Biography
Who is Daniel Passarella?
Early life and career
Daniel Passarella was born on May 25, 1953, in Chacabuco, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He began his senior club career playing for Sarmiento of Junín in 1971. After two years with the club, he moved to River Plate in 1973, where he established himself as a prominent defender.
During his time with River Plate, his strong performances led to regular call-ups to the Argentina national football team. He quickly became known for his leadership, organisational prowess on the field, and his ability to join the attack from his central defensive position.
Playing career in Europe
Following his performances at the 1982 World Cup, Daniel Passarella transferred to the Italian Serie A side Fiorentina in the summer of 1982. During the 1985-86 season at the Italian club, he scored 11 goals, setting a temporary scoring record for a defender in the league.
In 1986, he moved to Internazionale, where he concluded his playing stint in Italy in 1988. Following this successful spell in Europe, he returned to River Plate in Argentina, where he continued to play until his eventual retirement from professional football.
International success
Daniel Passarella achieved major success on the international stage with the Argentina national football team. He captained his country to victory at the 1978 World Cup, which was hosted in Argentina, becoming the first Argentine player to hold the trophy after the final.
Although he was part of the squad that won the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, a bout of enterocolitis prevented him from playing in any matches during the tournament. Despite missing the games on the pitch, he remains the only Argentine player to earn two World Cup-winning medals.
Coaching and administrative career
After finishing his playing career, Daniel Passarella transitioned into management. He returned to River Plate as a manager, guiding the club to three national championships. He was later appointed as the coach of the Argentina national team in 1994, leading the squad through the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification and tournament.
His managerial career also included coaching the Uruguay national team, Italian club Parma, Mexican side Monterrey, and Brazilian club Corinthians. In December 2009, he was elected as the president of River Plate, serving in the administrative role for four years.
Birthday and age
Daniel Passarella was born on May 25, 1953, which makes Daniel 73 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Daniel shares the date with 29 other famous people.
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