Luigi Simoni
Luigi “Gigi” Simoni (22 January 1939 – 22 May 2020) was an Italian football player, coach and club official. He was born in Crevalcore, Emilia-Romagna, and played as an attacking midfielder for Mantova, Napoli, Torino, Juventus, Brescia and Genoa. He won the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 1961–62.
As a coach, Simoni was known for helping teams move up from Serie B to Serie A. He achieved promotions with several clubs, including Genoa, Brescia, Pisa and Cremonese.
His best-known spell was with Inter Milan (1997–1998). With Ronaldo at his peak, he led Inter to win the UEFA Cup in 1998 and to a close second place in Serie A behind Juventus. He was dismissed later in 1998 but left a lasting impression with Inter fans.
After Inter, he coached many teams, including Napoli, Siena and Torino. In 2011–2012 he worked as caretaker manager of Gubbio and helped the club reach Serie B.
In June 2019, Simoni suffered a stroke and remained in poor health until his death in Pisa on 22 May 2020, at age 81.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:48 (CET).