| Valentino Mazzola | ||
 | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | January 26, 1919[1] | |
| Place of birth | Cassano d'Adda, Italy | |
| Date of death | May 4, 1949 (aged 30) | |
| Place of death | Superga, Italy | |
| Playing position | Forward | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1938-1939 1939-1942 1942-1949 | Alfa Romeo Venezia Torino | ? (?) 61 (12) 195 (118) |
| National team | ||
| 1942-1949 | Italy | 12 (4) |
1 Senior club appearances and goals | ||
Valentino Mazzola (January 26, 1919 - May 4, 1949) was an Italian footballer and captain of the legendary Grande Torino side killed in the Superga air disaster. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The following are lists of Association football ( soccer) players Torino Football Club 1906, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is an Italian professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont The Superga air disaster took place on Wednesday May 4, 1949, when a plane carrying almost the entire Torino A He is considered one of the best football players of all time and perhaps the first modern all-around footballer, as he was an attacking midfielder who could score, tackle, defend and lead his teamates to victory with his charismatic presence (Mazzola was famous for raising his shirt's sleeves when his team was not playing good and this was the signal to his teamates and the fans that it was time to go back to business, a gesture that most times resulted in winning the match). Football is the word given to a number of similar Team sports all of which involve (to varying degrees kicking a Ball with the foot in an attempt to score a A footballer is a person who plays in various games known as " Football " &ndash especially Association football, although the term is also used to refer
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Early life
Mazzola was born at Cassano d'Adda, in the province of Milan. Cassano d'Adda is a town and commune in the Province of Milan, Lombardy, Italy, located on the right side of the Adda River. The Province of Milan (Provincia di Milano Western Lombard (non-official lmo ''Provincia de Milan''/lmo ''Pruìncia de Milàn'' is a province in the
Ironically for a man later to die in an accident himself, at the age of ten, Mazzola saved the life of Andrea Bonomi, later a defender for A.C. Milan, by rescuing him from a river. Andrea Bonomi ( Cassano d'Adda, Italy, February 14, 1923 - November 26, 2003) was a footballer with AC Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to by the abbreviation Milan, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy (from the book Profondo Granata written by Salvatore Lo Presti)
Mazzola first broke into football by playing for the team at the Alfa Romeo Milano factory where he worked, just before the war. Alfa Romeo Automobiles SpA is an Italian Automaker founded in 1910 Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In 1939, Mazzola was called up to join the Italian Navy at Venezia. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Regia Marina ( Italian Royal Navy) dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the While there, he was encouraged to attend the trials at Venezia A.C. and did so. Società Sportiva Calcio Venezia, commonly referred to as simply Venezia or the abbreviation SSC Venezia, is an Italian professional football Only a problem: no shoes were available. "I can even play barefooted" was the answer of 20-year old Valentino.
It was during this time at Venezia that Mazzola fist met Ezio Loik, when the latter moved to the club from Milan. This started a nine-year partnership in both triumphs and tragedy. They debuted together in the 1942 game Italy played against Croazia and won 4-0. Both were very different, although they came from very humble backgrounds: Fiume-born Loik was quiet and somewhat defensive, while Lombard Mazzola was much more impulsive and friendly. Loik did not please Valentino at first instance, taking his reserve for arrogance, but both soon found a way of understanding each other. The partnership of both half-wings (mezzala in Italian) was based on the Fiuman's stubborn generosity and the Milanese's rare talent. Soon, they became Italy's most coveted uprising young players.
Career
Mazzola's career with Venezia started modestly, with a tenth-placed finish in 1940 and a twelfth-place finish the next season. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1941, however, the team won the Coppa Italia Final against Roma and finished third in the league in 1942. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the Italian rugby competition see Coppa Italia (rugby The Coppa Italia ( Italy Cup, officially known as TIM Cup Associazione Sportiva Roma, ( commonly referred to as simply Roma, is an Italian professional football club from Rome, and are currently amongst Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Mazzola then made his debut for the national side on April 5, 1942, when he scored a goal. The Italian national football team is controlled by the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC and represents Italy in international football competition Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
As they finished third in the league, Venezia were only a single point behind Torino, who promptly began to take notice of Mazzola. Torino Football Club 1906, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is an Italian professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont The only problem was that Juventus had a verbal agreement with Venezia that they would sign Mazzola. However, Torino eventually offered two hundred thousand lira plus two players and won the player's signature. Etymology The word Libra developed its Lira shape from Italian, a language famed for its loss of initial consonants in two-part clusters (ie
Although the deal was intended to be kept secret, news of the upcoming move got out and as Venezia played Torino, the crowd began to taunt Mazzola, calling him a "sell-out". The outraged Mazzola clenched his fists and promptly led Venezia to a 3-1 win.
With Torino, Mazzola won the wartime league title in 1943. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1944, the championship ended early, but Mazzola managed to score 10 goals (in context, however, Silvio Piola scored 31). Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Silvio Piola ( September 29, 1913 &ndash October 4, 1996) was an Italian footballer from Robbio Lomellina
In 1946, Mazzola helped the team to the title, which they won over Inter Milan by 13 points. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Football Club Internazionale Milano, most commonly referred to as simply Internazionale, or Inter, is an Italian professional football club The next season, Torino won the title again, beating second-placed Juventus by 10 points. In 1948, Torino broke numerous records, including ending the season with the biggest ever advantage over the second-placed team (they beat Milan to the title by 16 points) and on May 11, 1947, Torino provided 10 of the 11 players who took to the field against Hungary. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. Mazzola played 12 matches with the Italian National Team and scored 4 goals.
In the 1948-49 season, Torino won the last title they would get until 1976. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mazzola scored 109 goals in the Italian Championship with Venezia and Torino in totally 8 years.
Family
Mazzola's first child, Sandro Mazzola, was born on November 8, 1942, just after Valentino had arrived at Torino. Alessandro ("Sandro" Mazzola (born 8 November 1942 is an Italian former football player Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On February 1, 1945, his second son was born and was named 'Ferruccio' after Ferruccio Novo, the president of Torino. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar
Around 1946, however, his marriage broke up. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Valentino remarried and got custody of one son, Sandro.
The football lessons given to Alessandro by his father would pay off later, when the young boy would play for Inter Milan and Italy. Football Club Internazionale Milano, most commonly referred to as simply Internazionale, or Inter, is an Italian professional football club The Italian national football team is controlled by the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC and represents Italy in international football competition He won 4 Championship, 2 Champions Cups, 2 World Cups for clubs and the 1968 European Cup with Italia, and played in the 1970 World Cup final against Pele's great Brazil team.
Superga disaster
Despite suffering from illness, Mazzola was determined to attend the match he had organised for Torino in Lisbon in 1949. Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On May 4, on the return journey from the game, the aircraft carrying Mazzola and the rest of the team crashed, killing everyone on board and leaving only one first-team player at Torino alive.
Quotes
By Mazzola
- “You can always win in football, as long as you change. ”
- “Football will always be a game of eleven. "
On Mazzola
- “He alone is half the squad. The other half is made by the rest of us together. ” (team-mate Mario Rigamonti).
Trivia
- José Altafini, a great player with Brazil and AC Milan for many years, was called "Mazzola" as a reference to Valentino. José João Altafini, ( "Mazola" in the Brazilian national team (born August 24, 1938) is an Italian - Brazilian former The Brazil national football team is the national team of Brazil and is managed by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF that represents Brazil in international Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to by the abbreviation Milan, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy
References
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Eusebio Castigliano | Serie A Top Scorer 1946-47 | Succeeded by Giampiero Boniperti |
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