An attacking midfielder, Trobbiani was one of the promising young stars to rise in Boca Juniors during the early 1970s.[1] As a juvenile, he debuted in 1973 with the national team when Omar Sivori drafted him for the "phantom squad" that had to play Bolivia for a ticket to the 1974 World Cup. Following the exit of Reinaldo Merlo, he wore the national colours, before Boca's then coach Rogelio Domínguez was aware of his existence.
In 1975, Trobbiani shared Boca's midfield with Benítez, Suñé and Potente, and was criticized for hogging the ball, to the point that fans called him calesita (merry-go-round). After the 1976 season, Trobbiani was sold to Spain in 1976. Boca used the money to buy many players in the local market, starting a major winning streak with coach Juan Carlos Lorenzo.
Trobbiani played for Spanish sides Elche and Real Zaragoza, and acquired European discipline and tactical depth. Trobbiani arrived at Elche with the club playing in La Liga, but after narrowly avoiding relegation in his first season the club was relegated after his second season. He clashed with Elche coaches Roque Olsen and Heriberto Herrera while the club struggled to gain promotion back to La Liga.[2] After Elche missed out on promotion in the last match of the 1979–80 season, Trobbiani left for Real Zaragoza.[1] When he returned to play for Boca in 1981 alongside Diego Maradona, fans saw a more effective player. The team won the 1981 Metropolitano.[3]
In mid-1982, Trobbiani was transferred to Estudiantes de La Plata. Coach Carlos Bilardo made Trobbiani play as a deep-lying centre-forward linking the strong midfield (Russo, Ponce and Sabella) to strikers Trama and Gottardi. The team won two back-to-back championships.[4]
After the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Trobbiani was again playing for Elche CF. National coach Bilardo called Trobbiani for the tournament, making it clear that he would mainly be used for tactical practice games. He worked tirelessly during the month-long stay in Mexico, where he was Jorge Valdano's roommate, and was rewarded with exactly two minutes of play—the last two minutes of the final match against Germany. His only touch of the ball was a back-heel pass.
Trobbiani went on to coach several teams in South America, with little success. He was sacked from Universitario de Deportes from Peru at the end of 2004. Between 2006 and 2008, he worked as Russo's assistant coach at Boca Juniors, together with former teammate Gottardi.
Between 2008 and 2009 he returned to Chilean football to work as the manager of Cobreloa, where he played in the late 1980s. In 2009, he was appointed as the manager of Peruvian side Cienciano. On March 20, 2011 he was involved in a bitter dispute with fellow Argentine manager Guillermo Rivarola of Sporting Cristal after the ex-River player complained to the referee in order to get Trobbiani sent off.[6]
On September 18, 2013, as coach of Sport Huancayo, he was accused of racism and discrimination by three Brazilian players, Rafael Da Silva, Andrey Nunes y Kleyr Vieira who play in the team.[8]
^Gambín Hernández, Santiago (2001). Historia del Elche C.F. (1922-1999) : 75 aniversario (in Spanish). Comisión Organizadora 75 Aniversario. ISBN978-84-00-00152-0.
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