«My clothes for Gigi Riva»

«Game strategies? They were often discussed in the tailor's shop during the fitting of the clothes." Former tailor Annibale Piras remembers the champions of Cagliari. For eleven years, between 1967 and 1978, he dressed the big names of island football. He was born in Carbonia in 1942, but after a few years he went to live in Siliqua. Those were hard times, and after finishing his studies in primary school, he began to work. The needle and thread were put in his hands at the age of eleven, in a tailor's shop in Siliqua, where he learned the rudiments of the trade. At 14 he arrived in Cagliari to work in the workshop of a Neapolitan tailor. Here, for six years, he learned all the tricks of the trade and perfected himself, then left for military service.

Clothes and ball

His encounter with the world of football occurred when he finished his military service in a tailor's shop in Via Sonnino, where he resumed his old job. «Among the tailor's clients the names of important Cagliari footballers stood out, including Franco Rizzo, Gigi Riva, Pierluigi Cera, Sergio Gori, Nenè, Ricciotti Greatti and Giuseppe Tomasini», he recalls. After a few years the big opportunity arrives: the owner of the tailoring shop decides to pass the baton to Annibale Piras: «After taking over the business, I expanded the turnover thanks also to the punctuality in the delivery of clothes, the previous owner was very good to find customers, but he was often late with the work – he explains – With the new management I kept the footballers who frequented the tailor's shop as customers. Riva sometimes arrived while my wife Mariella was cooking, but he never stayed for lunch. The Hungarian Géza Boldizsar was the coach of Cagliari's Primavera, and when he arrived, he would jokingly exclaim “Hello shoemaker!”, I would reply “Hello Yugoslavian!” to make him angry, then I offered him a glass of Vernaccia di Solarussa."

The discussions

The comings and goings of the sportsmen was constant, and they often talked about football tactics. "If I pass you the ball, after thirty meters you give it back to me, otherwise I have to go back to get it." Annibale Piras still remembers the conversations between teammates. «It was a very united group – he adds – shaped by the coach Arturo Silvestri. Manlio Scopigno left more autonomy and freedom. This probably made them more aware, leading them to win the scudetto." For these champions, image was important, they chose fabrics carefully and followed fashions: «In that period, bright colors and tight-fitting clothes were used. Gigi Riva had once come to try on the trousers, but as they were very tight he had to lie down on the bed to take them off - he recalls - then, upon returning from Mexico, the fashion had changed and they required new clothes with trousers narrowed up to the knee and then widen like an elephant's foot, until it covers the shoe".

Stadium

By now, a family atmosphere had been created in the tailor's shop and Annibale Piras never lacked tickets in the stands for the matches: «When Riva was coveted by Juventus, I asked him if he was thinking of moving to the other team, he replied: I prefer stay with Cagliari, but I'm a professional, if they sell me I have to go. Then we know how it went. And to think that as soon as he arrived he wanted to leave, coming from Lombardy, Sardinia seemed like a remote place, but then he made many friends everywhere."

The phone call

«In December 1971 my son Roberto died, he was only three months old – says the former tailor – Tomasini came by to pick up a suit and heard the news. He returned to the guesthouse in Genneruxi and reported what had happened to his companions. Shortly afterwards Riva called me and said: "I'm here with Cera, if you need anything we're here, you don't have to worry". Riva was a true gentleman, on the pitch and in life." In 1978 the tailors' shops went into crisis. «I looked for another job – concludes Annibale – I returned to live in Siliqua, and ended up going to work in the factory in Macchiareddu. I lost sight of most of them, I still meet Tomasini from time to time, but I keep a beautiful memory of those years spent in Cagliari, sewing clothes for my idols."

Angelo Cucca