"Everything I would have imagined in life except seeing Comunardo broadcasted worldwide". The irony of Manlio Scopigno, coach at Cagliari when Niccolai appeared on the television set at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, makes clear better than any words the spirit of those times. The defender, champion of Italy with the Sardinians that same year, died at 77. "He leaves the memory of a great sportsman, a polite, kind, respectful, friendly man who knew how to make himself loved," reads a note from the Sardinian club, "Ciao Comunardo”. Born in Uzzano in 1946, Niccolai - also remembered for an unfortunate propensity for own goals - also wore the jerseys of Prato and Perugia during his career. He had arrived in Cagliari when he was very young after a year at Torres: he stayed with the red-blue jersey in the period from 1964 to 1976. Then he moved to Perugia. He went down in history as the "king of own goals", perhaps after the header that had surprised Albertosi in the match between Juventus and Cagliari in 1970. Over two hundred games in Cagliari, three in the national team. He was injured in the Azzurri jersey in the very first match of the World Cup in Mexico, against Sweden, thus ending his experience in that historic edition that saw the Azzurri reach the final with Pelé's Brazil.
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