Pierino Prati, born in the modest town of Cinisello Balsamo in 1946, was not just a footballer; he was a force of nature, a player whose career oscillated between the sublime and the overlooked, yet whose legacy remains etched in the annals of football history. Known affectionately—or perhaps begrudgingly—as “Pierino the Pest,” Prati was a forward who combined technical finesse with a relentless work ethic, a player who could torment defenders with his movement, his vision, and his unerring ability to find the back of the net.

PART ONE

Pierino Prati’s professional playing days began in the unglamorous surroundings of Serie C1 with Salernitana, a club far removed from the bright lights of Milan or Turin. Yet, even in these humble beginnings, Prati’s potential was evident. During the 1965–66 season, he played a pivotal role in Salernitana’s title-winning campaign, earning promotion to Serie B. His stellar performances caught the eye of AC Milan, one of Italy’s most storied clubs, and in 1966, he made the leap to Serie A. However, his debut season with The Red and Blacks was far from straightforward. After making his Serie A debut in a hard-fought 2–1 win over Venezia on 18 September 1966, Prati was loaned to Serie B side Savona, a move that might have derailed a lesser player’s confidence. But Prati was no ordinary talent. He returned to AC Milan with a point to prove, and prove it he did.

The 1967–68 campaign marked the beginning of Prati’s ascent to stardom. Under the astute management of Nereo Rocco, Milan secured the Serie A title, with Prati finishing as the league’s top scorer with 15 goals. His partnership with Gianni Rivera, one of the most gifted playmakers of his generation, was nothing short of magical. Rivera’s vision and creativity dovetailed perfectly with Prati’s predatory instincts, and together they formed one of the most formidable attacking duos in European football. Prati’s ability to play across the front line—whether as a striker, a supporting forward, or a winger—made him an invaluable asset to Rocco’s side. His speed, technique, and ferocious shooting from both inside and outside the penalty area made him a nightmare for opposing defenders, while his aerial prowess added another dimension to Milan’s attack.

The pinnacle of Prati’s club career came in 1969, when Milan faced Ajax of Amsterdam in the European Cup final at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Ajax, led by the visionary Rinus Michels and featuring a young Johan Cruyff, were widely regarded as the future of football. But on that fateful night in Madrid, it was Prati who stole the show. He scored a hat-trick in Milan’s 4–1 victory, becoming only the third player in history to achieve such a feat in a European Cup final, after Ferenc Puskás and Alfredo Di Stéfano. To this day, Prati remains the last player to score a treble in the final of Europe’s premier club competition, a testament to his enduring legacy.

PART TWO

Pierino Prati’s success at club level earned him a place in the Italian national team, and was handed his debut on 6 April 1968 in a 3–2 loss to Bulgaria in the quarter-finals of the UEFA European Championship. Despite the defeat, Prati announced his arrival on the international stage with a goal, and he followed it up with another in the return leg, helping Italy secure a 2–0 victory and a place in the semi-finals. Italy went on to win the tournament, defeating Yugoslavia by 2-0 in a replay of the final, but Prati’s role in the triumph was somewhat overshadowed by the emergence of Gigi Riva, who would go on to become Italy’s all-time leading scorer.

Prati’s international career was a mix of glory and frustration. He was part of the Italian squad that reached the final of the 1970 FIFA World Cup, where Ferruccio Valcareggi and his boys in the azure blue shirts faced the mighty Brazil led by Pelé. Despite a valiant effort, Italy suffered a 4–1 defeat in a match that is often remembered as one of the greatest World Cup finals in history. Prati’s contributions to the national team were significant—he notched up seven goals in 14 appearances—but he often found himself playing second fiddle to Riva, a player whose brilliance kept Prati on the substitutes´ bench for much of his international career.

After leaving AC Milan in 1973, Prati enjoyed fruitful spells with Roma and Fiorentina of Florence, where he continued to demonstrate his goal scoring prowess. However, as his career wound down, he returned to the lower leagues, playing for Savona in Serie C2 and even venturing across the Atlantic to join the Rochester Lancers in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1979. It was a far cry from the heights of the European Cup, but Prati’s love for the game remained undiminished. The prolific frontman retired with an impressive record of 100 goals in 233 Serie A appearances, a testament to his consistency and longevity.

PART THREE

Pierino Prati’s career was a microcosm of the footballing world in the 1960s and 1970s—a time when the game was transitioning from the old to the new, from the rugged individualism of the past to the tactical sophistication of the modern era. Prati was a player who bridged that gap, a forward who could thrive in any system, who could adapt to the demands of his manager and the needs of his team. His versatility, his work rate, and his eye for goal made him a footballer ahead of his time, yet his achievements are often overlooked.

Perhaps it is quite fitting that Prati’s biggest and most iconic moment—his hat-trick either side of the break in the 1969 European Cup final—came against Ajax, a team that would go on to redefine the sport. In many ways, Prati was the last of a dying breed, a player who embodied the spirit of an era that was soon to be consigned to history. But for those who witnessed his brilliance, for those who watched him torment defenders and light up stadiums with his goals, Pierino Prati will always be remembered as one of the greats.