AS ROMA NEWS – Tomorrow is Bruno Conti’s birthday, that’s 70, not peanuts. More than 50 lived in Roma. “This has always been my home: those who do not know, cannot understand,” says Bruno, proudly. Seventy years all to tell. Poverty, wealth, smiles and tears, writes today’s edition of Il Messaggero, to which Marazico tells his story.
Let’s begin: Bruno Conti child.
“Via Romana 142, Nettuno. It all starts there. I was restless: baseball in the summer and soccer in the winter. Grew up on the road. I was having fun. Throwing with the mitt, faking and shooting with the ball.”
Mason dad back and forth to Rome, housewife mom, seven children and little money.
“But there was warmth and love. The three boys slept in one bed, the house was not big. There were problems, we had little but we made do. We played, there was mess, my mother would chase me with the spoon and when Dad came home at night he was presented with the bill. A happy childhood anyway.”
He also had to work.
“In my Aunt Maria’s housewares store, I used to bring the cylinders on my bicycle and assemble them in the apartments. Sometimes not even a tip, and those five to ten liras also came in handy. When I became famous, “Ah man, Brù, do you remember when you used to bring the tanks to our house?” “And how, I don’t remember? I also remember that you didn’t even give me ‘a tip.”
Who gave her the first ball?
“I used to play with other people’s. Sometimes I would make it out of cardboard, or out of leather from a punctured ball. When I was invited to birthdays by kids more well-off than me, it was pains. We would make excuses not to go: there was no money for the gift or to change clothes. You’ll understand, I always wore the same shorts, how could I?”
What about soccer?
“I used to play bar tournaments, I was a dribbler, a good left back. Tonino Trebiciani pointed me out to Roma after Herrera, who had initially discarded me, left. I was 18 years old.” Now players are chosen by algorithm, not from the street. “There is a lack of sacrifice, you want everything and now. One thinks about goals, not building them slowly. There is a lack of road, it is true. But also work and people who teach soccer in a certain way. Today, soccer players leave the youth teams before the age of 16. It only happened to us with Scamacca. When you proposed the first money many years ago, parents would touch the sky with one finger, for players it was a dream. An example is De Rossi: he couldn’t wait to be in Roma.”
Did his relationship with the club a always go well?
“Well, from Viola to Sensi, there were opportunities to leave: Maradona wanted me at Napoli, years later the Figc. But I always stayed. The first year of Pallotta I had some problems. There was a desire to change the youth sector. I just asked, ‘In what did I go wrong?’ Important players came out of here, a lot of capital gains were made.’ I went out and then came back in.”
How did he spend his first soccer money?
“Under Christmas came the first paycheck, I had a used 128, blue, I filled it with gifts to take home. Jackets, rings, all kinds of stuff, for my family. Nothing, they stole everything from me before coming home, I was living at the Ostia Boarding School.”
But has money changed you?
“I remained the same. I’ve been able to manage them while being generous.”
Regrets as a soccer player?
“Only the Champions Cup final. It wouldn’t happen again and it didn’t happen. There was the Swedish referee, it was said that with Liedholm we would have an advantage, instead their goal was also irregular. Maybe Nela is right, we arrived at the appointment too tense; Liverpool joked and laughed, we didn’t.”
You and Ciccio Graziani were “forgiven” for mistakes from the penalty spot.
“I did not back down, I had scored them in the past, Ciccio someone had missed. Unfortunately we missed excellent penalty takers. Falcao? For the role and given that we were in trouble, maybe he should have shot it.”
Regrets in life?
“None. I did what I liked. I made my family proud.”
Regrets not having seen Daniele Conti grow up in Roma?
“There was also Andrea, unfortunate but technically stronger than Daniele and me. The last name weighed but they never asked me for anything, no help.”
How would Bruno Conti tell a young person who does not know you?
“I would tell him about fantasy, about a soccer made of love. About a man who chased dreams, who was not afraid of anything.”
Does he still get emotional?
“It happens to me all the time, I’m a crier. I won the World Cup and cried; at the farewell to soccer ditto. Same when I listen to Roma’s anthems. And then when I think of Agostino, my captain. I had seen him a few days after his death; he was smiling. I hadn’t noticed anything. What a regret.”
We come to his last two years. Very difficult.
“The tumor, the disease, the treatments. Now I am well. I had my family always with me. My wife Laura is exceptional, by my side after surgery and during treatment. I tell everyone not to give up on life, to do prevention, to love each other. Fortunately, a CT scan saved me, done thanks to my family doctor, Dr. Camilli. I saw so much humanity in the hospital, I have to thank Professor Rendina of St. Andrew’s. And also the Friedkins, who suggested that I go for surgery in the States. Discouragement occasionally came, but they immediately reassured me and I was positive.”
Allow us a joke: you lost your hair, it must have been a drama for you.
“I used to walk around with my hat on. As always, I would run my hand over my head, but I didn’t have hair. Fortunately, I grew it back.”
How does a 70-year-old experience soccer, does he get a little tired?
“I still see a lot of competitions. And then Roma of course, there is no question. I live great satisfactions, in having seen De Rossi be a coach here, of having grown up alongside Totti, beautiful intuition of Gildo Giannini; and today in watching Ranieri, a 73-year-old man, who loves soccer and Roma as few do, as I did. He is doing incredible things.”
His jewels?
“De Rossi, Aquilani and more.”
Has he always been respected in Roma?
“A lot, but not always. Sometimes I was questioned, judged for things that were not true. But I never said goodbye and thank you. And in every marriage there are ups and downs.”
Did he ever run away from a retreat?
“No, but I remember one time with Radice that I was late to the bus, he wouldn’t let me on. But with Gigi there was a fabulous relationship. I had some contrasts with Eriksson, who made Bergreen play in my place, and with Bianchi, who considered me old. I invited both of them to my farewell: Sven left from Portugal and was at the Olimpico, Ottavio found a reason not to come.”
Was he a more Liedholm or Bearzot father?
Nils was a master. But the real dad was Bearzot, he knew how to handle a very difficult situation in 1982. Today you hear about players and achievers, but he was everything and his humanity was a value. The world victory was mainly his.”
Did you ever ask him why he did not summon Pruzzo?
“He was said to be a grouch. He brought Selvaggi, someone who was there, quiet.”
Source: The Messenger
The article Conti: “De Rossi and Aquilani my jewels. Ranieri loves Roma like me. Liverpool? We were too tense, they were laughing…”” comes from Giallorossi.net, exclusive news, news and soccer market.
