Yes, Gianni Rivera, the former "Golden Boy" of Italian soccer, the very first Italian-ever to have won the prestigious Golden Ball award, was in Udine on May 12, 2011 for a conference on youth soccer (he's now the president of the Italian youth and scholastic sector).
Rivera is no. 20 in the list of the all-time world’s greatest players of the 20th century. He’s considered to also be one of the greatest no. 10s in the history of the game. In 1969 he became the firs Italian to win the prestigious “Golden Ball” award as Europe’s best player. He was Milan’s captain for a record 12 seasons.
With the national team he won the European championship in 1968. At the 1970 World Cup in Brazil he scored the winning goal in the over-time match between Italy and W. Germany (4-3). There’s a plaque outside of the Azteca Stadium which claims that the semi-final match between the Italians and Germans is the best match of the 20th century! He eventually went on to lose the final against Pele’s mighty Brazil 4-1. Unfortunately, Rivera only entered the match with 6 minutes remaining. Not much to do against the likes of Pele’ and Rivelino… Rivera took part in 4 World Cups (1962, 1966, 1970 and 1974). He scored 14 goals and had 60 caps with the national team.
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