A one-club man, Bergomi held the record of most appearances for the club for several years, while also being the side's longtime captain. He was affectionately referred to as "Lo zio" ("the uncle")<ref name="Billy e lo zio Bergomi">Template:Cite news</ref> because of his bushy eyebrows and the impressive moustache he wore even as a youngster,<ref name="100 top World Cup footballers">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="best nicknames">Template:Cite web</ref> which reminded teammate Gianpiero Marini of his own uncle's appearance.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Born in Milan, Bergomi began training with Inter Milan's first team at the age of only 15, and made his professional debut at the age of 16, 1 month and 8 days in the 1979–80 Coppa Italia against rivalsJuventus in Turin, on 30 January 1980, becoming the youngest to make it in the history of the club. During the 1980–81 season, at the age of 17, he made his first Serie A appearance in a 2–1 home win over Como on 22 February 1981. After winning the Coppa Italia the following year,<ref name=Treccani>Template:Cite web</ref> also reaching the semifinals of the European Cup whilst putting on consistent performances, he soon was part of Italy's senior squad choices.<ref name=SDC>Template:Cite web</ref>
With Italy Bergomi won the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 1986 and 1990 campaigns (acting as captain in the latter), as well as UEFA Euro 1988, with the nation reaching the semi-finals of the latter two tournaments. His final international tournament was the 1998 World Cup.<ref name=Treccani/>
Alongside the likes of Inter's Giuseppe Baresi, his younger brother Franco of A.C. Milan and Juventus trio of Antonio Cabrini, Claudio Gentile and Gaetano Scirea, he formed the backbone of the national team's defence for much of the 1980s,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> making his debut on 14 April 1982 in a 0–1 friendly loss in East Germany, aged only 18 years and 3 months, making him the youngest player to feature in a match for Italy post-World War II.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was included in the Italy team for the World Cup in Spain later that year, becoming the youngest Italian player ever to be called up for a World Cup.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the victorious tournament, he appeared in three games, including Italy's 3–2 second round victory against Brazil in their final group match, where he put in a strong performance after coming on for the injured defender Fulvio Collovati, marking opposing striker Serginho Chulapa, despite later deflecting Paulo Roberto Falcão's shot into his own net;<ref name="The Man Who Marked Rummenigge"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the result allowed Italy to advance to the semi-final ahead of Brazil and Argentina in the so-called "Group of Death."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the age of 18 years and 195 days, Bergomi was the youngest Italian player ever to have appeared at a World Cup.<ref name="Record e Curiosità"/> Although he was initially not in manager Enzo Bearzot's plans to feature in the knock-out rounds, Bergomi also went on to play the full 180 minutes in the last two matches of the tournament. Due to Gentile's suspension ahead of the semi-final against Poland, coupled with an injury to goalkeeper Dino Zoff, which impeded him from taking goal kicks, Bergomi started the match, keeping a clean sheet in the 2–0 victory.<ref name="The Man Who Marked Rummenigge">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="destinato alla panchina">Template:Cite news</ref> An injury to playmakerGiancarlo Antognoni also allowed Bergomi to start in the 3–1 final victory over West Germany, where he effectively marked German forward Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, despite picking up a minor injury in the first half,<ref name="The Man Who Marked Rummenigge"/><ref name="destinato alla panchina"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and even participated in the lead-up to the second goal of the match, scored by Marco Tardelli.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Aged 18 years and 201 days, at the time, he was the second youngest player ever to win the title, after Brazil's Pelé, who won the tournament at the age of 17 years and 249 days in 1958.<ref name="Record e Curiosità">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="festa dello Zio">Template:Cite news</ref>
Bergomi also appeared in the 1986 edition of the tournament, where Italy were eliminated in the round-of-16 by eventual semi-finalists France following a 2–0 loss.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During the first match under Bearzot's successor, Azeglio Vicini, Bergomi scored his first two goals for Italy in a 2–0 friendly win against Greece in Bologna on 8 October 1986, becoming the first Italian defender to score a brace at international level; he also wore the captain's armband for the first time, following striker Alessandro Altobelli's substitution.<ref name="festa dello Zio"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 20 February 1988, Bergomi was named Italy captain ahead of Italy's 4–1 friendly win over the USSR in Bari,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> a role he held for 33 games, until 1991.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As captain,<ref name="USSR overcome Italy">Template:Cite web</ref> Bergomi was part of Italy's Euro 88 squad under Vicini,<ref name="UEFA">Template:Cite web</ref> where the nation reached the semi-finals, before suffering a 2–0 defeat to the Soviet Union;<ref name="USSR overcome Italy"/> Bergomi was elected part of the team of the tournament.<ref name="UEFA"/>
Bergomi went on to captain his country in the 1990 World Cup – held on home soil – to a third-place finish,<ref name="protagonisti di Italia 90">Template:Cite news</ref> playing in all seven matches, which included five consecutive wins and as many clean sheets, for a total of 518 minutes without conceding a goal, and the best defensive record overall in the history of the competition,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> conceding only two goals in total.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Italy were eliminated in the semi-finals by defending champions Argentina on penalties, following a 1–1 draw,<ref name="protagonisti di Italia 90"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the only match that Italy did not win throughout the competition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Italy went on to win the bronze medal match 2–1 over England.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
After being sent off in a 2–1 away defeat against Norway for the Euro 1992 qualifiers on 5 June 1991 (Vicini's second-last match as Italy coach), following a clash with Erik Pedersen and an ensuing altercation with Gøran Sørloth,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> resulting in a six-match ban, Bergomi spent years without being called up to the Azzurri;<ref name=beppebergomi/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> this was in part due to subsequent Italy manager Arrigo Sacchi's preference for a zonal rather than man-marking defensive system, following Italy's failure to qualify for UEFA Euro 1992.<ref name=calcioantico/><ref name="arrende">Template:Cite news</ref>
However, Bergomi was surprisingly selected by Cesare Maldini for the 1998 World Cup at age 34,<ref>The Italy squad; BBC Sport, 3 May 1998</ref> due to an injury to Ciro Ferrara,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> after playing 28 times in the league and leading the Nerazzurri to the UEFA Cup<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – his third and last edition of the tournament. After appearing in a pre-tournament friendly against Sweden, which ended in a 1–0 defeat,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in France, Bergomi started off as a reserve, but was substituted in during the last group stage match against Austria, when Alessandro Nesta suffered a tournament-ending injury, with Italy winning the match 2–1.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He partnered for the rest of the tournament with Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Costacurta and Maldini, playing three games in total, starting in the 1–0 win over Norway in the round of 16,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and leading Italy to a quarter-final finish, where they would be eliminated by hosts and eventual champions France 4–3 on penalties on 3 July, following a goalless draw;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> this would be his 81st and final international appearance, to which he added six goals in total.<ref name=RSSSF>Giuseppe Bergomi – International Appearances; at RSSSF</ref> At the time, he was Italy's fourth–most capped player of all time, alongside Franco Baresi and Tardelli.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bergomi was an extremely versatile defender, who was capable of playing anywhere along the backline and adapting to any formation:<ref name=fifa/><ref name=Treccani/><ref name="solocalcio">Template:Cite web</ref> although he was primarily a right-back,<ref name=rosso>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="illuminati">Template:Cite web</ref> he was equally capable of playing on the left,<ref name=festazio/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as a central defender,<ref name=beppebergomi>Template:Cite news</ref> or even as a sweeper,<ref name=calcioantico>Template:Cite news</ref> positions in which he was often deployed both at club and international level. A quick, athletic, consistent and hard-working player, who was also strong in the air, in addition to his defensive ability, as a full-back he was also known for his strength, stamina and his ability to make attacking runs up the flank, and was also capable of contributing to his team's offensive plays with goals and assists,<ref name=rosso/><ref name=SDC/><ref name=beppebergomi/><ref name=festazio/><ref name="CINQUE GOL">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="pozzo">Template:Cite news</ref> courtesy of his good right foot, crossing ability and powerful shot from outside the area.<ref name="hall of fame"/> Above all, however, Bergomi was known for his excellent man-marking skills as a "stopper",<ref name=rosso/><ref name=calcioantico/><ref name=almanacco>Template:Cite book</ref> although he was later also able to excel in a zonal marking system;<ref name=festazio/><ref name=calcioantico/> he was also highly regarded for his timing of his challenges and his anticipation.<ref name="hall of fame">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Despite having a strong temper and being a hard tackler<ref name="50 hardest footballers">Template:Cite web</ref> − he was sent off 12 times in his career<ref name=beppebergomi/> − Bergomi also distinguished himself by his fairness, professionalism and discipline, which made him well-respected among teammates, opponents and coaches;<ref name=festazio>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=moda>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=ciclo>Template:Cite news</ref> he was also regarded for his 'silent leadership' throughout his career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Because of his physical and tenacious playing style,<ref name=festazio/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in 2007, The Times placed him at number nine in their list of the 50 hardest football players in history.<ref name="50 hardest footballers"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A precocious talent in his youth (when he had initially started out as a forward),<ref name=Treccani/><ref name=beppebergomi/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bergomi later also stood out for his longevity throughout his extensive career;<ref name=beppebergomi/> indeed, his experience, tactical intelligence and positional sense,<ref name="DI MATTEO MALE"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as his confidence on the ball, balance, technique and his ability to play the ball out from the back-line enabled him to excel as a sweeper towards the end of his career,<ref name=rosso/><ref name=calcioantico/><ref name=festazio/><ref name="pozzo"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and maintain a high level of performance, in spite of his loss of pace as a result of his physical decline.<ref name="DI MATTEO MALE">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Post-playing career
A licensed football coach, Bergomi became youth coach of the Esordienti at Inter in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In July 2009 he was appointed youth coach of Allievi Nazionali (under-17) at Monza,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> being promoted as head of the Berretti under-19 team, in co-operation with Giuseppe Chieppa, one year later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
