Comunardo Niccolai Explained

Comunardo Niccolai
Birth Date:15 December 1946
Birth Place:Uzzano, Italy
Death Place:Pistoia, Italy
Height:1.77 m
Position:Centre-back
Years1:1963–1964
Clubs1:Torres
Caps1:22
Goals1:0
Years2:1964–1976
Clubs2:Cagliari
Caps2:218
Goals2:4
Years3:1976–1977
Clubs3:Perugia
Caps3:7
Goals3:0
Years4:1977–1978
Clubs4:Prato
Caps4:4
Goals4:0
Totalcaps:251
Totalgoals:4
Nationalyears1:1970
Nationalteam1:Italy
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0

Comunardo Niccolai (pronounced as /it/; 15 December 1946 – 2 July 2024) was an Italian footballer, who played as a defender.

Club career

A tough, physically strong centre-back,[1] Niccolai initially began his career with Torres in 1963,[2] before joining Cagliari Calcio, where he played from 1964 to 1976, winning the only Serie A championship in the club's entire club history in 1970.[3] He ended his career in 1977 with Perugia.[2] Niccolai played 218 Serie A matches,[2] and is still remembered today for his proneness to score own goals, including some very spectacular ones.[4]

International career

Niccolai made three appearances for the Italy national team in 1970, and represented the team at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, where he won a runners-up medal; he only appeared in Italy's opening group match, a 1–0 win against Sweden on 3 June, as he was replaced by Roberto Rosato in the 37th minute, after sustaining an injury which kept him out of the remainder of the tournament.[5] [6] This led his Cagliari coach Manlio Scopigno to declare: "I could expect everything from my life, but to see Niccolai in international telecast".[7]

After retirement

Niccolai worked with the Italian Football Federation as national team scout.[8] He also worked as a youth coach for the Cagliari under-18 side.[9]

Niccolai died on 2 July 2024, at the age of 77.[10] [11]

Honours

Cagliari[3]

Italy[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MOSE GALAN COME NICCOLAI Comunardo Niccolai, arcigno difensore del Cagliari. Il Gazzettino. Italian. Vittore Trabucco. 4 July 2014. 22 November 2015. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053633/http://www.ilgazzettino.it/PAY/NAZIONALE_PAY/mose_galan_come_niccolai_comunardo_niccolai_arcigno_difensore_del_cagliari/notizie/779811.shtml. live.
  2. Web site: Niccolai, autogol alla Sivori. La Repubblica. Italian. Nanni Boi. 29 May 2003. 22 November 2015. 9 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160309021128/http://ricerca.gelocal.it/lanuovasardegna/archivio/lanuovasardegna/2003/05/29/SY3PO_SY301.html. dead.
  3. Web site: ESCLUSIVA TC - Comunardo Niccolai: "I miei bellissimi autogol". Tutto Cagliari. Italian. Federico Ventagliò. 19 November 2012. 22 November 2015. 30 May 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160530024250/http://www.tuttocagliari.net/primo-piano/esclusiva-tc-comunardo-niccolai-i-miei-bellissimi-autogol-16622/. live.
  4. Web site: Storia dell'autogol. Storie di Calcio. Italian. 22 November 2015.
  5. Web site: Niccolai, Cumunardo. FIGC. Italian. 22 November 2015. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195837/http://www.figc.it/nazionali/DettaglioConvocato?codiceConvocato=746&squadra=1. live.
  6. Web site: I 5 gol veri di Niccolai che finì in nazionale per due autoreti non sue. Tiscali. Nanni Boi. Italian. 16 December 2013. 22 November 2015. dead. https://archive.today/20161102221948/http://sport.tiscali.it/socialnews/Boi/10755/articoli/I-5-gol-veri-di-Niccolai-che-fin-in-nazionale-per-due-autoreti-non-sue.html. 2 November 2016.
  7. Web site: Niccolai, artista dell'autogol. La Gazzetta dello Sport. Italian. Sebastiano Vernazza. 10 March 2007. 22 November 2015. 16 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170416083016/http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Altro_Calcio/Primo_Piano/2007/03_Marzo/10/niccolai.shtml. live.
  8. Web site: COMUNARDO NICCOLAI. FIGC. 22 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074532/http://gallery.figc.it/speciale_world_cup_2002/vers_ingl/html/niccolai.htm. 4 March 2016. dead.
  9. Web site: Raffaelli, il talent scout dei giovani. La Repubblica. Italian. 10 June 2003. 22 November 2015. 6 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160306083203/http://ricerca.gelocal.it/iltirreno/archivio/iltirreno/2003/06/10/LVSPO_LVS04.html?refresh_ce. dead.
  10. Web site: È morto Comunardo Niccolai, campione del Cagliari dello scudetto . La Nuova Sardegna . 2 July 2024 . 2 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240702064045/https://www.lanuovasardegna.it/sport/2024/07/02/news/addio-a-comunardo-nicolai-campione-del-cagliari-dello-scudetto-1.100547751 . live .
  11. Web site: Comunardo Niccolai è morto: re degli autogol, vinse lo scudetto con il Cagliari . Corriere della Sera . 2 July 2024 . 5 July 2024.

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