (7) |
1964–1968 | Fiorentina | 97 | (12) |
1968–1977 | Inter | 211 | (31) |
1977–1978 | Rimini | 22 | (0) |
International career | |||
1966–1972 | Italy | 25 | (2) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Mario Bertini (born 7 January 1944) is a former Italian footballer defender and midfielder. Throughout his career Bertini played for Italian clubs Empoli, Fiorentina, Inter Milan, Prato, and Rimini; he spent nine seasons with Inter, winning a Serie A title in 1971. At international level, he represented the Italy national football team on 25 occasions between 1966 and 1972, scoring twice, and was a member of the team that reached the 1970 FIFA World Cup Final.
Club career
During his Serie A club career, Bertini played for several Italian teams: Empoli (1963–64), Fiorentina (1964–68), and most notably Inter Milan (1968–77), where he remained for nine seasons, winning the Scudetto in 1971; he had previously also won a Coppa Italia and a Mitropa Cup double with Fiorentina in 1966. He also won the Serie C in 1963 whilst playing with Prato for a season (1962–63). He ended his career in Serie B, in 1978, after a season with Rimini (1977–78).
International career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Italy_Team_-_Rome%2C_1969.jpg/220px-Italy_Team_-_Rome%2C_1969.jpg)
Bertini earned 25 caps for the Italy national football team between 1966 and 1972,[1] and he played in the 1970 FIFA World Cup, where he wore the number 10 shirt,[2] as Italy managed a second-place finish. In the final, he marked Pelé in his movements in depth outside the area, although Brazil eventually defeated Italy 4–1.[3]
Style of play
A quick and hard-working defensive midfielder, Bertini was mainly known for his stamina, strength, and tackling abilities, and was also capable of playing as a defender; although he primarily served as a ball-winner, he was also known for his eye for goal from midfield, due to his powerful striking ability from distance, as well as his accuracy from penalties and ability to make attacking runs.[2][4]
Honours
Club
- Coppa Italia: 1965–66
- Mitropa Cup: 1966
References
- ^ Nazionale in cifre – FIGC – Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio. Figc.it. Retrieved on 11 July 2015.
- ^ a b Kevin Pogorzelski (2 June 2016). "Italy's No.10 tasked with proving skeptics wrong". La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
- ^ Mario Bertini Statistics FIFA. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ Filippo Nassetti (31 March 2016). "Bagni: "I miei 5 mediani scudettati per 50 anni di Inter"" (in Italian). Panorama.it. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
- 1944 births
- Living people
- Italian footballers
- Italy international footballers
- 1970 FIFA World Cup players
- Empoli F.C. players
- ACF Fiorentina players
- Inter Milan players
- People from Prato
- Italian football defender stubs
- Italian football midfielder stubs
- Association football midfielders
- Association football defenders