Stefano Borgonovo
Encyclopedia
Stefano Borgonovo is a retired Italian
footballer who played as a striker.
, Province of Monza and Brianza, Lombardy
, Borgonovo began his professional career with Como Calcio, making his debuts at 17 in a Serie A
match against Ascoli Calcio. After a loan spell at S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio
, he established himself as a key player at Como, and in 1986 moved to A.C. Milan
, who immediately loaned him back to Como.
After two years, Borgonovo was sent on loan again, this time to ACF Fiorentina
, where had the most successful season of his career, scoring 14 league goals while playing alongside Roberto Baggio
. This earned him three caps for Italy
- his debut coming on 22 February 1989, in a friendly with Denmark
(1–0 win) - and finally a chance to prove himself at Milan. He spent much of the 1989–90 season as backup to Marco van Basten and, despite earning a European Cup
winners
' medal, moved on, keen to play regular first-team football. Although then Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi
was keen to keep his services, he returned to Fiorentina, where he spent two years without managing to recapture his previous form.
Spells at Pescara Calcio
, Udinese and Brescia Calcio
followed, before Borgonovo retired in 1996. He later served as a youth coach back at Como, but retired in 2005 due to poor health.
, the same illness that slowly killed Gianluca Signorini
, another former Serie A player, in 2002.
To raise funds and awareness of the disease, a testimonial match was organized by Borgonovo's former clubs Fiorentina and Milan. The game, played on 8 October 2008 at Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence
in front of a crowd of 30,000 people, was attended by several former stars of the two clubs. Borgonovo himself attended the match despite his serious condition, with his former teammate Roberto Baggio at his side.
In his 2010 autobiography Carlo Ancelotti: The Beautiful Games of an Ordinary Genius: The Life, Games, and Miracles of an Ordinary Genius, Chelsea
manager Carlo Ancelotti
spoke of his former team-mate's illness, saying: 'Stefano was my team-mate, and he has a problem. We need everyone to help him because maybe there is a solution for this illness, but we have to be fast because his condition is not good. He cannot move, he can just speak with his eyes. He scored in the semi-final of the European Cup in 1990 against Bayern, and was a good striker inside the box. He was not so quick but very clever. He is a good guy, very funny, likes to joke, even now, but he has a very dangerous illness.'
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
footballer who played as a striker.
Football career
Born in GiussanoGiussano
Giussano is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 25 km north of Milan...
, Province of Monza and Brianza, Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, Borgonovo began his professional career with Como Calcio, making his debuts at 17 in a Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
match against Ascoli Calcio. After a loan spell at S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio
S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio
Unione Sportiva Sambenedettese is an Italian association football club, based in San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche. The club was founded in 1923. Sambenedettese currently plays in Serie D, having last been in Serie B in 1989. The team's colors are red and blue....
, he established himself as a key player at Como, and in 1986 moved to A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
, who immediately loaned him back to Como.
After two years, Borgonovo was sent on loan again, this time to ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
, where had the most successful season of his career, scoring 14 league goals while playing alongside Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio is a retired Italian footballer. Widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of his generation, Baggio won both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1993. He is the only Italian player ever to score in three World Cups. He is also one of the top 5 all-time...
. This earned him three caps for Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
- his debut coming on 22 February 1989, in a friendly with Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
(1–0 win) - and finally a chance to prove himself at Milan. He spent much of the 1989–90 season as backup to Marco van Basten and, despite earning a European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
winners
1990 European Cup Final
The 1990 European Cup Final was a football match between Milan of Italy and Benfica of Portugal, played on 23 May 1990 at the Praterstadion in Vienna, Austria...
' medal, moved on, keen to play regular first-team football. Although then Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi
Arrigo Sacchi
Arrigo Sacchi is an Italian football coach. He is best known for his success coaching Italian teams, particularly with Milan where he won back to back European Cups as coach in the late eighties where he was head coach of the Italy national football team . He was twice manager of A.C...
was keen to keep his services, he returned to Fiorentina, where he spent two years without managing to recapture his previous form.
Spells at Pescara Calcio
Pescara Calcio
Delfino Pescara 1936 is an Italian football club based in Pescara, Abruzzo.The club was formed in 1936 and currently plays in Italian Serie B. Pescara has competed in 5 seasons in Serie A...
, Udinese and Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio , known simply as Brescia, is the largest football club in the Lombard city of Brescia, where it was founded in 1911.In the 2009–10 season, in the return leg of the Serie B playoff final, they defeated Torino 2-1 at home , returning to Serie A after a 5-year absence...
followed, before Borgonovo retired in 1996. He later served as a youth coach back at Como, but retired in 2005 due to poor health.
Illness
On 5 September 2008, it was revealed Borgonovo was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosisAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
, the same illness that slowly killed Gianluca Signorini
Gianluca Signorini
Gianluca Signorini was an Italian football player, mostly known for his time spent at Genoa C.F.C..-Career:...
, another former Serie A player, in 2002.
To raise funds and awareness of the disease, a testimonial match was organized by Borgonovo's former clubs Fiorentina and Milan. The game, played on 8 October 2008 at Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in front of a crowd of 30,000 people, was attended by several former stars of the two clubs. Borgonovo himself attended the match despite his serious condition, with his former teammate Roberto Baggio at his side.
In his 2010 autobiography Carlo Ancelotti: The Beautiful Games of an Ordinary Genius: The Life, Games, and Miracles of an Ordinary Genius, Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
manager Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti is an Italian football manager, Nicknamed Carletto, Ancelotti played as a midfielder and had a successful career with Roma – captaining the team – with whom he won one Scudetto and 4 Coppa Italia and was part of the legendary late 80's Milan team, with whom he won two Scudetti and...
spoke of his former team-mate's illness, saying: 'Stefano was my team-mate, and he has a problem. We need everyone to help him because maybe there is a solution for this illness, but we have to be fast because his condition is not good. He cannot move, he can just speak with his eyes. He scored in the semi-final of the European Cup in 1990 against Bayern, and was a good striker inside the box. He was not so quick but very clever. He is a good guy, very funny, likes to joke, even now, but he has a very dangerous illness.'