It is impossible to say that Roberto Bettega is not an icon of the Juventus world. Raised in the youth team, then moved to Nils Liedholm’s Varese, he defended the black and white colors for fourteen seasons. “Playing for Juventus is a great satisfaction, the greatest of my life. I think that wearing the black and white shirt is the dream of every player, the dream of an entire career; this satisfaction of mine acquires even greater value, since my first steps were there I moved, as a beardless boy, right to Juventus.”
Born on the outskirts of Turingrows very quickly, to the point of almost always being the tallest in group photos. He starts as a midfielder, then moves on to being a center forward in the Allievi. In 1968-69 he was already in the first team and there were those who predicted a future for him like Charles, Juve’s historic striker. When he goes to Serie B from Liedholm he manages to score 13 goals in his first season as a professional, in thirty games, becoming top scorer. Almost as proof of how times have changed. On the pitch with him are Ariedo Braida, then Carmignani and Sogliano.
The trademark is the header goal, even more so from the right foot, with great time in the penalty area. An opportunist who manages to change the fate of matches. He won seven Scudetti but did not win the European Cup (only one UEFA Cup), nor the 1982 World Cup with Bearzot’s national team. Then he went to the Toronto Blizzard to end his career, returning as manager in 1994 until 2006 with the Calciopoli scandal. Today Roberto Bettega turns 74.