Luigi Barbesino
Encyclopedia
Luigi Barbesino was an Italian association football
er and manager from Casale Monferrato
in the region of Piedmont
. He was a one club man
in the truest sense of the term, spending his eight playing seasons at his home town club Casale
, helping them to win their one and only Italian Football Championship
title.
Barbesino represented Italy
at international level, he is the first youngest international player for Italy ever, making his debut against Sweden
at 18 years 2 months. He represented his country in football at the 1912 Summer Olympics
.
When World War II
began, Barbesino abandoned football to serve as a Major
observer
in the Regia Aeronautica
, flying in Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
trimotors of 194ª squadriglia bombardamento terrestre (193rd bomb squadron) based with the rest of 20° Stormo (20th wing) on Sciacca
airfield in Sicily
. On 20 April 1941 he was an observer on an aircraft flying on the Sciacca-Kuriate-Kerkenna-Sciacca course. While his wingman turned back one hour after take-off due to bad weather, Barbesino's aircraft was never heard of again. To this day, he and the entire crew of six are still posted as missing.
Football in Italy
Football is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italian national football team has won the FIFA World Cup 4 times , trailing only Brazil . Italy's club sides have won 27 major European trophies, making them the most successful European nation in the subject of football...
er and manager from Casale Monferrato
Casale Monferrato
Casale Monferrato, population 36,058, is a town and comune in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, part of the province of Alessandria. It is situated about 60 km east of Turin on the right bank of the Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montferrato hills. Beyond the river lies the...
in the region of Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. He was a one club man
One club man
A one-club man is a term used to describe a football player who has played his entire professional career with only one club. In the strictest definition, one-club men are rare in football due to the effects of the promotion and relegation systems used by most professional leagues...
in the truest sense of the term, spending his eight playing seasons at his home town club Casale
A.S. Casale Calcio
Associazione Sportiva Casale Calcio is an Italian football club, based in Casale Monferrato, Piedmont.The club currently plays in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione....
, helping them to win their one and only Italian Football Championship
Italian Football Championship
The Italian Football Championship was the most senior football championship in Italy from the 1897/1898 season to the 1921/1922 season. In that last season, a concurrent championship, the Prima Divisione, was played by the richest clubs, which wanted to improve their income with a more elitarian...
title.
Barbesino represented Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
at international level, he is the first youngest international player for Italy ever, making his debut against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
at 18 years 2 months. He represented his country in football at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics - Men's team squads
This page lists the football squads, in order with the Gold medallists first, of the 11 participating nations at the men's football tournament at the 1912 Summer Olympics. The tournament was contested in and around Stockholm, Sweden between June 29 and July 6, 1912.- United Kingdom :Head coach: A...
.
When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began, Barbesino abandoned football to serve as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
observer
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
in the Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
, flying in Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
trimotors of 194ª squadriglia bombardamento terrestre (193rd bomb squadron) based with the rest of 20° Stormo (20th wing) on Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca , also Schiacca, is a town and comune in the province of Agrigento on the southwestern coast of Sicily...
airfield in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. On 20 April 1941 he was an observer on an aircraft flying on the Sciacca-Kuriate-Kerkenna-Sciacca course. While his wingman turned back one hour after take-off due to bad weather, Barbesino's aircraft was never heard of again. To this day, he and the entire crew of six are still posted as missing.
Honours
- 1913–14Italian Football Championship 1913-14The winner was Casale.-Classification:-Results table:* Please note that the home teams are read down the left hand side while the away teams are indicated along the top.-Classification:-Results table:...
Italian Football ChampionshipItalian Football ChampionshipThe Italian Football Championship was the most senior football championship in Italy from the 1897/1898 season to the 1921/1922 season. In that last season, a concurrent championship, the Prima Divisione, was played by the richest clubs, which wanted to improve their income with a more elitarian...
(Casale)