Azeglio Near

He started out as a footballer in the early years, contributing to the promotion in the maximum series of Lanerossi Vicenza, which closed his career as a coach. His first experience was on the bench of Brescia, in the 1967–68 championship, as a second coach. Already in 1968 he joined the national technical sector, only 35 years old. The first assignment of a certain importance was however the guide of the National Under 23, entrusted to him in the 1975-76 season with which he played the European Championship of category.

Since the following year, he was entrusted with the Under-21 (after UEFA retained the European Youth Championship to those nationals), a position that will take place for 10 years. At the European Under-21 Championships he obtained three qualifying rounds for the final quarters (1978, 1980 and 1982), reaching the semi-final in 1984. He was defeated in Bearzot after the blue bankruptcy at the 1986 Mexican World Cup, debuting on the blue bench on 08-10-1986 against Greece, two days before the defeat of his "Under 21" (then led by Cesare Maldini, Marco Tardelli and Claudio Gentile) in the European final.

With him Italy was third in the European Championships of 1988 and he faced the World Cup of 1990, organized in our country, as a great favourite. Unfortunately, the very strong Azzurri, while expressing a very incisive and spectacular game, even without ever being defeated, lost in the semifinal to the rigori against Argentina, in Naples. Afterwards, Italy defeated England in the final for the third place, thus having to settle for a lean but prestigious result.

From his first game, he has been leading the National Team to become a leader in his management, such as Walter Zenga and Roberto Donadoni, and find in an amazing Schillaci the hero of Italy 90. Near remained technical commissioner of the National until 1991, when he failed to conquer a place for Europeans in 1992, being replaced by Arrigo Sacchi. He then trained for short periods Cesena and Udinese, in 1995-96 he was technical adviser of Brescia, before taking over the presidency of the Italian Association of Football Coaches.

On 30-09-1991, at the initiative of the President of the Republic, he was appointed "Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana" for third place in Italy '90.

Born: Cesena, Italy 20-03-1933

Incarious period: 08-10-1986 to 12-10-1991.

Panchine: 54 games played, 32 wins, 15 draws, 7 defeats.

Expulsions: 0

Palmares: 3rd World Place (Italy 1990)

Players summoned by Azeglio Vicini: