Gigi Riva lost his father early and later his mother. As a teenager he scored for Laveno Mombello, near his village. He became Italy's all-time top scorer: 35 goals in 42 games.
Leggiuno
Riva was born in Leggiuno, near Varese, on 7 November 1944. His father died in 1953 in a workplace accident; later his mother died too. His sister Fausta raised him.
From lakeside goals to Serie C
From 1960 to 1962 he played for Laveno Mombello and scored 66 goals in two years. In 1962-63 he was at Legnano, in Serie C: 6 goals in 23 games.
Cagliari and Italy
In 1963 he joined Cagliari. On 13 September 1964 he made his Serie A debut against Roma. In 1969-70 he won the league. For Cagliari he scored 208 goals in 315 games.
He broke his left fibula in 1967 and his right in 1970, and came back each time. With Italy he won Euro 1968, scoring in the replayed final against Yugoslavia, and reached the 1970 World Cup final. They called him «Rombo di Tuono» (Roar of Thunder).
What you can learn if you're a striker
The tips below are ideas taken from this story, not promises: every career is different.
- Life's hardships don't take away your talent: many champions started from tough moments.
- Scoring a lot for local clubs gets you noticed: that's where the climb starts.
- You can come back from a serious injury: with patience and good care.
Sources
Facts checked on 30 September 2026 against public sources. No sentence is invented or put in the player's mouth. Found a mistake? Write to us.