Marco Tardelli: He defied his parents wishes to study and became a footballer instead, creating one of the greatest goal celebrations of all-time in the 1982 World Cup final
Wheeling away in ecstasy after netting against West Germany, Tardelli's infamous goal celebration is an iconic World Cup moment he relives in book GOAL!
THERE was a reason he was nicknamed "Schizzo" by his teammates.
Roughly translated as 'darter' or 'dasher', that was exactly how Marco Tardelli was during the 1982 World Cup in Spain - much to the annoyance of Claudio Gentile.
The famed defender was supposed to share a room with Tardelli while at the tournament, but moved because he couldn't get any sleep with his active roommate buzzing around their hotel digs.
But Tardelli's energy was soon to become evident to all football fans in the form of the most famous goal celebration of all time.
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That's right, you already know it. After striking a shot on the half-volley on the stretch in the final against West Germany his face couldn't hide his delight.
Punching the air while running at full pelt, his teammates couldn't catch him as he wheeled away.
Reliving his glory in the book GOAL!, Tardelli recalled that magical moment.
But when he started the tournament, it was enough that hard man Gentile didn't deck him for disrupting the centre half's sleep!
“I arrived in Spain in ‘82 in bad shape, because I was very tired by the end of the season, plus in ‘82 I was coming back from an injury," he said.
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"At first, I shared a room with (Claudio) Gentile but he only stayed two nights because I never slept and I got on his nerves in the room.
“The night before the final was like any other night. I went to (Dino) Zoff and (Gaetano) Scirea’s room to talk and calm down, but I couldn’t sleep.
'It changed his life because it was like a spiritual experience'
FAMED PHOTO-JOURNALIST Michael Donald tracked down all the living World Cup final goalscorers to put together GOAL!, a book celebrating the greatest football competition in the world.
He spoke with Marco Tardelli, famous for the most iconic goal celebration of all time after finding the net against West Germany in 1982.
"When people always ask me, 'What's it like to score in a World Cup final', I'll say, 'Watch Marco Tardelli's celebration against Germany," Michael revealed.
"When he turns away, you can see how it dawns on him that he scored a World Cup final goal.
"He was living in West London, and he was coaching at Republic of Ireland at the time when we interviewed him.
"When he scored that goal, he felt like he was on his own, in a state of euphoria and it was quiet.
"It changed his life, he said, because it was like a spiritual experience."He viewed his life in terms of before and after that goal."
"I really thought about everything that had happened to my life: my mother who didn’t want me to play, my brothers who helped me to play … All sorts of things come into your mind then … even thoughts of funny things: if I won the World Cup, would my friends back at home still talk to me."
But Tardelli needn't have worried. The Italians marched onwards to the final after defeating the likes of Brazil, Argentina and Poland along the way.
They faced off against a West Germany side packed full of stars, including the likes of Paul Breitner, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Klaus Fischer and Pierre Littbarski.
Italy ran out 3-1 winners though, with Tardelli scoring their second goal. It's something he'll never forget.
“I remember very well actually striking my goal. I was lucky I was in the right place and was able to put it in the back of the net.
"It was Scirea who gave me that lovely pass. I could kiss him - he’s in heaven now but it will still get there."
And cue the most passionate display of celebrating a goal ever.
“I believe when someone scores a goal in a World Cup Final there is never an exaggerated way to celebrate. I think in that moment I went beyond madness," he admitted.
“I saw the ball go in the net. And when I saw it … it was incredible. One thing I did feel though - among all those people, my team-mates, in that moment I isolated myself.
“I believe when someone scores a goal in a World Cup Final there is never an exaggerated way to celebrate.
Marco Tardelli, GOAL!
"It was a feeling I’d never had before but in that moment when I scored I was completely alone … and during the celebration too.
"It was a very personal thing. I couldn’t hear a thing - there was no one around me anymore. It was like being in a silent film.
“A lot of things went through my mind … because you see your life, you see all the sacrifices you made.
"Certainly, when I scored, I saw my youth, my parents, my brothers, all the things I’d gone through to reach that moment.
“What has remained inside of me is this solitude. It’s not a solitude that implies unhappiness. Instead, it was absolute ecstasy, happiness lived out alone.
"I was with the others but I was alone because I couldn’t hear anything … It’s difficult to describe. It’s true - there is no doubt that a man is born alone and dies alone."
© Michael Donald 2017
GOAL! by Michael Donald is published by Hamlyn, £20 (