When football fans think of legendary Italian strikers, names like Roberto Baggio, Paolo Rossi, and Alessandro Del Piero often come to mind. However, for those who have a deeper appreciation of Italian football history, Paolo Pulici is a name that resonates just as strongly.
Pulici, affectionately known as “Puliciclone” – a nickname that fuses his surname with “ciclone” (cyclone) – was not just any striker. He was a force of nature, and his ability to consistently score for Torino made him one of the most prolific goal-scorers of his era. His career, spanning 14 seasons with Torino, saw him become the club’s all-time top scorer with 172 goals across all competitions. Yet, Pulici’s story is one of determination, tactical refinement, and his undeniable partnership with Francesco Graziani, which earned them the famous nickname, I gemelli del gol (the Twins of Goal).
Pulici was born on April 27, 1950, in Roncello, a small town in the Province of Milan. He was scouted by several clubs during his youth, with Internazionale showing keen interest in his development. However, a twist of fate saw Pulici rejected by Inter, as the club believed that his left-footed shooting was not strong enough to compete with the prowess of their star striker, Sandro Mazzola. Consequently, Torino, sensing potential where others did not, swooped in and secured the young striker’s services from Legnano in 1967. Torino’s coach at the time, Edmondo Fabbri, believed in Pulici’s raw talent and wasted no time in thrusting him into the first team.
However, it wasn’t smooth sailing in the early stages of his career. In his first four seasons at Torino, Pulici struggled to find the back of the net consistently. Despite being given ample game time, his composure in front of goal was lacking, and technical shortcomings hindered his development. In 79 league games, he managed to score only nine goals, leading many to question whether he had what it took to be a top-tier striker. Yet, in football, as in life, perseverance can pay off. And it did for Paolo Pulici.
In the 1972-73 season, Pulici’s career took a decisive turn. Coach Gustavo Giagnoni made a bold decision that would change Pulici’s trajectory. For two months, Pulici was removed from the starting lineup, not as a punishment, but as a means to help him refine his technique. Under the guidance of the youth team coaches, Pulici worked tirelessly to improve his touch, movement, and finishing ability. As a result, when he returned to the first team, he did so with a vengeance. That season, Pulici emerged as Serie A’s top scorer, netting 17 goals and sharing the Capocannoniere title with two other greats of Italian football: Gianni Rivera and Giuseppe Savoldi.
Moreover, this was just the beginning of his rise to prominence. Over the next few years, Pulici became a consistent goal-scoring machine. In the 1974-75 season, he again claimed the Capocannoniere title, this time outright, with 18 goals. But the crowning glory came in the 1975-76 season, a year that would forever etch his name in Torino folklore. Pulici, alongside his partner in crime, Francesco Graziani, led Torino to their first Serie A title in nearly three decades. That season, Pulici scored 21 goals, once again earning the title of Serie A’s top scorer. His final goal of the campaign, a strike in the final match against A.C. Cesena, was the goal that sealed the Scudetto for Torino, sending their fans into raptures.
Pulici and Graziani’s partnership during this time became the stuff of legend. Together, they were dubbed I gemelli del gol – the Twins of Goal – due to their telepathic understanding and their shared goal-scoring prowess. It was a partnership that not only brought Torino success but also captivated fans across Italy. The duo’s ability to read each other’s movements, find space, and create chances was a key reason for Torino’s dominance in the mid-1970s. Furthermore, Pulici’s ability to finish both with his head and his feet, combined with Graziani’s pace and work rate, made them a formidable duo. In contrast to many modern-day partnerships, their connection was based on instinct and chemistry, developed through countless hours on the training pitch rather than tactical instructions.
Despite Pulici’s club success, his international career with Italy was somewhat less illustrious. Pulici made his international debut for Italy on March 30, 1973, in a 5-0 victory over Luxembourg. He scored his first goals for the Azzurri in a friendly against Greece in 1975, netting twice in a 3-2 win. However, for much of his international career, Pulici was unable to replicate the form he displayed at Torino. Competing for a place in the national team with the likes of Roberto Bettega, who was more favored by the coaches, Pulici often found himself on the periphery.
Nevertheless, Pulici was part of two World Cup squads, in 1974 and 1978, but did not see any playing time in either tournament. This lack of international success might have left a mark on Pulici’s career in terms of broader recognition, but in Torino, his hero status was undiminished. Yet, compared to his partnership with Graziani at Torino, his role within the Italy squad felt more like a supporting act than that of a lead performer.
Returning to his club career, Pulici’s tenure at Torino began to wind down after the departure of coach Luigi Radice in 1980. With Radice gone, Torino’s system began to shift, and Pulici, now in his thirties, found his goal-scoring contributions decreasing. In the 1979-80 season, he scored only three goals, a far cry from the lofty heights of his peak years. As a result, in 1982, Torino allowed Pulici to leave the club on a free transfer, bringing an end to his illustrious 14-year spell with the Granata.
After leaving Torino, Pulici had brief stints with Udinese and Fiorentina, but by then, his best years were behind him. In 1983, after a season in Florence, Pulici decided to hang up his boots and retire from professional football. His departure from the game marked the end of an era for Torino, and to this day, Pulici remains the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer – a testament to his impact and legacy.
Pulici’s post-playing career saw him move into coaching, though he never reached the heights as a manager that he did as a player. He joined Piacenza as an assistant coach and worked with the club’s technical staff for several years. While coaching might not have brought him the same level of acclaim, Pulici’s love for the game remained undiminished. Since 1990, he has been involved in grassroots football, passing on his knowledge to young players at the Sportiva Tritium 1908 football school, which bears his name. Pulici’s dedication to the next generation of players is a reflection of his deep-rooted passion for football, and it is this love for the game that continues to inspire those who are fortunate enough to learn from him.
In 2014, Pulici received one of the ultimate recognitions for his contributions to Torino when he was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame. As the first player to ever receive this honor, Pulici was included in the “Forwards” category, and his name now stands alongside other Torino legends. This induction was a fitting tribute to a player who gave his all for the club and whose goals brought joy to countless Torino supporters over the years.
In conclusion, Paolo Pulici’s career is one that encapsulates both triumph and perseverance. From his early struggles with Torino, where he was doubted and excluded, to becoming the club’s all-time top scorer and leading them to a historic Scudetto, Pulici’s story is one of resilience. His partnership with Francesco Graziani will forever be remembered as one of the most effective striking duos in Italian football history, and while his international career may not have matched his club success, Pulici’s contributions to Torino remain unparalleled. To this day, he is not just a legend of Torino, but of Italian football as a whole.