Valentino Mazzola
Encyclopedia
Valentino Mazzola was an Italian footballer and captain of the legendary Grande Torino side, killed in the Superga air disaster
. 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 teammates to victory with his charismatic presence (Mazzola was famous for raising his shirt's sleeves when his team was not playing well as a signal to his teammates and the fans).
, in the province of 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. When the 20 year old Mazzola was informed that no boots were available for him, he replied "I can even play barefooted".
It was during this time at Venezia that Mazzola first met Ezio Loik
, when the latter moved to the club from Milan. A nine-year partnership in both triumph and tragedy began. They debuted together in the 1942 game Italy played against Croatia 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 like 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.
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.
Final against Roma
and finished third in the league in 1942.
Mazzola then made his debut for the national side
on April 5, 1942, when he scored a goal.
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.
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).
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.
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 over 8 years.
Around 1946, however, his marriage ended in divorce. 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
. He won 4 Championship, 2 Champions Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups and the 1968 European Cup with Italy, and played in the 1970 World Cup final against Pele's great Brazil team.
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.
On Mazzola
Superga air disaster
The Superga air disaster took place on Wednesday, 4 May 1949, when a plane carrying almost the entire Torino A.C. football squad, popularly known as Il Grande Torino, crashed into the hill of Superga near Turin killing all 31 aboard including 18 players, club officials, journalists accompanying the...
. 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 teammates to victory with his charismatic presence (Mazzola was famous for raising his shirt's sleeves when his team was not playing well as a signal to his teammates and the fans).
Early life
Mazzola was born at Cassano d'AddaCassano d'Adda
Cassano d'Adda is a town and comune in the province of Milan, Lombardy, Italy, located on the right side of the Adda River. It is on the border of the province of Milan and the province of Bergamo.-History:...
, in the province of Milan
Province of Milan
The Province of Milan : /) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Milan. The provincial territory is highly urbanized, resulting in the third highest population density among the Italian provinces with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, just behind the provinces of...
.
Mazzola first broke into football by playing for the team at the Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
Milano factory where he worked, just before the war
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...
. In 1939, Mazzola was called up to join the Italian Navy
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
at Venezia. While there, he was encouraged to attend the trials at Venezia A.C. and did so. When the 20 year old Mazzola was informed that no boots were available for him, he replied "I can even play barefooted".
It was during this time at Venezia that Mazzola first met Ezio Loik
Ezio Loik
Ezio Loik was an Italian football player, who played for Torino FC and died in the Superga air disaster together with the whole Grande Torino team.-Biography:...
, when the latter moved to the club from Milan. A nine-year partnership in both triumph and tragedy began. They debuted together in the 1942 game Italy played against Croatia 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 like 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.
Ironically for a man later to die in an accident himself, at the age of ten, Mazzola saved the life of Andrea Bonomi
Andrea Bonomi
Andrea Bonomi was a footballer with A.C. Milan football club. Born in Cassano d'Adda, Italy, and initially nicknamed as Ciapin, Bonomi was the AC Milan captain in the 1950/1951 season, which ended with a Serie A triumph for the rossoneri led by the Gre-No-Li trio.When Bonomi was six years old, he...
, later a defender for A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
, by rescuing him from a river.
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 ItaliaCoppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
Final against Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
and finished third in the league in 1942.
Mazzola then made his debut for the national side
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...
on April 5, 1942, when he scored a goal.
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
Lira
Lira is the name of the monetary unit of a number of countries, as well as the former currency of Italy, Malta, San Marino and the Vatican City and Israel. The term originates from the value of a Troy pound of high purity silver. The libra was the basis of the monetary system of the Roman Empire...
plus two players and won the player's signature.
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
Silvio Piola
Silvio Piola was an Italian footballer from Robbio Lomellina, province of Pavia. He is known as a highly prominent figure in the history of Italian football due to several records he set. Piola won the 1938 FIFA World Cup with Italy, scoring two goals in the final.Piola is third in the all-time...
scored 31).
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
Hungary national football team
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.
Mazzola scored 109 goals in the Italian Championship with Venezia and Torino over 8 years.
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.Around 1946, however, his marriage ended in divorce. 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
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...
. He won 4 Championship, 2 Champions Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups and the 1968 European Cup with Italy, 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 LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in 1949. On May 4, on the return journey from the game, the aircraft carrying Mazzola and the rest of the team crashed
Superga air disaster
The Superga air disaster took place on Wednesday, 4 May 1949, when a plane carrying almost the entire Torino A.C. football squad, popularly known as Il Grande Torino, crashed into the hill of Superga near Turin killing all 31 aboard including 18 players, club officials, journalists accompanying the...
, 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 RigamontiMario RigamontiMario Rigamonti was an Italian football player, who played for Torino FC and died in the Superga air disaster together with the whole Grande Torino team.-Biography:...
).
Trivia
- José AltafiniJosé AltafiniJosé João Altafini, is an Italian Brazilian former footballer. He is the joint-third highest scorer in Italian Serie A history with 216 goals. He currently holds the record for the highest no...
, a forward who won the 1958 World Cup with BrazilBrazil national football teamThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and also played for ItalyItaly national football teamThe 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...
, PalmeirasSociedade Esportiva PalmeirasSociedade Esportiva Palmeiras is a Brazilian football club from São Paulo. The club was founded on August 26, 1914, as Palestra Italia but changed to the current name on September 14, 1942...
and AC Milan is called "Mazola" in his country because when he started to play it was said he looked like the great Valentino.
- in the Milan area, players who insist on dribbling are called "Veneziani" (Venetians). This is a reference to Valentino Mazzola when he played for Venezia.