Gaetano Scirea was born in Cernusco sul Naviglio (Milan), on May 25, 1953.
From the age of 10 to 14 he played as a forward for Serenissima S. Pio X in Cinisello Balsamo before moving to professional club Atalanta's youth sector. There he started as winger, then moved to midfield and finally, with U19's coach Ilario Castagner, to "libero" (sweeper).
He then made his debut for Atalanta's first team on September 24 1972. In his first season he played 20 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia under Giulio Corsini but the Orobici were relegated on goal difference.
In the following year, first under Corsini and then Heriberto Herrera the Nerazzurri finished 11th. Scirea played 38 league games with 1 goal (Brindisi) and 10 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (winner against Inter).
In 1974 he joined Juventus. He would stay fourteen seasons and become a club legend. He played a total of 554 games (377 in A) and scored 32 goals (24 in A). He won the Scudetto 7 times, the Coppa Italia twice, the European Cup, the UEFA Cup, the Cup Winners Cup, tne UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
His managers were Carlo Parola (1974-76), Giovanni Trapattoni (1976-86) and Rino Marchesi (1986-88).
He won 78 caps for Italy (10 as captain) and scored 2 goals (Greece, Poland). He was one of the main protagonists in Italy's World Cup triumph in "España 82". He made up the defence with his Juventus teammates Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile and Antonio Cabrini plus Fulvio Collovati.
When he retired at the end of the 1987-88 season, he became assistant manager to Dino Zoff. In early September at the beginning of his second season he went on a trip to Poland to watch Juventus' next opponents Gornik Zabrze. Both he and Zoff were not altogether convinced of this necessity as the Poles were clearly not much of a threat to the Bianconeri. Fact was the directors deemed it useful so Scirea went. On his way back to Warsaw airport, to catch his flight to Turin, the car he was travelling in with a local driver, an interpreter and a Gornik director was involved in an accident. The car caught fire and Scirea died later in hospital from severe burns (also due to the four extra barrels of petrol they were transporting in case of emergency). A huge tragedy and a terrible loss for Italian football.
Scirea is considered one of the greatest defenders of all time. He was a modern player with a great tackle, excellent vision, tactical intelligence and technique, helped by the fact he had started further up field. He was a playmaker from the defensive line and then often followed the move up front (see Italy's second goal in 1982 World Cup final vs Germany as an example). His style was pure elegance in the Franz Beckenbauer mould.
He was also a true gentleman. A quiet, down to earth character off the field he was never involved in any controversy on the field. He was never sent off in his long career, a rarity for a defender. He was a clean and correct player and considered an example of sportsmanship.
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