Claudio Borghi

Club career

Borghi started his career as an attacking midfielder for Argentinos Juniors in the early 1980s. He was considered a bright young star for Argentina and tipped by many to match Diego Maradona's level. Borghi's exceptional performance in the 1985 Intercontinental Cup final (Argentinos Juniors lost to Juventus on penalties) drew the attention of AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, and Borghi was signed for the club in 1987. Borghi was drafted in alongside Dutchmen Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit, but, since teams were allowed only two foreign players, he was loaned out to Como for the 1987–88 season. The next year the maximum number of foreign players was increased to three, but Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi – who had won respect by securing the Scudetto a few months earlier – asked his team to sign another Dutch player, Frank Rijkaard, instead of bringing Borghi back, as Berlusconi wished. Afterwards Borghi left Italy and tried his luck in Switzerland with Neuchâtel Xamax, before returning to South America where he played for River Plate, Flamengo and Independiente. Eventually he wound up in Chile, winning the Recopa Sudamericana and Copa Interamericana with Colo-Colo in 1992, and concluded his playing career with Santiago Wanderers in 1999.

International career

Borghi was called up to the Argentina national team for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, where he won the World Cup with Argentina and played alongside Diego Maradona at his peak.

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His son, Filippo Borghi Pagnuco, was with the Unión Española youth ranks as a striker, but he switched to the rugby union when he was a student of Redland School, representing Chile at international tournaments.

Player

Club

Argentinos Juniors Primera División Argentina (2): 1984, 1985 Copa Libertadores: 1985 Copa Interamericana: 1985 Intercontinental Cup runner-up: 1985 Colo-Colo Copa Interamericana: 1992 Recopa Sudamericana: 1992 Chilean Primera División runner-up: 1992 Copa Chile runner-up: 1992

International

Argentina FIFA World Cup: 1986

Manager

Club

Colo-Colo Torneo Apertura (2): 2006, 2007 Torneo Clausura (2): 2006, 2007. Argentinos Juniors Torneo Clausura: 2010

Individual

Manager

South American Coach of the Year: 2006