Pierluigi Formiconi

Pierluigi Formiconi was the coach who took Italian women’s water polo to the top of the sport. He was an experienced player with S.S. Lazio in the 1960s and 70s and was a member of the national team that came close to winning a medal at the 1970 and 1973 World Championships. Formiconi missed the 1972 Olympic Games because he was disqualified for six matches in the Italian Top League and, as further punishment, was not called up for The Games.

Formiconi began coaching by winning youth championships with Lazio. In 1983 he joined the technical group of the Italian Federation and in 1983-85 was the technical manager of the men’s youth national team and assistant coach of the senior team, while from 1985-87 he was the coach of the women’s national team.

In 1984 Formiconi won the European title with the junior national team, repeating his success at the 1993 Junior World Championships in Cairo. From 1988-94 he was the technical guide of Pro Recco, playing a championship final and a LEN Cup final. In 1999, he guided A.S. Roma Pallanuoto to the championship by beating Circolo Nautico Posillipo in the final.

From 1994-2004 Formiconi was the coach of the women’s national water polo team that won gold at both the 1991 and 1998 World Championships at Fukuoka and Perth, Australia, respectively. They also won four European Championships (1995, 1997, 1999, and 2003). The Olympic Games were Formiconi´s obsession. After sensationally failing to qualify in 2000 his efforts were rewarded four years later when the Italian women captured that elusive gold medal by beating the hosts Greece in the final. Formiconi subsequently coached the men’s national team and other club teams until 2021, but with little success.