Valentino Mazzola.

Valentino Mazzola (January 26, 1919 - May 4, 1949) was an Italian footballer and captain of the Torino side killed in the Superga air disaster. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... This article is concerned with Association football (soccer). ... Torino Calcio is one of the most popular Italian football clubs, based in Turin. ... The Superga air disaster happened on Wednesday, May 4, 1949, when a plane carrying almost the entire Grande Torino squad (18 players), plus management, journalists and crew, crashed into the Superga hills near Turin, killing everyone on board. ...

Early life

Mazzola was born at Cassano d'Adda, in the province of Milan. Cassano dAdda is a town (pop. ... Milan (It. ...

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. (from the book Profondo Granata written by Salvatore Lo Presti) Andrea Bonomi is a footballer with Milan football club. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan. ...

Mazzola first broke into football by playing for the team at the Alfa Romeo Milano factory where he worked, just before the war. In 1939, Mazzola was called up to join the Italian Navy at Venezia. While there, he was encouraged to attend the trials at Venezia A.C. and did so. Only a problem: no shoes were available. "I can even joe reganlay barefooted" was the answer of 20-year old Valentino. Alfa Romeo is an Italian automobile manufacturing company, founded as Darracq Italiana by Cavaliere Ugo Stella, an aristocrat from Milan in partnership with the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq. ... This is about the Italian city of Milan. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... The Italian Regia Marina (literally: Royal Navy) dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification. ... Venice is known for its waterways and gondolas Gondola. ... The old A.C. Venezia logo S.S.C. Venezia is an Italian football club based in Venice, Veneto, which plays in Italian Serie C2. ...

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 debutted 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. In 1941, however, the team won the Coppa Italia Final against Roma and finished third in the league in 1942. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... The Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) is an Italian footballs annual cup competition. ... Associazione Sportiva Roma (ISE: IT0001008876) is an Italian professional football club and one of the major teams in Serie A, the Italian top flight. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ...

Mazzola then made his debut for the national side on April 5, 1942, when he scored a goal. First international Italy 6 - 2 France (Milan, Italy; 15 May 1910) Biggest win Italy 9 - 0 USA (Brentford, England; 2 August 1948) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 Italy (Budapest, Hungary; 6 April 1924) World Cup Appearances 16 (First in 1934) Best result Winners, 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 European Championship Appearances... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ...

As they finished third in the league, Venezia were only a single point behind Torino, who promptly began to take notice of Mazzola. 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. Torino Calcio is one of the most popular Italian football clubs, based in Turin. ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ... Lira is the name of the monetary unit of a number of countries, as well as the former currency of Italy, San Marino and the Vatican City. ...

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. In 1944, the championship ended early, but Mazzola managed to score 10 goals (in context, however, Silvio Piola scored 31). 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Silvio Piola (September 29, 1913 in Robbio Lomellina, Italy - October 4, 1996 in Gattinara, Italy) was an Italian footballer whose career lasted from 1929 until 1954. ...

In 1946, Mazzola helped the team to the title, which they won over Inter Milan by 13 points. 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. Mazzola played 12 matches with the Italian National Team and scored 4 goals. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Internazionale Milano Football Club is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, which plays in the Serie A. It is more commonly known as Inter, and often named Inter Milan in foreign countries. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ...

In the 1948-49 season, Torino won the last title they would get until 1976. Mazzola scored 109 goals in the Italian Championship with Venezia and Torino in totally 8 years. 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ...

Family

Mazzola's first child, Sandro Mazzola, was born on November 8, 1942, just after Valentino had arrived at Torino. On February 1, 1945, his second son was born and was named 'Ferruccio' after Ferruccio Novo, the president of Torino. Sandro Mazzola (born November 8, 1942 in Turin, Italy) was a football player. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

Around 1946, however, his marriage broke up. Valentino remarried and got custody of one son, Sandro. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

The football lessons given to Alessandro by his father would pay off later, when the young boy would play for Inter Milan and Italy. He won 4 Championship, 2 Champions Cups, 2 World Cups for clubs and the 1968 European Cup with Italia. Internazionale Milano Football Club is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, which plays in the Serie A. It is more commonly known as Inter, and often named Inter Milan in foreign countries. ...

Superga disaster

Despite suffering from illness, Mazzola was determined to attend the match he had organised for Torino in Lisbon in 1949. 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. Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisboa  - Subregion Grande Lisboa  - District or A.R. Lisbon Mayor Carmona Rodrigues  - Party PSD Area 84. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ...

Quotes

By Mazzola

• “You can always win in soccer, as long as you change.”
• “Soccer 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.