Francesco Morini (Italian pronunciation: [franˈtʃesko moˈriːni]; 12 August 1944 – 31 August 2021) was an Italian professional footballer who played as a defender. He competed for the Italy national team in the 1974 FIFA World Cup and earned a total of 11 caps. He played for clubs such as Sampdoria and, most notably, Juventus, with which he achieved great success. Morini was a fast, strong, and tenacious centre-back, with good technique, who was known for his tackling ability, as well as his tight marking of opposing forwards. He was given the nickname "Morgan the Pirate" as he excelled as a powerful ball-winner; despite his physical style of play, he was also known for his correct behaviour on the pitch, and he rarely committed aggressive challenges. On the pitch, he was also well known fo