Rava, Pietro (Cassine, 20/1/16)
A marauding left-back, he made his name with Juventus between 1935 and 1950 playing almost 300 times for the Turin side. Italy also capped him 30 times including a World Cup winning appearance in the 1938 Final in France. Despite not being rated as highly as another full-back of the day, Eraldo Monzeglio, he enjoyed a long and glorious career for both club and country.
Ravanelli, Fabrizio (Perugia, 11/12/68)
Juventus finally took a risk on the unfancied Serie B striker in 1992 and it paid off with both League and European glory. The silver-haired hitman went on for spells with Middlesbrough, Marseille, Derby County and Dundee with a cameo role in Lazio’s second Scudetto sandwiched in between. Returned to Perugia to bring the curtain down on an impressive career which included 22 Italy caps and eight international goals.
Re Cecconi, Luciano (Nerviano, 1/12/48. Died 1977)
One of the most gifted elements of Lazio’s championship winning team of the 1970s, he died in a tragic accident. He was mistaken by a jeweller for a robber and was shot. In his playing career he totalled 109 games for Lazio and won a couple of caps for Italy.
Recoba, Alvaro (Montevideo, Uruguay, 17/3/76)
His middle name should be “frustrating” for the inconsistency with which he displays his enormous talent. A favourite of Inter backer Massimo Moratti, he was signed in 1997 but has never quite made the impact his amazing left-foot should have provided. Indeed, his most productive Serie A season for goals came away from the Nerazzurri when he struck 11 in a loan spell at Venezia.
REGGIANA (Founded: 1919. Stadio Giglio - Capacity: 29,500)
Three seasons in the mid 1990s constitute their contribution to Serie A soccer. Their one survival season in 1993-94, when they were 13th, was their best-ever finish. Among their most famous names in their glory days were Juventus-bound hitman Michele Padovano and Portuguese star Paolo Futre, but prior to that the little Emilia Romagna side went almost unnoticed. Another side that has gone through financial collapse and now seeks rebirth in Serie C2.
REGGINA (Founded: 1914. Stadio Oreste Granillo - Capacity 27,454)
Now in their sixth Serie A season since making their debut in 1999, this has been the golden age for the little side from Reggio Calabria. They have never set their sights any higher than survival and have achieved it on a number of occasions. Their best ever season was probably 2004-05 where they managed an effective tie for tenth place after another campaign where hard graft was the order of the day.
Rideout, Paul (Bournemouth, England, 14/8/64)
Capturing the eye with Aston Villa was enough to persuade Bari to take a gamble on the English front man in 1985. His Serie A return was just six goals, but he stayed with the club in Serie B where he enjoyed a little more success - finding the net 17 times over two further seasons before heading back home for a lengthy career with, among others, Southampton, Everton and Tranmere Rovers.
Rigamonti, Mario (Brescia, 17/12/22 - Died 1949)
Another of the famous names to meet their death in the Superga air crash, he was a star of the Torino midfield throughout the 1940s. In his short career he was capped three times by Italy and won four Italian championships. The stadium in Brescia still carries the name of one of their most famous sons.
Rijkaard, Frank (Amsterdam, Holland, 30/9/62)
When the Italian frontiers opened to three foreign players in 1988 Milan had no hesitation in adding a third Dutchman to their already impressive duo of Marco Van Basten and Ruud Gullit. This strong but stylish midfielder was playing in Spain when the Rossoneri made their move for him. He stayed at the club for five successful seasons winning a range of honours including two European Cups, two World Club Cups and a couple of League titles. Now enjoying managerial success at the helm of Barcelona.
Riva, Luigi (Leggiuno, 7/11/44)
‘Rombo di tuono’ (Roll of thunder) wrote his name large in the legend books of Italian football despite playing at one of the peninsula’s most unfashionable clubs. He was spotted by Sardinian side Cagliari while a youngster at Legnano and they beat off some top competition to secure his signature in 1963. It was the beginning of a love affair that lasted 13 years and brought the island side their only championship win in 1970. His powerful left foot was feared by many a Serie A defence as he struck 156 goals in 289 Serie A games for the Rossoblu. Despite overtures from many big sides - most notably Juventus - he never moved from the team that stuck with him through injury. He was Italy’s top scorer on three separate occasions - 1967, ‘69 and ’70 - and he also finished his days with the national team as their most prolific player ever. His 35 strikes from 42 games is a record for the Azzurri to this day. His only other major honour came at international level where he helped Italy win their only European Nations title in 1968.
Rivera, Gianni (Alessandria, 18/8/43)
One of the most gifted Italian players of all time, he spent most of his career with Milan where he won no fewer than three League titles and two European Cups. A talented teenager with his hometown club of Alessandria, he made his Serie A debut before he had even turned 16 and was snapped up by the Milanese giants for 130 million lira in 1960. He then played more than 500 Serie A games for the club and struck 122 goals. But while the undisputed King of the San Siro, his role in the national team was the subject of greater debate. He picked up 60 caps, scoring 14 goals, but he paid heavily for the management’s inability to chose between him and Sandro Mazzola. His talents were still enough to help Italy to European Nations triumph in 1968 and the World Cup Final two years later. Rivera was also voted European Player of the Year in 1969, one of the few Italian players to achieve that honour. Despite his frail appearance he was a huge presence on the pitch with his defence splitting passes. A long career ended in 1979 before a move into politics beckoned.
Robotti, Enzo (Alessandria, 13/6/35)
A reliable full back he played more than 200 games for Fiorentina in the late 1950s and early 1960s, helping them to their Cup-Winners Cup win of 1961. He enjoyed shorter spells with Juventus, Brescia and Roma and played 15 times for his country.
Rocca, Francesco (San Vito Romano, 2/8/54)
A stalwart of the Roma defence throughout the 1970s, his career was brought to a premature end by injury after 18 games and one goal for his country. His sharp playing mind saw him take up coaching with the Italian military team.
Rocco, Nereo (Trieste, 20/5/12. Died 1979)
One of the most influential Coaches in Italian football history. His greatest victories came with Milan in the 1960s when he won two League titles, three Italian Cups, two European Cups, two Cup-Winners Cups and the World Club Cup. His playing career took him to a reasonably high level - one cap for his country - but never matched his management days. As well as his achievements with Milan he helped Padova to an historic third place during the 1947-48 season. The stadium is still named after him in Trieste where he died at the age of 66.
ROMA (Founded: 1927. Stadio Olimpico - Capacity: 81,903)
The first team to wrestle the Scudetto away from the northern powers in 1942, they had to wait a long time to repeat that success. During the post-war period they were relegated just once from Serie A but never quite among the top guns. That changed when the barriers to foreign imports came down in the 1980s and the sparkle of Paulo Roberto Falcao helped take them to another title in 1983. They narrowly missed out on the European Cup at the hands of Liverpool in the Stadio Olimpico a year later before going through another long wait for glory when inspired to success by hometown boy Francesco Totti in 2001. In addition they have managed an impressive haul of no fewer than seven Coppa Italia wins making them entitled to consider themselves a major force in the Italian game. Financial troubles and top player sales have hit the Giallorossi of late, but they still see at least a Champions League spot as their rightful position.
Ronaldo, Luis Nazario (Bento Ribeiro, Brazil, 22/9/76)
“Il Fenomeno” burst into the Inter ranks in 1997 with 25 goals in 32 Serie A games which fans in the Meazza thought were going to bring back the long-lost Scudetto. But in the direct clash with Juve the Brazilian ace was denied what looked a certain penalty and the Bianconeri went on to win the title. The powerful striker never scaled the same heights – often through injury – and moved to Real Madrid in 2002. The goals came flooding back and every few months there is always the rumour of his return to Inter.
Rosato, Roberto (Chieri, 18/8/43)
One of the great man markers of the 1960s and early 1970s, he enjoyed Scudetto and European success during his seven years with Milan. A strong, clean tackler, he was also part of Italy’s successful 1968 Euro Nations party and the World Cup runners-up outfit in 1970. His foresight at the end of that Final was to pay off as he swapped shirts with none other than Pele. The strip was eventually sold at auction more than 30 years later making £140,000.
Rosetta, Virginio (Vercelli, 25/2/02. Died 1975)
One of the giants of the early days of the Italian game, his transfer from hometown Pro Vercelli to emerging giants Juventus was a controversial one which highlighted the growing professionalism of the game. The outrage clearly did the full-back no harm as he went on to take some eight Scudetti between his two clubs as well as the World Cup in 1934. He played more than 50 games for his country and his classy play was seen as a precursor to the likes of Franco Baresi.
Rossi, Paolo (Prato, 23/9/56)
Dubbed ‘Pablito’ after his exploits during the World Cup in Spain, he’ll forever be linked with that 1982 triumph. His six goals helped his country to glory and marked a most remarkable personal comeback. Banned from the game for his part in a match-rigging scandal, he sat on the sidelines for a year prior to the competition. But the Azzurri kept their faith in him. He repaid them with scorching displays - including a hat-trick against Brazil - which ensured his country’s World Cup triumph. The natural goal-getter rose to prominence with Vicenza and Perugia before bagging a move to Juve where he established his fame. As well as the World Cup he won two Scudetti and a European Cup with the Bianconeri. Terrible knee problems curbed his career early and he now makes a living as a pundit on Italian Sky television.
Rossi, Sebastiano (Cesena, 20/7/64)
Probably the greatest goalkeeper never to be capped by his country, he nonetheless enjoyed huge satisfaction at club level. Joined Milan from Cesena in 1990 and went on to become an institution over 12 seasons which saw the club win five Scudetti, the European Cup and European Super Cup. In the 1993-94 season he went some 929 minutes without conceding a League goal to establish a Serie A record.
Rui Costa, Manuel (Lisbon, Portugal, 29/3/72)
He exploded onto the Serie A stage in 1994 with Fiorentina as a creative midfielder with an eye for goal who really helped the Viola tick. He helped them win the Coppa Italia a couple of times and turned them into serious title challengers and Champions League regulars before financial disaster forced his sale to Milan. That brought a Scudetto and European crown, but the goals dried up and he never enjoyed the hero worship he still receives in Florence to this day.
Rummenigge, Karl-Heinz (Lippstadt, Germany, 25/9/55)
A scoring legend with Bayern Munich, his Italian experience came late in his career and he never quite delivered what Inter fans had hoped for. A total of 24 Serie A strikes over three years were less than expected. But he did pave the way for the German contingent of Andy Brehme and Lothar Matthaus who would help the Nerazzurri to their last Scudetto in 1989.
Rush, Ian (St Asaph, Wales, 20/10/61)
Proof, if ever it were needed, that great goalscoring in England need not be a guarantee of success in Italy. He spent just one season with Juventus in 1997-98 scoring a meagre seven times. Both before and after that he was a hero with Liverpool, enjoying countless successes and striking hundreds of goals. Among Bianconero fans, however, he is only remembered as the man who reputedly found Italy “like another country.” |
