Italy 1982 Retro Football Jacket

If ever there was an object lesson in how to conduct a smart and successful World Cup campaign, look no further than Italy and 1982. Start gently so you can keep out of the media spotlight, then slowly move through the gears as the tournament progresses so confidence rises and fluidity improves. Manufacture a major fall out with your country’s national press to create a useful all-in-this-together team spirit in the camp does no harm either.

It helps to have the sort of talented and intelligent players Italy is famous for creating: whether Gentile’s aggression driving Argentinian genius Maradona to despair, Paolo Rossi’s ruthless exploiting of fragile Brazilian defending or Marco Tardelli’s brilliant long range shooting to push a fading West Germany towards World Cup Final defeat.