Luciano Vassallo facts for kids

Luciano Vassallo (born August 15, 1935 – died September 16, 2022) was a famous football player. He was a midfielder, which means he played in the middle of the field. Luciano was born in Italian Eritrea. He played for the Ethiopian national team in the 1960s. He was the captain of the team that won the 1962 African Cup of Nations. This was Ethiopia's only win in this big tournament. People knew Luciano for his amazing skills, especially his powerful shots, free kicks, and penalty kicks. He played professionally for Cotton Factory Club with his half-brother, Italo.

Early Life and Football Start

Luciano was born in Asmara. His father, Vittorio Vassallo, was an Italian soldier. His mother, Mebrak Abraham, was Eritrean. In 1937, his father moved to Addis Ababa, and they never heard from him again. Because Luciano and his brother had parents from different backgrounds, they faced challenges at school. This made Luciano leave school early. He then learned to be a mechanic at a railway workshop.

Luciano started playing football for a team called Stella Asmarina. This team was just for children with Italian and Eritrean parents. He first played as a left-back, which is a defensive position. Then he moved to centre-back. Finally, he became a midfielder. In this role, he was known as an advanced playmaker. He had a very strong shot.

Club Career Highlights

Luciano played for teams like GS Gejeret and GS Asmara. At that time, Eritrea had become part of Ethiopia. During his time at GS Asmara, the football leaders sometimes made it hard for his team to win the Ethiopian First Division. But once, before a big tournament in 1959, GS Asmara played a friendly match against the Ethiopian national team and won easily.

In 1960, Luciano joined Cotton Factory Club in Dire Dawa. There, he played with his half-brother, Italo. Together, they helped their team win the Ethiopian First Division four times: in 1960, 1962, 1963, and 1965. Luciano said that his mechanic skills helped him get a good job at the cotton plantation linked to the club. This job paid him much more than a regular worker.

Playing for His Country

Luciano played for the Ethiopian national team in the qualifying games for the 1962 FIFA World Cup. He and his half-brother Italo were key players in the 1962 African Cup of Nations. Ethiopia won this tournament, which is their only major trophy so far. Before the tournament, some people told Luciano to change his name to sound "more Ethiopian," but he refused.

Luciano was the captain of the team. He scored two goals in the semifinal match against Tunisia. He also scored the goal that tied the game against Egypt in the final match. Ethiopia then won in extra time. Luciano ended up as one of the top scorers in the tournament with three goals. He was given the trophy by Emperor Haile Selassie. Some people tried to stop him from lifting the trophy, wanting an Ethiopian-born player to do it instead.

Many people believe Vassallo is one of the best Ethiopian footballers ever. He is often mentioned alongside other legends like Mengistu Worku and Ydnekatchew Tessema.

Becoming a Coach

After his playing career, Vassallo went to Italy to study coaching. He learned at a special training center in Florence called Coverciano. He later coached the Ethiopian national team several times.

During a difficult time in Ethiopia, Luciano Vassallo was removed from his coaching job. Soldiers were going to take him away. But one of the colonels recognized him as his football hero and let him go.

He became the national team manager again in 1978. However, just two weeks after a big win against East Germany, he left the country. He went to Djibouti and then to Rome, Italy. He had already sent his family to safety in Rome months before.

Life After Football

In Italy, Luciano started a new life. He began by fixing cars in Ostia, a town near Rome. Later, he opened his own car repair shop. He also became an Italian citizen. He then started a football school for young players called Olimpia Ostia.

In 2000, he wrote a book about his life called Mamma ecco I soldi, which means Mom, here's the money. After he retired, he continued to live in Rome.

Honors

International

Ethiopia

• Africa Cup of Nations: 1962

Individual

• Africa Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 1962 (shared with Badawi Abdel Fattah)

See also

• Italian Eritreans
• Italians of Ethiopia
• Italo Vassallo