Even those with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the European Cup may be unaware of the ‘cowering rabbit’ who decided the 1963 final. José João Altafini was the Brazilian bunny in question, and his finishing prowess delivered the trophy to Italy for the first time.
“It was by far the most important goal in my career, the crowning moment, a delirium that stays inside you forever.” This is how Altafini, now 85, describes his decisive second strike in AC Milan’s 2-1 triumph over Benfica at Wembley. The night had not started well for the Rossoneri against a team that had defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid in the two previous finals. They were favourites to land a third consecutive title against the Italian outsiders.
Born in Piracicaba, Brazil, and the youngest of five children, Altafini had grandparents from the north-east of Italy. With his blond hair, chiselled jawline and Italian roots, he earned the nickname ‘Mazzola’ from a coach at Palmeiras in honour of Valentino Mazzola, captain of the Grande Torino side that dominated Italian football until a plane disaster in 1949. A striker combining strength, pace and excellent technique, Altafini joined Milan in 1958 after helping Brazil win the World Cup. Once in red and black, he helped the Rossoneri clinch the Scudetto in 1958/59 and 1961/62.
Anyone who has met Altafini attests to his sense of humour, and to this day he does not take himself too seriously. He makes time for everybody, particularly fans. Whenever he travelled with the Brazil national team, he was the squad joker. At Milan, one of his preferred tricks was to strip naked and hide in manager Nereo Rocco’s locker at the training ground. Then, at the perfect moment, he would leap out, yelling “Boo!” to startle his boss.
Altafini certainly needed those jovial instincts by the time the 1963 final rolled around. Having averaged 23 goals in his four previous league campaigns, his Serie A total was a meagre 11 in 1962/63. The malaise extended to the first half of the decider in London, where Altafini missed a couple of good chances and the Rossoneri went into the interval a goal down. If the match was a battle between Milan’s hitman and the Eagles’ magnificent Eusébio, the Portuguese powerhouse was ahead by dint of his 18th-minute opener.
Even those with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the European Cup may be unaware of the ‘cowering rabbit’ who decided the 1963 final. José João Altafini was the Brazilian bunny in question, and his finishing prowess delivered the trophy to Italy for the first time.
“It was by far the most important goal in my career, the crowning moment, a delirium that stays inside you forever.” This is how Altafini, now 85, describes his decisive second strike in AC Milan’s 2-1 triumph over Benfica at Wembley. The night had not started well for the Rossoneri against a team that had defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid in the two previous finals. They were favourites to land a third consecutive title against the Italian outsiders.
Born in Piracicaba, Brazil, and the youngest of five children, Altafini had grandparents from the north-east of Italy. With his blond hair, chiselled jawline and Italian roots, he earned the nickname ‘Mazzola’ from a coach at Palmeiras in honour of Valentino Mazzola, captain of the Grande Torino side that dominated Italian football until a plane disaster in 1949. A striker combining strength, pace and excellent technique, Altafini joined Milan in 1958 after helping Brazil win the World Cup. Once in red and black, he helped the Rossoneri clinch the Scudetto in 1958/59 and 1961/62.
Anyone who has met Altafini attests to his sense of humour, and to this day he does not take himself too seriously. He makes time for everybody, particularly fans. Whenever he travelled with the Brazil national team, he was the squad joker. At Milan, one of his preferred tricks was to strip naked and hide in manager Nereo Rocco’s locker at the training ground. Then, at the perfect moment, he would leap out, yelling “Boo!” to startle his boss.
Altafini certainly needed those jovial instincts by the time the 1963 final rolled around. Having averaged 23 goals in his four previous league campaigns, his Serie A total was a meagre 11 in 1962/63. The malaise extended to the first half of the decider in London, where Altafini missed a couple of good chances and the Rossoneri went into the interval a goal down. If the match was a battle between Milan’s hitman and the Eagles’ magnificent Eusébio, the Portuguese powerhouse was ahead by dint of his 18th-minute opener.
It was in Wembley’s famous dressing rooms that Rocco took a zoological swipe at his No9. Pointing at Altafini, Rocco said, “So, José, Gipo was right: you are a rabbit!” The dig was inspired by technical director Giuseppe ‘Gipo’ Viani, who had been calling Altafini ‘Rabbit’ for some time after discovering the forward hiding behind the sofa of a Milan nightclub on the eve of a game. Altafini knew his way around the city’s glitzy entertainment venues but, that night, evading club directors proved harder than escaping ruthless centre-backs.
Rocco’s put-down had the desired effect. It took just 13 minutes for Altafini to grab the equaliser with an angled low shot, receiving a kick to the calf in the process that left him receiving treatment while his team-mates were celebrating.
Eleven minutes later, 19-year-old Gianni Rivera won the ball in midfield and played Altafini in. When the South American realised how much space gaped ahead of him, the pain in his calf melted away and he transformed from a humble rabbit into the most elegant hare, streaking clear of the dogged Benfica defence. In a flash, he was one on one with goalkeeper Costa Pereira, who parried his first attempt but was helpless as Altafini fired in the rebound. “At the time, I didn’t even realise what I had done,” he recalls. “And I couldn’t celebrate much because I had hurt myself. I spent the whole night with an ice pack on my calf.”
Altafini’s exploits took him to 14 goals in the competition that term, comfortably clear of any rivals. More importantly, he had secured his place in Milan’s glorious European history. “I played for other great teams, but Milan remain special,” explains Altafini, who still lives in northern Italy. “They were the first club to welcome me to Italy and also the last, in the sense that the relationship with the club and the fans has never been interrupted, not even after many years apart. Milan was my life. I arrived at the Rossoneri when I was still a boy and I became a man with this club.” A man, a European champion, a locker-room lurker and, for a very brief spell, a rabbit.
Even those with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the European Cup may be unaware of the ‘cowering rabbit’ who decided the 1963 final. José João Altafini was the Brazilian bunny in question, and his finishing prowess delivered the trophy to Italy for the first time.
“It was by far the most important goal in my career, the crowning moment, a delirium that stays inside you forever.” This is how Altafini, now 85, describes his decisive second strike in AC Milan’s 2-1 triumph over Benfica at Wembley. The night had not started well for the Rossoneri against a team that had defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid in the two previous finals. They were favourites to land a third consecutive title against the Italian outsiders.
Born in Piracicaba, Brazil, and the youngest of five children, Altafini had grandparents from the north-east of Italy. With his blond hair, chiselled jawline and Italian roots, he earned the nickname ‘Mazzola’ from a coach at Palmeiras in honour of Valentino Mazzola, captain of the Grande Torino side that dominated Italian football until a plane disaster in 1949. A striker combining strength, pace and excellent technique, Altafini joined Milan in 1958 after helping Brazil win the World Cup. Once in red and black, he helped the Rossoneri clinch the Scudetto in 1958/59 and 1961/62.
Anyone who has met Altafini attests to his sense of humour, and to this day he does not take himself too seriously. He makes time for everybody, particularly fans. Whenever he travelled with the Brazil national team, he was the squad joker. At Milan, one of his preferred tricks was to strip naked and hide in manager Nereo Rocco’s locker at the training ground. Then, at the perfect moment, he would leap out, yelling “Boo!” to startle his boss.
Altafini certainly needed those jovial instincts by the time the 1963 final rolled around. Having averaged 23 goals in his four previous league campaigns, his Serie A total was a meagre 11 in 1962/63. The malaise extended to the first half of the decider in London, where Altafini missed a couple of good chances and the Rossoneri went into the interval a goal down. If the match was a battle between Milan’s hitman and the Eagles’ magnificent Eusébio, the Portuguese powerhouse was ahead by dint of his 18th-minute opener.
Even those with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the European Cup may be unaware of the ‘cowering rabbit’ who decided the 1963 final. José João Altafini was the Brazilian bunny in question, and his finishing prowess delivered the trophy to Italy for the first time.
“It was by far the most important goal in my career, the crowning moment, a delirium that stays inside you forever.” This is how Altafini, now 85, describes his decisive second strike in AC Milan’s 2-1 triumph over Benfica at Wembley. The night had not started well for the Rossoneri against a team that had defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid in the two previous finals. They were favourites to land a third consecutive title against the Italian outsiders.
Born in Piracicaba, Brazil, and the youngest of five children, Altafini had grandparents from the north-east of Italy. With his blond hair, chiselled jawline and Italian roots, he earned the nickname ‘Mazzola’ from a coach at Palmeiras in honour of Valentino Mazzola, captain of the Grande Torino side that dominated Italian football until a plane disaster in 1949. A striker combining strength, pace and excellent technique, Altafini joined Milan in 1958 after helping Brazil win the World Cup. Once in red and black, he helped the Rossoneri clinch the Scudetto in 1958/59 and 1961/62.
Anyone who has met Altafini attests to his sense of humour, and to this day he does not take himself too seriously. He makes time for everybody, particularly fans. Whenever he travelled with the Brazil national team, he was the squad joker. At Milan, one of his preferred tricks was to strip naked and hide in manager Nereo Rocco’s locker at the training ground. Then, at the perfect moment, he would leap out, yelling “Boo!” to startle his boss.
Altafini certainly needed those jovial instincts by the time the 1963 final rolled around. Having averaged 23 goals in his four previous league campaigns, his Serie A total was a meagre 11 in 1962/63. The malaise extended to the first half of the decider in London, where Altafini missed a couple of good chances and the Rossoneri went into the interval a goal down. If the match was a battle between Milan’s hitman and the Eagles’ magnificent Eusébio, the Portuguese powerhouse was ahead by dint of his 18th-minute opener.
Even those with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the European Cup may be unaware of the ‘cowering rabbit’ who decided the 1963 final. José João Altafini was the Brazilian bunny in question, and his finishing prowess delivered the trophy to Italy for the first time.
“It was by far the most important goal in my career, the crowning moment, a delirium that stays inside you forever.” This is how Altafini, now 85, describes his decisive second strike in AC Milan’s 2-1 triumph over Benfica at Wembley. The night had not started well for the Rossoneri against a team that had defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid in the two previous finals. They were favourites to land a third consecutive title against the Italian outsiders.
Born in Piracicaba, Brazil, and the youngest of five children, Altafini had grandparents from the north-east of Italy. With his blond hair, chiselled jawline and Italian roots, he earned the nickname ‘Mazzola’ from a coach at Palmeiras in honour of Valentino Mazzola, captain of the Grande Torino side that dominated Italian football until a plane disaster in 1949. A striker combining strength, pace and excellent technique, Altafini joined Milan in 1958 after helping Brazil win the World Cup. Once in red and black, he helped the Rossoneri clinch the Scudetto in 1958/59 and 1961/62.
Anyone who has met Altafini attests to his sense of humour, and to this day he does not take himself too seriously. He makes time for everybody, particularly fans. Whenever he travelled with the Brazil national team, he was the squad joker. At Milan, one of his preferred tricks was to strip naked and hide in manager Nereo Rocco’s locker at the training ground. Then, at the perfect moment, he would leap out, yelling “Boo!” to startle his boss.
Altafini certainly needed those jovial instincts by the time the 1963 final rolled around. Having averaged 23 goals in his four previous league campaigns, his Serie A total was a meagre 11 in 1962/63. The malaise extended to the first half of the decider in London, where Altafini missed a couple of good chances and the Rossoneri went into the interval a goal down. If the match was a battle between Milan’s hitman and the Eagles’ magnificent Eusébio, the Portuguese powerhouse was ahead by dint of his 18th-minute opener.
It was in Wembley’s famous dressing rooms that Rocco took a zoological swipe at his No9. Pointing at Altafini, Rocco said, “So, José, Gipo was right: you are a rabbit!” The dig was inspired by technical director Giuseppe ‘Gipo’ Viani, who had been calling Altafini ‘Rabbit’ for some time after discovering the forward hiding behind the sofa of a Milan nightclub on the eve of a game. Altafini knew his way around the city’s glitzy entertainment venues but, that night, evading club directors proved harder than escaping ruthless centre-backs.
Rocco’s put-down had the desired effect. It took just 13 minutes for Altafini to grab the equaliser with an angled low shot, receiving a kick to the calf in the process that left him receiving treatment while his team-mates were celebrating.
Eleven minutes later, 19-year-old Gianni Rivera won the ball in midfield and played Altafini in. When the South American realised how much space gaped ahead of him, the pain in his calf melted away and he transformed from a humble rabbit into the most elegant hare, streaking clear of the dogged Benfica defence. In a flash, he was one on one with goalkeeper Costa Pereira, who parried his first attempt but was helpless as Altafini fired in the rebound. “At the time, I didn’t even realise what I had done,” he recalls. “And I couldn’t celebrate much because I had hurt myself. I spent the whole night with an ice pack on my calf.”
Altafini’s exploits took him to 14 goals in the competition that term, comfortably clear of any rivals. More importantly, he had secured his place in Milan’s glorious European history. “I played for other great teams, but Milan remain special,” explains Altafini, who still lives in northern Italy. “They were the first club to welcome me to Italy and also the last, in the sense that the relationship with the club and the fans has never been interrupted, not even after many years apart. Milan was my life. I arrived at the Rossoneri when I was still a boy and I became a man with this club.” A man, a European champion, a locker-room lurker and, for a very brief spell, a rabbit.
Even those with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the European Cup may be unaware of the ‘cowering rabbit’ who decided the 1963 final. José João Altafini was the Brazilian bunny in question, and his finishing prowess delivered the trophy to Italy for the first time.
“It was by far the most important goal in my career, the crowning moment, a delirium that stays inside you forever.” This is how Altafini, now 85, describes his decisive second strike in AC Milan’s 2-1 triumph over Benfica at Wembley. The night had not started well for the Rossoneri against a team that had defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid in the two previous finals. They were favourites to land a third consecutive title against the Italian outsiders.
Born in Piracicaba, Brazil, and the youngest of five children, Altafini had grandparents from the north-east of Italy. With his blond hair, chiselled jawline and Italian roots, he earned the nickname ‘Mazzola’ from a coach at Palmeiras in honour of Valentino Mazzola, captain of the Grande Torino side that dominated Italian football until a plane disaster in 1949. A striker combining strength, pace and excellent technique, Altafini joined Milan in 1958 after helping Brazil win the World Cup. Once in red and black, he helped the Rossoneri clinch the Scudetto in 1958/59 and 1961/62.
Anyone who has met Altafini attests to his sense of humour, and to this day he does not take himself too seriously. He makes time for everybody, particularly fans. Whenever he travelled with the Brazil national team, he was the squad joker. At Milan, one of his preferred tricks was to strip naked and hide in manager Nereo Rocco’s locker at the training ground. Then, at the perfect moment, he would leap out, yelling “Boo!” to startle his boss.
Altafini certainly needed those jovial instincts by the time the 1963 final rolled around. Having averaged 23 goals in his four previous league campaigns, his Serie A total was a meagre 11 in 1962/63. The malaise extended to the first half of the decider in London, where Altafini missed a couple of good chances and the Rossoneri went into the interval a goal down. If the match was a battle between Milan’s hitman and the Eagles’ magnificent Eusébio, the Portuguese powerhouse was ahead by dint of his 18th-minute opener.
