Shirt Stories: Marco Tardelli and the scream heard around the world

Words by Oscar O'Connor

The legend of L'Urlo di Tardelli

Not many goal celebrations go down in history with the same kind of fame as the goals that prompted them. Even fewer get their own unique moniker.

But L'Urlo di Tardelli (The Tardelli Scream), was not the type of World Cup moment to fade away once the final ball of the 1982 tournament was kicked.

Four decades on from Italy’s triumph over West Germany in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium, the spontaneous ecstasy of Marco Tardelli is one of the most abiding images in all of sport, let alone soccer.

This Marco Tardelli Italy shirt was displayed as part of The MWS Legend Collection NYC exhibition, a celebration of football history told through some of the game’s most iconic shirts and unforgettable moments.

Having entered the 1982 tournament as sizeable underdogs, Italy reached the final against West Germany having already defeated reigning champions Argentina and tournament favourites Brazil.

It was 44 years since the last time Italy were crowned champions of the world, and with a team that included lethal striker Paulo Rossi leading the line, and a midfield engine room of Gabriele Oriali and Marco Tardelli, they arrived unbeaten in the tournament, and in a winning mood. 

A tense and hard-fought game ensued, with both teams creating chances in each other’s box and flying in with swashbuckling side tackles all over the field. The game remained 0-0 at half time, but in the 57th minute Rossi met a bouncing cross with his head to nod Italy ahead on the scoresheet. After 44 years, Italy were now just under 30 minutes from immortality, but any idea that they might park the proverbial bus to sit on a 1-0 lead were soon quelled in the 69th minute by the most famous scream since Edvard Munch.

It’s the celebration that we remember, but the goal itself was a thing of beauty too. Receiving the ball at the D outside the box after some intricate build-up play from Italy, Tardelli flicked the ball with his right foot to his left side. As the ball span away and bounced, an off-balance Tardelli uncorked a sliding half-volley with his left foot, which sailed past the German goalkeeper and into the bottom corner. Cue the most impassioned goal celebration of all time. 

The Moment

Wheeling away with tears in his eyes, his head shaking in disbelief, and unbridled joy on his face, the Tardelli Scream was born. It was the wild expression of a man possessed, having realised his childhood dream with a moment of pure instinctive brilliance. Tardelli punched the air with shaking fists and screamed the immortal words, “Gol! Gol! Gol!” The emotion radiating from his face captured the euphoria of an entire nation. Forty-four years of pain washed away in the space of a few minutes, and every ounce of it came out in that scream. 

Speaking of his iconic celebration, Tardelli would later explain:

“I was born with that scream inside me… That was just the moment it came out.”

For Tardelli, the moment was the culmination of a lifetime’s dedication to his sporting craft. Every young footballer dreams of scoring the decisive goal in this, the final of all finals. Very few players ever reach that lofty pinnacle of the game, and even fewer have conveyed to the world the overwhelming emotions of a dream crystallising into reality in real time. The raw emotion of Tardelli’s celebration gave his immortal moment a human side that millions of people watching could relate to.

Ten minutes later and the game was put to bed once and for all, as substitute Alessandro Altobelli completed Italy’s scoring, rounding the goalkeeper to slide the ball home for 3-0. With only about eight minutes of the 90 to play, and a three-goal cushion, Italy were almost home. Germany did manage to pull back a consolation goal a few minutes later, but it was not enough to stop the Azzurri from securing their third triumph. 

The final whistle came, and the nation of Italy erupted in celebration. But one man’s scream rose above them all.