Anatomy of a Hat-Trick: Paolo Rossi's Iconic Performance at the 1982 World Cup Against Brazil

Italy did not look like a team who were World Cup contenders three games into the 1982 tournament, and Paolo Rossi did not look like a man capable of scoring a World Cup goal.

The Azzurri had stumbled out of their group having mustered three draws from their opening three games; a stalemate against Poland, a 1-1 with Peru and a 1-1 with Cameroon.

Somehow, Italy had failed to win a match and found the net just twice, yet still qualified by virtue of goals scored.

Averaging a goal every 135 minutes? You'd be forgiven for thinking that Italy's forward line must have been in the form of their life. However, this was not quite the case for striker Rossi. He was yet to contribute to the Italians heady scoring feats, and was being lamented by the press and supporters back home.

Rossi had announced himself on the world stage four years earlier, hitting three goals and providing four assists as Italy stormed into the semi finals.

However, the 1978 Silver Ball winner came into the 1982 finals in a slightly different head space.

Rossi had been banned from football for three years after being accused of taking part in the 1980 Totonero betting scandal. The suspension was reduced to two years and he rejoined Juventus for the home straight of the 1981/82 Serie A season - just in time to earn himself a World Cup selection.

With a lack of competitive game time under his belt, Rossi was accused of being unfit and out of shape as Italy went through the motions in the group stages.

The 1982 World Cup replaced the quarter finals with a second group stage - a three-team round robin with the group winner progressing to the semi finals.

Italy were drawn against Diego Maradona's Argentina and the might of Brazil. Not ideal opponents for a side who had limped out of the group stages with an out of shape striker up top.

But Italy turned in a stunning defensive performance to shut out Maradona and beat Argentina 2-1, setting up a winner takes all clash against tournament favourites Brazil.

The game is regarded as one of the greatest football matches of all time, and Rossi took centre stage.

The striker opened the scoring inside five minutes, peeling off his marker at the ball post, latching onto Antonio Cabrini's dinked cross from the left flank and powering a low header past Waldir Peres in the Brazil goal.

Rossi timed his back post run perfectly, providing the majority of the power in the header himself by meeting Cabrini's lofted delivery at pace. He headed the ball downwards, back across the face of the goal, and it skimmed off the turf before nestling in the bottom corner.

Brazil were level seven minutes later via Socrates, but Rossi restored Italy's one goal advantage before the first period was out. The Juventus man capitalised on a loose Toninho Cerezo ball inside the Brazil half, scampering between three defenders to collect the misplaced pass and racing through on goal.

He let fly from the edge of the area and sent a cleanly struck right footed effort past the outstretched gloves of Peres, the Brazil goalkeeper unable to contend with the power and swerve of the strike.

Having failed to find the net in the tournament's first four matches, Rossi suddenly had two goals in the space of 20 minutes.

The game continued to tantalisingly swing one way and then the other as Brazil once again drew level in the 68th minute through Falcao.

But the Italians' and Rossi's response was as good as instant. Within six minutes of Brazil equalising, the Juventus striker had the ball in the back of the net once more. Bruno Conti's corner was not properly cleared, and the ball fell to Marco Tardelli on the edge of the Brazil box. His goal bound shot was instinctively stroked home by Rossi.

The forward was lingering in the six yard area as the corner was recycled, and in one motion he spun and turned the bouncing ball home with his laces.

A poacher's finish to complete a famous World Cup hat-trick.

Italy held on to book their place in the semi finals where they dispatched of Poland courtesy of a Rossi brace.

He opened the scoring in the World Cup final as Italy ran out 3-1 winners to secure their first world title in 44 years.

With six goals, Rossi scooped not only the Golden Boot but the Golden Ball too - and he would go on to win the 1982 European Player and World Player of the Year awards.

"On one hand I felt fulfilled. I said to myself, 'you've made it'," Rossi later said of the tournament. "On the other hand, I was disappointed that all of this just ended. The World Cup was over.

"But when you win something important it's not just about the trophy. It's about the group you win it with, it's about your entire career that took you there."