Comunardo Niccolai

Comunardo Niccolai (Italian pronunciation: [komuˈnardo nikkoˈlai]; born 15 December 1946) is an Italian former footballer, who played as a defender.

Comunardo Niccolai
Ferrante in the 1969–70 A.C. Cagliari Calcio season
Personal information
Full name Comunardo Niccolai
Date of birth (1946-12-15) 15 December 1946
Place of birth Uzzano, Italy
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1963–1964 Torres 22 (0)
1964–1976 Cagliari 218 (4)
1976–1977 Perugia 7 (0)
1977–1978 Prato 4 (0)
Total 251 (4)
International career
1970 Italy 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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 football 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

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

Honours

Club
Cagliari[3]

International
Italy[7]

References
  1. Vittore Trabucco (4 July 2014). "MOSE GALAN COME NICCOLAI Comunardo Niccolai, arcigno difensore del Cagliari" (in Italian). Il Gazzettino. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  2. Nanni Boi (29 May 2003). "Niccolai, autogol alla Sivori" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  3. Federico Ventagliò (19 November 2012). "ESCLUSIVA TC - Comunardo Niccolai: "I miei bellissimi autogol"" (in Italian). Tutto Cagliari. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  4. "Storia dell'autogol" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  5. "Niccolai, Cumunardo" (in Italian). FIGC. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  6. Nanni Boi (16 December 2013). "I 5 gol veri di Niccolai che finì in nazionale per due autoreti non sue" (in Italian). Tiscali. Archived from the original on 2 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  7. Sebastiano Vernazza (10 March 2007). "Niccolai, artista dell'autogol" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  8. "COMUNARDO NICCOLAI". FIGC. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  9. "Raffaelli, il talent scout dei giovani" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 10 June 2003. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
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