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Combi was persuaded to postpone his retirement until after the 1934 finals. Allsport/Hulton|Archive |
Combi became the first European to lift the World Cup in 1934 and he remains one of only two goalkeepers to achieve that honor. The other -- Dino Zoff in 1982 -- was also Italian, creating an intractable dilemma for anyone drawing up an all-time Azzurri XI.
Known as "Uomo di Gomma" -- the rubber man -- because of his exceptional agility, Combi was one of the most charismatic stars of the pre-war era. Often wandering far from his goal in a manner more associated with the South American school of goalkeeping, Combi also brought an element of science to his art by studying the techniques of opposing strikers. His diligent approach made him a masterful penalty stopper.
Combi was also an elegant presence on the pitch, designing his own shirts and having them specially tailored.
In 1934 Combi was in the last of his 13 seasons at Juventus, a spell that had brought five Italian Scudettos, including four straight from 1931 to 1934. But national coach Vittorio Pozzo persuaded him to postpone his retirement until after the World Cup, hosted by Italy.
As captain, Combi guided his talented team all the way to the title. As goalkeeper, his finest moments came in the semifinal in Milan against Italy's arch-rival Austria, which had beaten the Azzurri in Turin four months earlier. Combi made two miraculous saves late in the game to protect the home side's 1-0 lead. He retired immediately after the beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final, as he had vowed.
