Claudio Sala
{{short description|Italian footballer (born 1947)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Claudio Sala
|image = Claudio_Sala(1).jpg
|upright =
|caption =
|full_name =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|9|8|df=y}}
|birth_place = Macherio, Italy
|height = 1.78 m
|position = Winger
|currentclub =
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs1 = Monza
|years1 = 1965–1968
|clubs1 = Monza
|caps1 = 75
|goals1 = 24
|years2 = 1968–1969
|clubs2 = Napoli
|caps2 = 23
|goals2 = 2
|years3 = 1969–1980
|clubs3 = Torino
|caps3 = 365
|goals3 = 22
|years4 = 1980–1982
|clubs4 = Genoa
|caps4 = 41
|goals4 = 0
|totalcaps = 504
|totalgoals = 48
|nationalyears1 = 1971–1978
|nationalteam1 = Italy
|nationalcaps1 = 18
|nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1989 | managerclubs1 = Torino
| manageryears2 = 1990 | managerclubs2 = Catanzaro
| manageryears3 = 1991 | managerclubs3 = Catanzaro
| manageryears4 = 2001 | managerclubs4 = Moncalieri
|medaltemplates =
}}
Claudio Sala ({{IPA|it|ˈklaudjo ˈsaːla}}; born 8 September 1947) is an Italian former footballer, manager and current commentator, who played as a winger.
Club career
Sala made his debut for Monza, later moving to Napoli, Torino and Genoa. In total, he played 323 matches and scored 27 goals in the Serie A. With Torino, he won the 1975–76 Serie A, and the 1970–71 Coppa Italia.{{cite web|url=http://www.storiedicalcio.altervista.org/claudio-sala.html|title=Storie di Calcio: CLAUDIO, SALA IL POETA DEL GOL|publisher=Storie di Calcio|language=Italian|accessdate=30 December 2014}}
International career
Sala also earned 18 caps for the Italy national team, including playing in the 1978 FIFA World Cup, where Italy finished in fourth place after reaching the semi-final.[https://web.archive.org/web/20091005053252/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=57359/index.html Claudio Sala Statistics] FIFA. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
Style of play
Nicknamed "il poeta del gol" ("the goal poet," in Italian), Sala was usually deployed as a winger, but could also play as an attacking midfielder, or even as a main or supporting striker on occasion. Regarded as one of Italy's greatest wingers, he was a quick, powerful, and highly creative player, and an excellent assist provider. He had good technical ability, as well as accurate passing and crossing ability, which allowed him to be an effective playmaker. As a two-footed player, he was capable of attacking on either wing, and was known for his ability to get past his opponents and deliver balls into the penalty area from the touchline.{{cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/sport/calcio/2014/04/28/news/ala_destra-84684368/|title=Scatti, dribbling e fantasia: è tornata l'ala destra|publisher=La Repubblica|language=Italian|date=28 April 2014|accessdate=24 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.toronews.net/interviste/toro-agroppi-vi-racconto-gigi-meroni-il-nostro-george-best/|title=Toro, Agroppi: "Vi racconto Gigi Meroni, il nostro George Best"|publisher=Toro News|language=Italian|date=12 October 2017|accessdate=20 January 2020}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web |url=https://www.firenzeviola.it/zibaldone/cuadrado-tra-garrincha-e-julinho-141041 |title=CUADRADO, TRA GARRINCHA E JULINHO... |publisher=Firenze Viola |language=Italian |last1=Borgi |first1=Stefano |date=28 August 2013 |accessdate=20 January 2020 }}
Honours
- Serie A: 1975–76
- Coppa Italia: 1970–71
Monza
- Serie C: 1966–67
Individual
- Guerin d'Oro: 1976, 1977
- Torino FC Hall of Fame: 2016{{Cite web|last=De Marzi|first=Massimo|date=2 December 2016|title=Castellini, Fossati, Grezar e Claudio Sala inseriti nella Hall of Fame granata|url=https://www.torinoggi.it/2016/12/02/sommario/sport/leggi-notizia/argomenti/calcio-5/articolo/castellini-fossati-grezar-e-claudio-sala-inseriti-nella-hall-of-fame-granata.html|access-date=19 February 2021|website=Torino Oggi|language=it-IT}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Italy Squad 1978 World Cup}}
{{Torino FC managers}}
{{U.S. Catanzaro 1929 managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sala, Claudio}}
Category:Footballers from the Metropolitan City of Milan
Category:Italian men's footballers
Category:Italy men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:1978 FIFA World Cup players
Category:US Catanzaro 1929 managers
Category:20th-century Italian sportsmen
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