On June 27, 2013, the calcio world mourned the loss of former Fiorentina, AC Milan, and Pescara striker Stefano Borgonovo after losing his five year battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Borgonovo, while carving out a nice career that included a European Cup with Milan, became more well known for the disease that he bore with such dignity and humility than for his footballing career, despite playing alongside the likes of Roberto Baggio, Carlo Ancelotti, and Paolo Maldini.
Borgonovo was born on St. Patrick’s Day in 1964, a year after his future club Milan won their first continental trophy. He came up through the youth ranks at Como Calcio, and made his professional debut three days shy of his 18th birthday in a match against Ascoli. Borgonovo would spend the next two seasons with Como in Serie B, however, he would only feature in 33 matches in two years, scoring three goals in the rough-and-tumble second division.
During the 1984-85 season, the Lombardy-born striker would enjoy a breakout year on loan with Serie B side Sambenedettese, finding the net 13 times in 33 matches as the club reached a respectable ninth in the table. The time in Serie B did him well, and when he took another crack at Serie A with Como he did not disappoint, hitting double digits in goals again as Como enjoyed a comfortable midtable finish the next season.
The flashes he showed with Como were good enough for Milan to acquire his services for 4 billion lira (or roughly €2 million today), however, he was immediately sent back to Como on loan for the next two seasons, where he struggled again for consistency. In his last season with the Lariani, the club barely escaped relegation as Borgonovo only found the net twice in 15 matches.
In the 1988-89 season, Milan sent Brogonovo on loan to Fiorentina in what would prove to statistically be the best season of his career, forming a lethal partnership with Roberto Baggio.
The pair, nicknamed ‘B2’ by the Italian press, scored 29 goals between them as they helped Fiorentina finish seventh and qualify for the UEFA Cup. Borgonovo finished fifth in the scoring charts with 14 goals, one behind Baggio.
The duo’s goals were crucial to the club as well, not only contributing two-thirds of Fiorentina’s total for that year, but also by bailing out the league third-worst defence, sporting a measly +1 goal differential.
Bogonovo proved to be a talisman for the Florentines that season, scoring a 90th minute winner against hated rivals Juventus in a 2-1 victory (courtesy of a Baggio corner), and netting a late winner against eventual champions Inter in a 4-3 thriller. Borgonovo would also receive his only three senior caps for the Italian national team during the 88-89 season.
From a statistical perspective, Borgonovo would never reach the heights he had with Baggio and company at Fiorentina. However, the next year with Milan would prove to be his best trophy wise as the Rossoneri won the European Cup, thanks largely to his exploits at the tail end of the competition. Despite playing only 13 times for Milan during the 1989-90 season and scoring only twice due to injury, Borgonovo built upon his reputation as a big-game player.
In the European Cup semifinal against Bayern Munich, Borgonovo won the penalty that Marco van Basten converted to give Milan a crucial 1-0 first leg win at the San Siro.In the return tie, Borgonovo again proved to be the X-factor, scoring a last minute goal in a 2-1 loss, however, the goal proved to be enough as Milan passed through to the final courtesy of the away goals rule.
Although he did not feature in the final, Borgonovo’s heroic’s in the semifinals gave Milan the chance to win their second straight European Cup.
Borgonovo would return to Florence the next season, hoping to recapture his form alongside Baggio. However, the fantasista had left the club for Juventus, and Borgonovo again struggled for goals in his two seasons at the Artemio Franchi, scoring only seven times in 42 total appearances.
Borgonovo would eventually leave Fiorentina again and spend two season with Pescara, one in Serie A and one in Serie B, only playing twice in his second season with the Delfini as he moved back to Serie A with Udinese during the winter mercato, scoring five times in 12 matches, including a double against Cremonese in a 3-3 draw. However, his goals would not be enough for the Zebrette as they were relegated at the end of the season, missing out on salvation by three points. Borgonovo spent the last two seasons of his career at Brescia and back at Udinese, scoring zero goals in the process.
After several years away from the game, Borgonovo started a new career as a coach, returning to his boyhood club Como as a youth coach in 2000. By 2005 he was coaching the club’s primavera side, however, he was forced to retire due to increasingly poor health.
It was not until September 2008 that it was revealed that Borgonovo was suffering from ALS, a disease that also killed former Genoa captain Gianluca Signori. Borgonvo helped create the foundation bearing his name in order to raise awareness and funds for research on the disease. With the help of friends and former teammates, most notably Roberto Baggio, a charity match between Fiorentina and Milan took place that October at the Artemio Franchi with Borgonovo in attendance.
Stefano Borgonovo of AC Milan lifts the ball over goalie Raimund Aumann of Bayern Munich
Despite his illness, Borgonovo was able to write his autobiography ‘Born Attacker’ in 2010 with the help of a computer that transcribes the movements of his eyes into words in addition to a regular column in Gazzetta dello Sport. ALS did little to dampen his spirits, writing in his autobiography that, “I am still the same me. I have learned to appreciate the things I still have: happiness, positivity, some excitement here and there. I see the good things in life and feel privileged in spite of everything.”
In one of his finals acts, he wrote a letter to Andrea Pirlo after his 100th cap for Italy in their win over Mexico in the Confederations Cup, giving the midfielder his most “sincere compliments” not only on his career, but also “for the type of person you are.” Even though death was near Borgonovo still was able to emit positivity and in his own words, find the good in life despite his condition.
Borgonovo would pass away ten days later at age 49, survived by his wife and four children.
For more information on the Stefano Borgonovo Foundation, please click here.
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