From football to politics: Gianni Rivera

Rivera was one of the greatest footballing artists of all time. The way he moved the ball, the decisions he used to make with his ball on his feet. In an era where football was ‘’slower’’, Rivera was moving in slow-motion but with class. His former manager Nereo Rocco once said: ‘’Yes, he doesn’t run a lot, but if I want good football, creativity, the art of turning around a situation from the first to the ninetieth minute, only Rivera can give me all of this with his flashes.’’ 

The midfielder, who made 60 appearances for the national team and played in four World Cups, would call quits on his impressive career in 1979. Most footballers tend to have a career in football after retiring as a player, and so did Rivera at first. As he basically was part of AC Milan’s furniture, the club offered him a role as vice-president. He would stay until Silvio Berlusconi bought the club in 1986. 

Political career

He then embarked on a new journey in life and entered politics. The former footballer became a member of the Italian Parliament in 1987 with the Christian Democracy party. He was re-elected in 1992 and would in 1994 serve for the Christian Democratic Segni Pact party. Rivera also spent a term as an under-secretary for the defence ministry of Romano Prodi’s government. In 2001, he ended his political career in Italy, but in 2005 he became a member of the European Parliament until 2009. 

Rivera’s story shows that there’s a life after football and that there are many different career paths you can embark upon. Aged 80, AC Milan’s legendary player is now enjoying retirement. Rivera is not the only footballer to have gone into politics: George Weah and Kakha Kaladze are among other stars to have done so.