View source for Roberto Pruzzo

{{Short description|Italian football player and manager (born 1955)}}
{{for|Chilean television journalist|Roberto Bruce}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name          = Roberto Pruzzo
| image         = Roberto Pruzzo 1972.jpg
| caption       = Pruzzo in 1972
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1955|4|1|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Crocefieschi]], [[Province of Genoa|Genoa]], Italy
| height        = 1.75 m<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pruzzo, Roberto Pruzzo - Footballer {{!}} BDFutbol |url=https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j81691.html |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=www.bdfutbol.com}}</ref>
| position      = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| currentclub   =  
| youthyears1   = 1971–1973 | youthclubs1   = [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]]
| years1   = 1973–1978 | clubs1 = [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]] | caps1 = 143 | goals1 = 57
| years2   = 1978–1988 | clubs2 = [[A.S. Roma|Roma]] | caps2 = 240 | goals2 = 106
| years3   = 1988–1989 | clubs3 = [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]] | caps3 = 13 | goals3   = 1
| totalcaps = 396
| totalgoals = 164
| nationalyears1 = 1978–1982 | nationalteam1 = [[Italy national football team|Italy]] | nationalcaps1   = 6 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1998–1999 | managerclubs1 = [[F.C. Esperia Viareggio|Viareggio]]
| manageryears2 = 1999–2000 | managerclubs2 = [[Teramo Calcio|Teramo]]
| manageryears3 = 2000–2001 | managerclubs3 = [[U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912|Alessandria]]
| manageryears4 = 2002 | managerclubs4   = [[U.S. Città di Palermo|Palermo]]
| manageryears5 = 2004–2005 | managerclubs5 = [[U.S. Foggia|Foggia]] (assistant coach)
| manageryears6 = 2005–2006 | managerclubs6 = [[S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio|Sambenedettese]] (assistant coach)
| manageryears7 = 2008–2009 | managerclubs7 = [[S.S.D. Centobuchi|Centobuchi]]
| manageryears8 = 2009 | managerclubs8 = [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]] (youth)
}}

'''Roberto Pruzzo''' ({{IPA|it|roˈbɛrto ˈpruttso}}; born 1 April 1955) is an Italian former [[association football|football]] player and coach who played as a [[forward (association football)|forward]]. He represented [[Italy national football team|Italy]] at [[UEFA Euro 1980]].

==Club career==
Born at [[Crocefieschi]], in the [[province of Genova]], Pruzzo made his debut in professional football for [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]] in 1973. There he remained for six seasons, scoring 57 goals in 143 matches, winning the [[Serie B]] title during the [[1975–76 Serie B|1975–76 season]], as well as the top scoring award.<ref name=corrieredellosport.it/>

Pruzzo passed to [[A.S. Roma|Roma]] in 1979, for the then record sum of 3 billions [[Italian lira|lira]]s. Here he became famous as one of the most effective Italian forwards of the 1980s, winning one [[scudetto]] during the [[1982–83 Serie A|1982–83 season]], and four [[Italian Cup]]s in 1980, 1981, 1983, and 1986. He also won the [[Capocannoniere|Serie A top scorer award]] three times, in 1981, 1982, and 1986, as well as the [[Coppa Italia]] top scorer award in 1980. He also scored a goal in the [[1984 European Cup Final]], when Roma, playing at home, was beaten on penalties by [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]].<ref name=corrieredellosport.it/>

He ended his career in 1989 after a [[1988–89 Serie A|season]] for [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]]. He helped the club to a seventh-place finish in Serie A that season, and he scored the decisive goal against his former club in the UEFA Cup playoff match, from a [[Roberto Baggio]] assist, which allowed Fiorentina to qualify for the [[1989–90 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]] the following season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportmediaset.mediaset.it/news/2011/06/29/6522997.shtml|title=Il passato e' domani: Fiorentina in coppa Uefa|publisher=Sport Mediaset|language=it|access-date=19 January 2015}}</ref> Pruzzo is the sole Italian player to have scored 5 goals in a single [[Serie A]] match (Roma vs. [[U.S. Avellino 1912|Avellino]], 1986).<ref name=corrieredellosport.it/>

==International career==
Despite a fantastic club career, Pruzzo only managed to play six games (no goals) for the [[Italy national football team|Italy national team]] between 1978 and 1982.<ref name=corrieredellosport.it/> He represented his country at the [[1980 UEFA European Championship]] in Italy, where they reached the semi-finals, finishing the tournament in fourth place, and also at the [[1980 World Champions' Gold Cup|1980 Mundialito]].<ref>{{NFT player|id=17247|name=Roberto Pruzzo|accessdate=6 February 2010}}</ref><ref name="FIGC">{{cite web|url=http://www.figc.it/nazionali/DettaglioConvocato?codiceConvocato=856&squadra=1|title=Nazionale in cifre: Pruzzo, Roberto|website=figc.it|publisher=FIGC|language=it|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref> He was left out of [[Enzo Bearzot]]'s [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982 World Cup]]-winning squad.<ref name="game">{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=61538/profile.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312065534/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=61538/profile.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 March 2017|title=Bearzot: 'Football is first and foremost a game'|publisher=FIFA.com|access-date=9 March 2017}}</ref>

Pruzzo did, however, score in an Italian shirt, representing Italy in the [[I World Cup of Masters|1991]] [[World Cup of Masters]]. Pruzzo scored twice in the opening round.

==Style of play==
A prolific goalscorer, Pruzzo was considered one of the best Italian forwards of his generation, and he is regarded as one of [[A.S. Roma|Roma]]'s greatest players. He was known as a physically strong and hard-working [[centre-forward]] throughout his career, with good technique, link-up play, hold-up play, and an eye for goal, but was renowned in particular for his heading accuracy, elevation, and ability in the air.<ref name=corrieredellosport.it>{{cite web|url=http://www.corrieredellosport.it/calcio/serie_a/roma/2014/12/03-386624/Roma,+Pruzzo+si+racconta%3A+%C2%ABHo+pensato+al+suicidio%C2%BB|title=Roma, Pruzzo si racconta: "Ho pensato al suicidio"|publisher=Il Corriere dello Sport|language=it|date=3 December 2014|access-date=19 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calcioitaliastory.it/storia/anniottanta/198081-2/il-personaggio-roberto-pruzzo/|title=Il personaggio: ROBERTO PRUZZO|access-date=19 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,20/articleid,1027_01_1983_0109_0028_14347758/ |title=Vierchowod uomo in più, Nappy jolly |publisher=La Stampa |page=20 |language=it |date=10 May 1983 |access-date=22 September 2018 }}</ref><ref name="storiedicalcio">{{cite web |url=https://storiedicalcio.altervista.org/blog/roma_scudetto_1982_83.html |title=Roma 1982/83: Cuore Giallorosso |date=17 September 2016 |publisher=Storie di Calcio |language=it |access-date=22 September 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calciomercato.com/news/pavoletti-e-i-grandi-specialisti-di-testa-dell-italia-e-del-mond-85255 |title=Pavoletti e i grandi specialisti di testa dell'Italia e del mondo |trans-title=Pavoletti and the great heading specialists in Italy and the world |publisher=www.calciomercato.com |author1=Furio Zara |language=it |date=15 May 2018 |access-date=1 May 2019 }}</ref>

==Coaching career==
In the late 1990s, Pruzzo started a much less notable coaching career which saw him at the helm of [[F.C. Esperia Viareggio|Viareggio]], [[Teramo Calcio|Teramo]] ([[Serie C]]2), [[U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912|Alessandria]] (Serie C1) and a five summer days long time at [[U.S. Città di Palermo|Palermo]] ([[Serie B]]), during the change of ownership time from [[Franco Sensi]] to [[Maurizio Zamparini]]. He then served as assistant coach of [[Giuseppe Giannini]] at [[Serie C]]1 teams [[U.S. Foggia|Foggia]] and [[S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio|Sambenedettese]].

He last served as head coach of [[Serie D]] amateurs [[S.S.D. Centobuchi|Centobuchi]] from December 2008<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.laroma24.it/index.php?show=article&artid=514 |publisher=La Roma 24 |language=it |access-date=12 March 2010 |date=2 December 2008 |title=Pruzzo riparte dal Centobuchi}}</ref> to March 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.iltempo.it/sport/2012/12/12/bomber-pruzzo-esonerato-dal-centobuchi-1.221057 |publisher=[[Il Tempo]] |language=it |access-date=12 March 2010 |date=28 March 2009 |title=Bomber Pruzzo esonerato dal Centobuchi}}</ref>

In the season 2012–13 he was named Sports manager of [[Savona F.B.C.|Savona]] in [[Lega Pro Seconda Divisione]].

In 2012, he was inducted into the [[AS Roma Hall of Fame]].<ref name=corrieredellosport.it/>

==Honours==
'''Genoa'''<ref name="Storie di Calcio: Roberto Pruzzo">{{cite web|title=Storie di Calcio: Roberto Pruzzo|url=http://www.storiedicalcio.altervista.org/pruzzo_giugno_81.html|publisher=Storie di Calcio|language=it|access-date=19 January 2015}}</ref>
* [[Serie B]]: [[1975–76 Serie B|1975–76]]

'''Roma'''<ref name="Storie di Calcio: Roberto Pruzzo"/>
* [[Serie A]]: [[1982–83 Serie A|1982–83]]
* [[Coppa Italia]]: [[1979–80 Coppa Italia|1979–80]],  [[1980–81 Coppa Italia|1980–81]], [[1983–84 Coppa Italia|1983–84]], [[1985–86 Coppa Italia|1985–86]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Capocannoniere|Serie A top scorer]]: [[1980–81 Serie A|1980–81]], [[1981–82 Serie A|1981–82]], [[1985–86 Serie A|1985–86]]<ref name="Storie di Calcio: Roberto Pruzzo"/>
* [[Coppa Italia]] top scorer: 1979–80<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/italcuptops.html|title=Italy - Coppa Italia Top Scorers|author1=Roberto Di Maggio|author2=Davide Rota|date=4 June 2015|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=15 June 2015}}</ref>
* [[AS Roma Hall of Fame]]: 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asroma.it/en/team/hall_of_fame.html|title=Hall of Fame 2014: Ghiggia, Ancelotti, Voeller and Candela inducted|website=asroma.it|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons category}}

{{Serie A top scorers}}
{{Serie B top scorers}}
{{Coppa Italia top scorers}}
{{A.S. Roma Hall of Fame}}
{{Italy Squad 1980 UEFA Euro}}
{{U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912 managers}}
{{U.S. Città di Palermo managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pruzzo, Roberto}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Serie A players]]
[[Category:Serie B players]]
[[Category:Genoa CFC players]]
[[Category:AS Roma players]]
[[Category:ACF Fiorentina players]]
[[Category:US Alessandria Calcio 1912 managers]]
[[Category:Italian football managers]]
[[Category:Italy men's international footballers]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1980 players]]
[[Category:Footballers from the Province of Genoa]]
[[Category:Palermo FC managers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Italian men's footballers]]
[[Category:20th-century Italian sportsmen]]