Biography
Who is Francesco Graziani?
Early life and playing career
Francesco Graziani was born in Subiaco, Italy. He began his professional football path with the club Arezzo in 1970. He soon transitioned to Torino in 1973, where he played for eight seasons. During his time at Torino, he formed a famous attacking partnership with Paolo Pulici, commonly referred to as the Goal twins. He secured the Serie A title with Torino in the 1975 to 1976 season.
As an individual performer, he gained recognition as the top goalscorer in Serie A during the 1976 to 1977 season with 21 goals. Throughout his tenure at the Torinese club, he scored 122 goals across 289 total matches. He departed Torino in 1981 to join ACF Fiorentina for two seasons, where the team finished as runners-up for the league title in the 1981 to 1982 campaign.
Success with Roma and Italy
In 1983, Francesco Graziani signed with AS Roma. His time there included winning the Coppa Italia twice, in 1984 and 1986. He also helped the team reach the 1984 European Cup final against Liverpool. Following his period at Roma, he played for two seasons with Udinese before a brief stint with the Australian club APIA Leichhardt. He officially retired from professional play in 1988, finishing his domestic career with 130 goals in Serie A.
On the international stage, he was a key figure for Italy. He played in the 1978 FIFA World Cup and the 1980 European Championship, helping Italy to fourth-place finishes in both tournaments. His most significant achievement was winning the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He scored a crucial goal against Cameroon during the group stage. Although he started the final against West Germany, he left the match early due to a shoulder injury. He retired from international duty with 64 caps and 23 goals.
Coaching and later career
After his playing days, Francesco Graziani moved into coaching. He managed Fiorentina during the 1989 to 1990 season, leading them to the UEFA Cup final that year. He held coaching positions at Reggina in 1990 and Avellino in 1993. Later, he took charge of Catania and helped the team achieve promotion to Serie B.
In the 2003 to 2004 season, he coached Montevarchi in Serie C2. Between 2004 and 2006, he led the amateur club Cervia, which gained attention through the reality show Campioni. He guided that team to promotion into Serie D. Outside of coaching, he has worked as a football pundit for the broadcaster Mediaset.
Birthday and age
Francesco Graziani was born on December 16, 1952, which makes Francesco 73 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Francesco shares the date with 57 other famous people.
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