Mario Corso facts for kids
Corso with Inter
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mario Corso | ||
| Date of birth | 25 August 1941 | ||
| Place of birth | Verona, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 19 June 2020 (aged 78) | ||
| Place of death | Milan, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| A.C. Audace SME | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1957–1973 | Inter | 413 | (75) |
| 1973–1975 | Genoa | 26 | (3) |
| Total | 439 | (78) | |
| National team | |||
| 1961–1971 | Italy | 23 | (4) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1978–1982 | Napoli Primavera | ||
| 1982–1983 | Lecce | ||
| 1983–1984 | Catanzaro | ||
| 1984–1985 | Inter Primavera | ||
| 1985–1986 | Inter | ||
| 1987–1989 | Mantova | ||
| 1989–1990 | Barletta | ||
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Mario Corso (born August 25, 1941 – died June 19, 2020) was a famous Italian football player and coach. He was known as a talented left winger. Many people thought he was one of the best Italian players in his position.
He earned nicknames like "Mandrake" and "God's Left Foot." These names came from his amazing skills, especially his powerful free kicks and his ability to cross the ball. Corso is best remembered for his successful time playing for Inter. He was a key part of Helenio Herrera's legendary team, known as Grande Inter. He also played 23 times for the Italy national football team. After he stopped playing, he became a coach for Inter and other teams.
Contents
Playing for Clubs: Mario Corso's Career
Corso was a very important player for Internazionale. He played almost his entire career with this team, from 1957 to 1973. During his time at Inter, he helped them win many major titles.
Inter Milan Successes
- He won four Serie A titles, which is Italy's top football league.
- His team also won the European Champions Cup twice.
- They also won the Intercontinental Cup two times.
Corso first played for Inter when he was only 16 years old. This was in a Coppa Italia match against Como. Inter won the game 3–0, and Corso scored the second goal. This made him the youngest player ever to score a goal for Inter. He made his Serie A debut on November 23, 1957, in a 5–1 win against Sampdoria. Soon, he became a regular player and later even became the captain of the team.
The "Grande Inter" Era
Corso played a big role on the left wing for Helenio Herrera's Inter Milan team in the 1960s. This team was so successful it was called La Grande Inter (The Great Inter). They won many titles in a row, including Serie A, the European Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup.
Later Club Career
After leaving Inter, Corso played for Genoa for two seasons, from 1973 to 1975. He then retired from playing football in 1975. In total, he played 436 matches and scored 78 goals in Serie A.
Playing for Italy: International Career
Mario Corso played for the Italian national team 23 times over ten years. He scored four goals for his country. However, he was never chosen to play in a major international tournament like the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA European Championship.
Early International Matches
He played his first game for Italy in 1961. This was a friendly match against England, which Italy lost 3–2 at home. On October 15, 1961, he scored his first two goals for Italy. This was in a World Cup qualifying match against Israel, which Italy won 4–2 away from home. He also scored a goal in the return match.
Missing Major Tournaments
Corso was not included in Italy's 1962 FIFA World Cup team after an argument with the manager. Italy was knocked out in the first round of that tournament. He returned to the team in 1964 and scored his last goal for Italy in a 3–1 win against Switzerland. He was also not chosen for Italy's 1966 FIFA World Cup team, which also had a disappointing performance. Even when Italy won the UEFA Euro 1968 tournament at home, Corso was not part of the squad. He was again left out of the Italian team that reached the final of the 1970 FIFA World Cup.
Final International Appearance
Corso played his last game for Italy on October 9, 1971, in a 3–0 win against Sweden. Despite his skill, he is one of the most successful Inter players who never got to play in a World Cup. In 1967, FIFA even picked him for their All-Star team to play against Spain. His team won that match 3–0.
How Mario Corso Played: Style of Play
Mario Corso was mainly a left-footed player. He was known for being consistent, smart, and having good speed with the ball. He was also very good at passing and crossing the ball accurately. His creativity and wide range of passes made him a great playmaker.
Versatility and Skills
He could play on both the left and right sides of the field. From the left, he would send crosses into the box. From the right, he could cut inside and shoot at the goal. He was not a typical winger because he often played in a more central, free role, almost like an attacking midfielder. This meant he could play as both a forward and a midfielder.
Technical Abilities
Even though he wasn't super fast, he was strong and had amazing technical skills. He was excellent at controlling the ball closely and dribbling. Corso was also a very accurate free-kick taker. He was famous for his powerful, bending shots from far away, often called a knuckleball.
Journalist's Opinion
A journalist named Gianni Brera once said that Corso was sometimes inconsistent and didn't run much during games. Brera even gave him a funny nickname related to his last name, implying he preferred the ball to do the running. However, Corso himself disagreed with this idea.
Later Life and Passing
Mario Corso passed away on June 19, 2020. He was 78 years old.
Honours
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1970–71
- European Cup: 1963–64, 1964–65
- Intercontinental Cup: 1964, 1965
See also
In Spanish: Mario Corso para niños
