Few would expect the holy trinity of Italian football to have a shrine in Halifax. Yet, on a mantelpiece in the humble Yorkshire town, there is a picture of Enzo Bearzot that proves Danny Racchi has connections in high places.
If the Kilmarnock midfield player looks to the skies tomorrow for inspiration, he may not be seeking it from God. Why go to the Almighty, when you have a World Cup-winning manager up there? Bearzot, who died 14 months ago, guided Italy to their 1982 triumph, earning eternal adoration of Italians scattered across the globe.
Indeed, when Marcello Lippi repeated the feat in 2006, joining Bearzot and the legendary Vittorio Pozzo, who won the World Cup in 1934 and 1938, Racchi was in Halifax, belting out: “Italia, Italia.” The accent and the birth certificate might betray that the 24-year-old is a Yorkshireman, but his heart and soul are claimed by the Azzurri.
Racchi has already scored one spectacular goal against Celtic this season. If he netted another in the Scottish Communities League Cup final, then the roars might be heard in Halifax, if not heaven itself.
“My family will all be up at Hampden,” the former Huddersfield Town player, who joined Kilmarnock last summer, said. “My mum, dad, aunt and uncle . My dad, Steve, has only missed about ten games since I was eight years old. He travels everywhere, and comes from Yorkshire even if I am not involved.”
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It is Steve Racchi who provided Danny’s passion for football and the Bearzot connection. His Milanese family welcomed Enzo into the fold when the young Inter Milan defender married his wife, Luisa. Bearzot died in Milan on December 21, 2010, aged 83.
“My dad is Italian and one of 18 brothers and sisters,” Racchi said. “My grandparents come from Milan and they brought my dad to live in England. Enzo Bearzot married into our family and my dad always brings that up and we have pictures at home in Halifax, so there is a family heritage.
“My dad’s cousin played for Juventus and I would love to emulate something like that one day but maybe I am setting my sights a bit too high. My dad has lived in England most of his life and went to school here. My grandparents named him Carlo but I think he got bullied, so he changed it to Steve.
“My dad brought me up supporting Italian football over English. I am a Juventus fan and have seen them at Old Trafford in the Champions League. My mum bought me an England shirt once and my dad hid it — maybe he has a bit of Scottish in him — and I always wore Italy shirts.
“My dad is a proud Italian and my best friend in Halifax, Marco, is Italian, too. We used to get a bit of stick from the locals in Yorkshire when the World Cup finals come around, but we tell them that we have won four World Cups to England’s one.
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“My parents have been the biggest influence on my career so far. When I was seven years old, I signed for Huddersfield’s academy and was there for 13 years. I trained three times a week and never missed a session. Mum and dad were working full time but they would take me everywhere for games, from Manchester to Liverpool to Newcastle. I have a lot to thank them for. My dad says Bradford City were once watching him but my grandparents could not drive, so that never came off.
“So, he has tried to help me as much as he can. He has always wanted me to do better and knows I can give more. Kilmarnock is the first club I have played for where I had to move away from home.”
That unwavering family support helped to sustain Racchi when he dropped down to non-league in 2010 for a season with York City. However, Kenny Shiels, the Kilmarnock manager, thought that Racchi had the sort of skills that demanded a bigger stage and the two-year contract he gave the midfield player was rewarded when Racchi scored his first goal for Kilmarnock at Celtic Park in a 2-1 defeat on Christmas Eve.
“That was my best moment and hopefully I can score another against Celtic,” he said. “This is the biggest occasion in my career. When I was at Huddersfield, we went to play Chelsea in the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge. I was 19 and although we lost 2-1, it was a great experience. I would love to play at that level but right now, the focus is on Hampden. Hopefully Celtic are thinking about their treble and we can go there and do them.”