Top Facts about Bruno Conti, Italy's best right winger ever

Bruno Conti was born on 13 March 1955. He is an Italian football manager and former footballer. Conti is now head of A.S. Roma's youth sector.

World champion with the Italian national team in 1982, he linked his name to that of 

, with whom he won the Scudetto in 1982-1983. After his football professional career, he started a managerial career by joining the staff of the Giallorossi club. He also held the role of coach for a few months in A.S. Roma.

Top Facts about Bruno Conti, Italy's best right winger ever

One of the top facts about Bruno Conti is that during his playing professional career, he generally played as a winger, and also previously played for A.S. Roma, where he spent his entire club career, aside from two season-long loan periods with Genoa in the 1970s.

Bruno Conti is considered by many pundits in the sport to be one of the best Italian football players of all time in his position. Nicknamed "The Mayor of Rome", Bruno Conti was a significant footballer in the team's history, and lifted a league trophy as well as five Coppa Italia titles during his spell in the Italian capital.

At international level, Bruno Conti was remarkably a member of Italy's 

 winning squad, and also played at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

Now, let’s start taking look at top about Bruno Conti.

Bruno Conti quick information

• Date of birth:

  13 March, 1955

• Place of birth:

  Nettuno, Italy

• Age:

  66

• Height:

   1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)

• Citizenship: 

   Italy

• Position:

  attack - Right Winger

• Foot:

  right

• Current team:

   Retired

• Date of retirement:

  1 July, 1991

• Current career:

   A.S. Roma (head of youth development)

• Former International:

   Italy

• International games/Goals:

   47/5

• Spouse:

   Laura Conti

• Children:

   Daniele Conti, Andrea Conti

• Grandchildren:

   Manuel Conti, Bruno Conti

• Zodiac Sign:

   Pisces

• Chinese Zodiac:

   Goat

• Birth Element:

   Wood

Contract expires:

-

Bruno Conti Early life

One of the

top facts about Bruno Conti

 is that he was a native of Nettuno, a comune in the province of Rome. Bruno is one of seven children of his family and was a keen baseball player when he was young. Bruno’s father, Andrea was a bricklayer.

Bruno Conti club career

One of the

top facts about Bruno Conti

is that he spent his whole professional career at A.S. Roma, aside from two-year loan periods at Genoa in Serie B during the 1975–76,  during which Conti managed to win the Serie B title, and the 1978–79 season.

Bruno Conti had primarily been a member of the A.S. Roma's youth team from 1972 to 1974. Finally he made his senior team and Serie A debut on 10 February 1974, in a 0–0 home draw against 

, during the 1973–74 Season, under their manager, Nils Liedholm, when he was 19 years old.

As a young football player, Bruno Conti had been ignored by scouts during trials with several professional teams, including A.S. Roma manager 

, who felt that his body would not allow him to be a successful footballer at the top level, in spite of his ability.

A top fact about Bruno Conti is that during his stint with the A.S. Roma as a player, he legendarily wore the number 7 shirt, and he became an important player with the team on the right wing, as he lifted the Scudetto during the 1982–83 season and the Coppa Italia five times between 1979 and 1991.

Bruno Conti played a crucial role in helping A.S. Roma to reach the 1984 European Cup Final, where they were beaten on penalties by Liverpool, with Bruno Conti missing his penalty in the shootout. He also helped A.S. Roma to reach the 1991 UEFA Cup Final, during his final season with the club, also winning his final Coppa Italia that season.

Because of his performances for A.S. Roma during his club professional career, Bruno Conti was given the nickname: "The Mayor of Rome". One of the great top facts about Bruno Conti is that he was one of the eleven members to be inducted into the A.S. Roma Hall of Fame in 2012.

Bruno Conti international career

Bruno Conti made his senior first international appearance for Italy national team on 11 October 1980, in a 2–0 victory over Luxembourg. Conti netted his first goal for Italy in a 2–0 home victory over Yugoslavia, in the city of Turin, on 15 November 1980 during their 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying competition.

When Bruno Conti became a fixed member of the Italian national team, he was often considered as the successor of his more experienced teammate, Causio, because of their similar role and playing style.

Also, Bruno Conti was part of the Italy national team that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, playing in every game of the competition, and netting a goal in Italy's first round draw against Peru.

In the final match against West Germany, in spite of the fact that he was booked after 31 minutes, Conti had a crucial role in Italy's second goal that was netted by Marco Tardelli, and he single-handedly created Italy's third goal by breaking down the right flank from the half-way line through the German defence, and crossing the ball to Alessandro Altobelli, who netted from the top of the box in the 81st minute.

Bruno Conti also won a penalty kick for Italy in the final match, which 

 failed to convert, though. The Italian team won the match 3–1 and they were awarded their third FIFA World Cup trophy.

Bruno Conti was voted to be part of the team of the World Cup for his performances. Due to his speed, talent, ingenuity, inspiration, and technical skill, Bruno was given the nickname "Mara-Zico" during the FIFA World Cup (a reference to the footballers Maradona and Zico). At the end of the tournament, Pelé said that he believed that Bruno Conti had been the greatest player of the World Cup, and that he was one of the greatest players in the world.

Bruno Conti continued to be an important player of the Italian side during the 1980s, although the nation failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championship.

Bruno Conti took part with Italy national team at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, playing in all of the matches. In this tournament, the Italians were eliminated in the round of 16 by one of the best France national teams in the history.

Finally, Bruno Conti retired from international football after the World Cup, following manager Enzo Bearzot's departure from the national side. In total, he scored 5 goals in 47 matches for Italy between 1980 and 1986.

Bruno Conti after retirement

One of the

top facts about Bruno Conti

is that after he retired, Conti remained at A.S. Roma as a member of the youth sector's coaching staff. After the departure of manager Luigi Delneri, Conti moved up from his career as head of the club's youth teams to first team manager during the 2004–05 season.

Bruno Conti did not have a coaching licence, but was a respected person at the club, and at the time, World Cup winners, were exempted from taking the coaching exams needed to get an official Serie A coaching licence. He led A.S. Roma to the Coppa Italia final and to a UEFA Cup berth. Bruno Conti’s short spell role as caretaker coach finished when A.S. Roma chose Luciano Spalletti as the new manager.

Bruno Conti later became Technical Director (in Italian Direttore tecnico) and is at present in charge of the Youth Sector (in Italain Responsabile del Settore Giovanile).

Bruno Conti style of play

Generally Bruno Conti as a winger in midfield or in the offensive line was one of the best footballers in the world during his time, and is considered as one of Italy's best wingers, and by some, even as Italy's best right winger ever.

In spite of being left footed, he was capable of playing on either side, and also in the centre as an attacking midfielder, even though he was typically deployed on the right as a wide midfielder. A diminutive winger, with a slim body, Bruno Conti was a speedy, nimble, active, artistic, and meticulous player, with outstanding technical aptitude, who was well-known for his speed, outstanding dribbling abilities, vision, passing, and crossing skill, which allowed to create chances for his teammates, and made him a brilliant assist provider, while also allowing him to function as a playmaker.

Because of his important speediness, stamina, control, talent, and his aptitude with either foot, Bruno Conti was capable of beating players on the run, as well as during one on one situations, with feints; known for his tactical cleverness.

Bruno Conti also had an exceptional positional intelligence, and he excelled at making attacking runs down the wing to lose his markers and deliver balls into the box to his teammates.

In spite of the fact that he was not particularly prolific in front of goal during his professional career, in part because of his more creative role in his team, Bruno Conti also possessed a powerful and precise shot from distance with either foot.

As he was a precocious talent in his youth, Bruno Conti later proved himself as one of the greatest Italian football players of his generation, and is considered as one of A.S. Roma's best ever players.

Bruno Conti awards and achievements

One of the top facts about Bruno Conti is that, the great Italian winger was inducted into the A.S. Roma Hall of Fame in 2012. Needless to say that Bruno Conti is considered by many football supporters to be one of the greatest players of his generation.

Bruno Conti as the best Italian right winger

When Bruno Conti was chosen as the best right winger of Italy he said, “I was very proud when I heard the news. I had good times and bad over the years with A.S. Roma, like the Scudetto and the European Cup we lost on penalties. I always tried to entertain these marvellous supporters, as we all did under Nils Liedholm. It’s a great pleasure to have been chosen as the best right winger and so I would like to thank the fans and the panel who picked me ahead of a number of great players. I think they have recognised me for the years I spent at A.S. Roma but also because I was an entertaining player to watch. I look at the names of the other players who have been inducted and it is clear they have all made a telling contribution. I am very happy and proud.”

De Rossi's message for Bruno Conti

Daniele De Rossi dedicated message to Bruno Conti on the Italy shirt which was given to Bruno Conti after the Azzurri's 2006 FIFA World Cup glory in Germany. De Rossi’s message was “From a world champion of football to a world champion of everything.”

Bruno Conti in video games

One of the top facts about Bruno Conti is that he was featured in the football video game FIFA 14's Classic XI – a multi-national all-star team, along with his countrymen Giacinto Facchetti, Gianni Rivera, and Franco Baresi.

Bruno Conti; Challenging road to success

As it was mentioned, Bruno Conti was ignored when he had started playing professional football. It seems incredible to think that he was disregarded at trials on several occasions organised by professional football teams.

Indeed, before Bruno Conti became one of the most intelligent stars in world football, he prompted

to state, “If I was the coach of any national team in the world, I would want Bruno Conti with me”.

Also Bruno Conti was selected to represent Europe alongside the players like Michel Platini and

against the Rest of the World XI in New York on 7 August, 1982. This fact was almost discarded by the beautiful game altogether.

Even A.S. Roma were at first reluctant to employ the Conti based on the suggestions of Helenio Herrera. While the legendary manager recognised Bruno Conti’s apparent class, he claimed that Conti’s physique would hold him back from any achievements in the professional career. Yet there would be an acquittal for young Bruno Conti.

Tonino Trebiciani, a long-time member of the Giallorossi managing set-up – saw him at work during a local amateur competition and decided that a footballer of his quality only had to be wearing the A.S. Roma jersey.

Bruno Conti was primarily brought into the senior team under Manlio Scopigno, but his actual break came when Nils Liedholm, after seeing him play in a De Martino tournament match, asked Trebiciani to send the elusive winger round to the Tre Fontane training centre.

It was the start of an endless trip for a player who never stopped improving and perfecting his abilities under Liedholm.

As the years went by, Bruno Conti continued to astonish everyone all with his development. In December 1980, after a game against Perugia, Fulvio Bernardini confirmed that he was simply bowled over by Conti’s aptitude, writing: “A ball forward – I think from Spinosi – found Bruno Conti on the run. The Giallorossi man pulled off a wonderful move, like a tightrope walker braving the high wire without any safety net – all that was missing was the drum roll. He knocked the ball ahead of him, held off the jostle of an opponent and surged on with his head up, before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper’s head for the onrushing Scarnecchia to score his second goal of the season.”

Ultimately, Bruno Conti became Part of the 1982-83 Scudetto-winning A.S. Roma team. Moreover, Bruno Conti’s crowning achievement was his central role in helping Italy national team win the 1982 FIFA World Cup, securing his status as an unforgettable legend of the beautiful game.

Bruno Conti on his missed penalty

Bruno Conti missed his penalty in the match against Liverpool in the 1984 European Cup Final and A.S. Roma were beaten on penalties. Later, the Italian star said, "My heart shrank to nothing and I was psychologically destroyed."

Bruno Conti Interview about Diego Maradona

Bruno Conti, A.S. Roma legendary player, was interviewed about the passing away of former Napoli super star

. The Argentine sadly passed away on 25 November 2020 at the age of 60 due to a heart attack.

“It’s been a very difficult year. We’ve lost great personalities and yesterday we lost another in Diego,” said Conti to Rete Sport.

“My friendship with him began on the pitch simply as opponents. One time he whispered into my ear, ‘Bruno, come play with me at

.’ We were both lefties and we lived football in the same way with an infinite passion for the ball. I fondly remember his pre-match and post-match embraces.”

“With Diego, you never knew what he would do when the ball was at his feet. As an opponent, you were constantly worried about what he could do. He made the ball sing.”

He continued, “For me, it was an honor to know that one like Maradona admired my football. We even clashed on the pitch with our national teams, there was a great affection between us.”

“When I became A.S. Roma’s manager in 2005, he came to visit me at Trigoria — it was extraordinary feeling for both the players and myself. He was a wonderful person with a heart of gold, yesterday was a very difficult afternoon.”

“Diego was an extraordinary person. He was also a huge admirer of Francesco Totti. Diego was in love with Checco…with his story, his qualities: we are talking about two phenoms.”

Conti was also asked about the impact of A.S. Roma’s new owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin, who officially acquired the club in August from James Pallotta.

“I am pleased to see them (the Friedkin’s constantly at Trigoria: theirs is a real, tangible presence in everything regarding the club.”

“Ryan is learning Italian and even knows a bit of A.S. Romanesco (A.S. Roman dialect),” he concluded.

Bruno Conti personal life

Given the Italian former player’s personal life, a top fact about Bruno Conti is that he is married to a lady named Laura. The couple have two sons; both of them are former professional footballers. Andrea (born in1977) was a professional football forward at AC Bellinzona. Daniele (born in 1979) was an Italian football manager and a former professional player. Daniele Conti’s son and Bruno’s grandson, Bruno Conti Jr. plays for Cagliari Primavera.

Bruno Conti honours

Genoa

• Serie B in 1975–76

A.S. Roma

• Serie A in 1982–83

• Coppa Italia in 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1990–91

Italy

• FIFA World Cup in 1982

Individual

• A.S. Roma Hall of Fame in 2012

• Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2017

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