As a player on the club level, Recalcati played for Pallacanestro Cantù (1962–1979, winning the Italian League championship in 1968 and 1975), and Pallacanestro Parma (1979–1981). He also played for the senior Italian national team, from 1967 to 1975 (winning the bronze at EuroBasket 1971 and EuroBasket 1975).