Torino FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Torino Football Club S.p.A. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Il Toro (The Bull) I Granata (The Maroons) |
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| Founded |
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| Ground | Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino | |||
| Capacity | 27,958 | |||
| Owner | UT Communication | |||
| Chairman | Urbano Cairo | |||
| Manager | Paolo Vanoli | |||
| League | Serie A | |||
| 2018–19 | Serie A, 7th of 20 | |||
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Torino Football Club, often called Toro, is a professional football team from Turin, Piedmont, Italy. They play in Serie A, Italy's top football league. The club started in 1906 as Foot-Ball Club Torino.
Torino is one of Italy's most successful clubs. They have won seven league titles. Five of these titles were won in a row during the 1940s by a famous team known as the Grande Torino. This team was considered one of the best in the world until a tragic plane crash in 1949. Torino has also won the Coppa Italia five times, with their last win in 1993. In Europe, they won the Mitropa Cup in 1991 and reached the final of the UEFA Cup in 1992.
Torino plays its home games at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. The team's main colour is maroon. Their symbol is a bull, which is also the symbol of Turin. This is why their nickname is Il Toro (The Bull). Torino has a big rivalry with Juventus, and their matches are called the Derby della Mole.
Contents
History of Torino Football Club
How the Club Started
Football came to Turin in the late 1800s. Early clubs like Football & Cricket Club and Nobili Torino were formed. In 1906, a new club called "Foot-Ball Club Torino" was created. This happened when Football Club Torinese merged with some players who left Juventus.
The first official game for Torino was on December 16, 1906. They won 3–1 against Pro Vercelli.
Their first derby match against Juventus was on January 13, 1907. Torino won 2–1. They beat Juventus again a month later. This helped them reach the final round of the Italian Football Championship, where they finished second.
In 1915, Torino was close to winning their first championship. But World War I started, and the season was stopped.
Torino's First League Titles
Torino won its first official league title, called the scudetto, in the 1927–28 season. They had a strong attacking trio of players: Julio Libonatti, Adolfo Baloncieri, and Gino Rossetti. These players scored 89 goals together that season!
After this success, the club had a quieter period in the early 1930s. But they started to improve in the 1935–36 season. They finished third in the league and won their first Coppa Italia. The club's name was changed to "Associazione Calcio Torino" during this time.
In 1939, Ferruccio Novo became the club president. He brought in money and good management. With help from others, Novo built a very special team. This team became known as the Grande Torino.
The Legendary Grande Torino Team
The Grande Torino team was the club's most famous and successful period. They won five league titles in a row between 1942 and 1949. They also won the Coppa Italia in 1943. This made Torino the first Italian team to win both the league and the Coppa Italia in the same season!
Many players from the Grande Torino team also played for the Italy national football team. At one point, ten players from Torino were on the national team at the same time.
The team's captain and leader was Valentino Mazzola. He was the father of future famous footballers Ferruccio and Sandro. The usual starting team included players like Bacigalupo, Ballarin, Maroso, Grezar, Rigamonti, Castigliano, Menti, Loik, Gabetto, Mazzola, and Ossola.
Their amazing success ended suddenly on May 4, 1949. The plane carrying the entire team crashed into the Basilica of Superga in Turin. The team was returning from a friendly match in Lisbon. All the players, coaches, club officials, journalists, and crew members on board died. This event is known as the Superga air disaster.
After the Tragedy: Ups and Downs
After the Superga tragedy, Torino faced tough times. They were relegated to Serie B for the first time in 1959. But they quickly returned to Serie A in 1960.
In 1963, Orfeo Pianelli became president. He hired Nereo Rocco as manager and signed a popular player named Gigi Meroni. Meroni was known as "The Maroon Butterfly" (La Farfalla Granata). The team finished third in the league in 1965.
Sadly, Meroni died in an accident in 1967. Despite this, Torino finished seventh that season and won the Coppa Italia. They won another Coppa Italia in 1971.
In the 1975–76 season, Torino won their seventh league title. They came from behind to beat Juventus in the race for the championship. This title was won 27 years after the Superga disaster.
Torino finished second in the league in the next two seasons. After that, the team slowly declined, though they remained a top Serie A team for a while. They finished second again in 1985.
European Journeys and Financial Troubles
At the end of the 1988–89 season, Torino was relegated to Serie B again. But they were promoted back to Serie A the very next season. With new players, they qualified for the UEFA Cup.
In the 1991–92 UEFA Cup, Torino reached the final after beating Real Madrid in the semifinals. They lost the final to Ajax on the away goals rule. In Serie A, they finished third that season.
In 1993, Torino won their fifth Coppa Italia by beating Roma. However, the club then faced serious money problems. They changed presidents and managers many times, and their results got worse. They were relegated to Serie B for a third time in 1996.
Torino was promoted back to Serie A in 1999 but relegated again in 2000. They were promoted immediately in 2001. After another relegation in 2003, Torino earned promotion again in 2005. But due to huge debts, the club went bankrupt on August 9, 2005.
A new club, "Torino Football Club," was formed on August 16, 2005. Urbano Cairo became the new president. The new club was allowed to start in Serie B.
Torino was promoted to Serie A right away in the 2005–06 season. They stayed in Serie A for three seasons before being relegated again in 2009.
Return to Europe and Recent Years
On June 6, 2011, Gian Piero Ventura became the new manager. Torino earned promotion back to Serie A in May 2012.
In the 2013–14 season, Torino finished seventh in Serie A. This allowed them to qualify for the Europa League in 2014. Key players that year were Alessio Cerci and Ciro Immobile, who was the top scorer in Serie A.
In the 2014–15 season, Torino reached the round of 16 in the Europa League. They were knocked out by Zenit Saint Petersburg. In the league, they finished ninth and won their first derby against Juventus in 20 years.
After five years, manager Ventura left in 2016. Torino continued to finish in mid-table positions. In the 2018–19 season, they finished seventh and qualified for the Europa League again. This was their highest points total since the three-points-for-a-win system started in 1994. However, they were eliminated in the play-offs by Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The next few seasons were challenging, with Torino often fighting to avoid relegation. In 2021, Ivan Jurić became manager, guiding the club to two tenth-place finishes. He left in 2024 and was replaced by Paolo Vanoli.
Team Colours and Badge
The first uniform Torino used was striped orange and black. But these colours were too similar to a rival family, so they changed them. The club decided on granata, a dark shade of red similar to burgundy.
The most popular story for this choice is that it honours the Duke of the Abruzzi and the House of Savoy. After Turin was freed from the French in 1706, a blood-coloured handkerchief was used to honour a messenger who died bringing news of the victory. Other stories suggest it was a tribute to a founder who liked the Swiss team Servette, or that the colour was created by accident from washing red and black uniforms together.
Since then, Torino's home uniform has been a maroon shirt, usually with white shorts and black socks with maroon cuffs. Sometimes, they wear all maroon. The away uniform is usually a white shirt with maroon details, and white or maroon shorts and socks. Sometimes, the away shirt has a diagonal maroon band. This is a tribute to River Plate, an Argentine club that has a special connection with Torino since the Superga disaster.
Torino's club badge has always featured a bull, which is the symbol of the city of Turin. The current badge was adopted in 2005. The "1906" on the badge shows the year the club was founded.
In the 1980s, Torino had a square badge with a stylised bull and the words "Torino Calcio." Many fans still love this badge. In 2013, it was voted the most beautiful club logo ever by readers of Guerin Sportivo magazine.
Stadiums Where Torino Plays
Torino has played in several stadiums over the years. Their first official match in 1907 was at the Stadio Velodrome Umberto.
From 1926, Torino played at the Stadio Filadelfia, often called "Fila." This stadium is strongly linked to the famous Grande Torino team of the 1940s. Torino played there until 1958.
The club then moved to the Stadio Comunale in 1963. They stayed there until 1990.
From 1990 to 2006, Torino played at the Stadio delle Alpi. This stadium was built for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
After the Stadio Comunale was rebuilt for the 2006 Winter Olympics, Torino returned there. It was renamed the Stadio Olimpico. In 2016, it was renamed the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino to honour the legendary team. Its current seating capacity is 27,958.
The Stadio Filadelfia was also Torino's training ground for many years. Since 2017, the team has returned to train at the newly rebuilt Filadelfia.
Players of Torino FC
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Famous Players and the Italy National Team
Many Torino players have also played for the Italy national football team.
- Giuseppe Dossena and Franco Selvaggi won the FIFA World Cup in 1982.
- Giorgio Ferrini, Lido Vieri, Andrea Belotti, and Salvatore Sirigu won the UEFA European Championship in 1968 and 2020.
On May 11, 1947, in a match between Italy and Hungary, 10 players from Torino were on the field for Italy. This is still the most players from one club to play for the Italian national team in a single match.
Francesco Graziani has played the most games (47) and scored the most goals (20) for Italy while being a Torino player.
Torino's Youth System
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Torino has one of the best youth systems in Italy. It was one of the first Italian clubs to set up a youth system in the 1930s.
Torino holds the record for winning the most championships in the Campionato Nazionale Primavera (9 titles) and the Campionato Nazionale Dante Berretti (10 titles). They have also won the Coppa Italia Primavera a record eight times.
Many famous players have come from Torino's youth system. They were once nicknamed "Balon-Boys" after the player Adolfo Baloncieri.
Club Management and Staff
Board of Directors
| Position | Name |
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| Chairman |  Urbano Cairo |
| Vice-chairman | Giuseppe Cairo |
| Director-general | Antonio Comi |
| Sporting Director | Davide Vagnati |
| Secretary General | Andrea Bernardelli |
| Technical Area Collaborator | Emiliano Moretti |
| Team Manager | Marco Pellegri |
Coaching Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Paolo Vanoli |
| Assistant coach |  Lino Godinho |
| Fitness coaches | Enrico Busolin |
| Goalkeeping coach | Marco Zuccher |
| Technical Coach |  Pau Quesada |
| Match Analyst | Mattia Bastianelli |
Famous Coaches
| Name | From | To | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
 Imre Schoffer |
1926 | 1927 | 1926–27 Divisione Nazionale |
 Tony Cargnelli |
1927 1934 |
1929 1936 |
1927–28 Divisione Nazionale, 1935–36 Coppa Italia |
András Kuttik Antonio Janni |
1942 | 1943 | 1942–43 Serie A, 1942–43 Coppa Italia |
| Luigi Ferrero |
1945 | 1947 | 1945–46 Serie A, 1946–47 Serie A |
| Mario Sperone |
1947 | 1948 | 1947–48 Serie A |
 Leslie Lievesley Oberdan Ussello |
1948 | 1949 | 1948–49 Serie A |
| Edmondo Fabbri |
1967 | 1969 | 1967–68 Coppa Italia |
| Giancarlo Cadé |
1969 | 1971 | 1970–71 Coppa Italia |
| Gustavo Giagnoni |
1971 | 1974 | |
| Luigi Radice |
1975 1984 |
1980 1989 |
1975–76 Serie A |
| Emiliano Mondonico |
1990 1998 |
1994 2000 |
1992–93 Coppa Italia, 1990–91 Mitropa Cup |
Torino Fans and Rivalries
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Torino fans have a special history. They formed the first organised supporters group in Italy in 1951. They also displayed the first fan banner at a stadium and organised the first away trip by plane in Italian football.
Torino fans are "twinned" with fans of Fiorentina. This friendship started in the 1970s because both clubs disliked Juventus. Fiorentina also showed support after the Superga tragedy.
Torino also has friendships with other clubs:
- Brazilian club Corinthians: In 1949, after the Superga disaster, Corinthians played a friendly match wearing Torino's kit to honour them.
- Argentine club River Plate: River Plate also helped Torino after the Superga disaster by playing a charity match. As a sign of their bond, River Plate has sometimes worn maroon away jerseys, and Torino has worn away kits with a diagonal band like River Plate's home kit.
- Portuguese club Benfica: Benfica was the last team to play against the Grande Torino before the Superga plane crash.
- English club Manchester City.
Torino has rivalries with several teams, including Sampdoria, Verona, and Lazio. Their biggest rivalry is with city neighbours Juventus. Their matches are called the Derby della Mole, which is one of the oldest and most popular derbies in Italian football.
Torino's Trophies
Domestic Titles
League Titles
- Italian Football Championship / Serie A
- Winners (7): 1927–28, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1975–76
- Runners-up (7): 1907, 1914–1915, 1928–1929, 1938–1939, 1941–42, 1976–77, 1984–85
- Serie B
- Winners (3): 1959–60, 1989–90, 2000–01
Cup Titles
- Coppa Italia
- Winners (5): 1935–36, 1942–43, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1992–93
- Runners-up (8): 1937–38, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1969–70, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1987–88
- Supercoppa Italiana
- Runners-up (1): 1993
European Titles
- Mitropa Cup
- Winners (1): 1990–91
- UEFA Cup
- Runners-up (1): 1991–92
Other Titles
- Eusébio Cup
- Winners (1): 2016
Notes:
Torino won the title in the 1926–27 season, but it was later taken away.
Club Statistics and Records
Torino is ranked 8th in the all-time Serie A standings. This list includes all teams that have played in Italy's top league.
In 100 seasons of professional football, Torino has finished first eight times (winning seven titles), second seven times, and third nine times.
In the 2006–07 season, Torino played in Serie A while Juventus was in Serie B. This was the first time Torino was in a higher league than Juventus.
Giorgio Ferrini holds the record for the most appearances for Torino, with 566 games played between 1959 and 1975. He also scored 56 goals. The record for most goals scored is held by Paolo Pulici, with 172 goals in 437 games between 1967 and 1982.
Eight different Torino players have been the top scorer in the Italian league, winning the Capocannoniere award.
- The first was Heinrich Schönfeld in 1923–24.
- Julio Libonatti scored 35 goals in 1927–28.
- Gino Rossetti scored 36 goals in 1928–29, which is still the highest number of goals ever scored to win the award.
- Other top scorers include Eusebio Castigliano, Valentino Mazzola, Paolo Pulici (three times), Francesco Graziani, and Ciro Immobile.
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League History
| Series | Years | Last Season | Promotions | Relegations | |
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| A | 81 | 2024–25 | – |  6 (1959, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2009) |
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| B | 12 | 2011–12 |  6 (1960, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2012) |
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| 93 years of professional football in Italy since 1929 | |||||
| Founding member of the Football League’s First Division in 1921 | |||||
Kit and Shirt Sponsors
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor | |
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| 1990–1991 | ABM | Indesit | |
| 1991–1993 | Beretta | ||
| 1993–1994 | Lotto | ||
| 1994–1995 | Bongioanni | ||
| 1995–1996 | SDA Courier | ||
| 1996–2000 | Kelme | ||
| 2000–2001 | Directa | ||
| 2001–2002 | ASICS | Conto Arancio | |
| 2002–2003 | Ixfin | ||
| 2003–2005 | Bavaria | ||
| 2005–2008 | Reale Mutua | Beretta | |
| 2008–2009 | Kappa | Renault Trucks | |
| 2009–2011 | Italporte | Dahlia TV | |
| 2011–2012 | Valmora | Aruba | |
| 2012–2013 | Beretta | ||
| 2013–2015 | Suzuki | ||
| 2015–2017 | |||
| 2017–2018 | SportPesa | ||
| 2019– | Joma | Beretta | |
Images for kids
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Crest of Torino (1936–1946)
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Crest of Torino (1946–1983, 1990–2005)
