Torino FC facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Torino

Full name	Torino Football Club S.p.A.
Nickname(s)	Il Toro (The Bull) I Granata (The Maroons)
Founded	3 December 1906; 118 years ago (3 December 1906), as Foot-Ball Club Torino 1 September 2005; 19 years ago (2005-09-01), as Torino Football Club
Ground	Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
Ground Capacity	27,958
Owner	UT Communication
Chairman	Urbano Cairo
Manager	Marco Baroni
League	Serie A
2018–19	Serie A, 7th of 20
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Torino's journey in the Italian football league since 1929–30.

Torino Football Club, often called Toro, is a professional football club 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, with many of these wins happening during the amazing Grande Torino era in the 1940s. Their last Serie A title was in 1976. Torino has also won the Coppa Italia five times and the Mitropa Cup once in 1991.

Torino plays its home games at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. The club's main color is maroon, and its symbol is a strong bull. This bull is also the symbol of Turin, which is why the club's nickname is Il Toro (The Bull). Torino has a big local rivalry with Juventus, and their matches are called the Derby della Mole.

Club History

How Torino Started

Football came to Turin in the late 1800s, brought by people from Switzerland and England. Some of the first Italian football clubs, like Football & Cricket Club and Nobili Torino, were founded there. These clubs later joined together to form Internazionale Torino.

Alfred Dick, a founder and early president of Foot-Ball Club Torino.

In 1906, a new club called "Foot-Ball Club Torino" was formed. This happened when Football Club Torinese merged with a group of players who left Juventus. The first official game was on December 16, 1906, against Pro Vercelli, which Torino won 3–1.

The first big local match, the derby, was played on January 13, 1907. Torino beat Juventus 2–1. They won again a month later, which 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 stopped the league.

First Big Wins

Torino players during a trip to Argentina in 1929.

Torino's first major success came under President Enrico Marone Cinzano. The team had a famous attacking trio: Julio Libonatti, Adolfo Baloncieri, and Gino Rossetti. They won their first league title on July 10, 1927. However, this title was later taken away due to a problem with a player.

But Torino quickly bounced back! They became champions of Italy in the 1927–28 season. The "Trio of Wonders" scored an amazing 89 goals together.

After a short period of decline, Torino started to get strong again in the 1935–36 season. They finished third in the league and won their first Coppa Italia. The club's name changed to "Associazione Calcio Torino" during this time.

In 1939, Ferruccio Novo became the club president. He brought in financial support and helped build a super team known as the Grande Torino.

The Amazing Grande Torino Team

The Invincibles of the Grande Torino, who won five league titles in a row.

The Grande Torino era was the club's most successful time. This team won five league titles in a row between 1942 and 1949. They also won the Coppa Italia in 1943, becoming the first Italian team to win both the league and the cup in the same season!

Many players from Grande Torino also played for the Italy national football team. Sometimes, ten players from Torino were on the field for Italy at the same time! The team's captain and leader was Valentino Mazzola, whose sons also became famous footballers.

The Grande Torino team was known for its strong lineup: Bacigalupo; Ballarin; Maroso; Grezar; Rigamonti; Castigliano; Menti; Loik; Gabetto; Mazzola; Ossola.

Sadly, this incredible era ended suddenly on May 4, 1949. The plane carrying the entire team crashed into a church wall in Turin. The team was returning from a friendly match in Lisbon. This terrible accident took the lives of all the players, coaches, club officials, journalists, and crew members.

After the Tragedy

La Farfalla Granata (The Maroon Butterfly), Gigi Meroni, a famous Torino player from the 1960s.

After the Superga tragedy, Torino faced tough times. The club was even relegated to Serie B in 1958–59, but they quickly returned to Serie A. In 1963, Orfeo Pianelli became president and brought in Nereo Rocco as manager and signed the popular player Gigi Meroni, nicknamed "The Maroon Butterfly."

On October 15, 1967, Meroni tragically died in an accident. Despite this, Torino finished the season well and won the Coppa Italia. They won another Coppa Italia in the 1970–71 season.

In the 1975–76 season, Torino won their seventh Serie A title! They made a great comeback against Juventus, who had been ahead by five points. Torino won the title by two points, 27 years after the Superga disaster.

Francesco Graziani and Paolo Pulici, Torino's strong attacking duo in the 1975–76 season.

The next year, Torino almost won again, finishing just one point behind Juventus. In the years that followed, Torino remained a top team but didn't win another league title. They did finish second in 1984–85.

Ups and Downs, and a New Start

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. In the 1991–92 UEFA Cup, Torino reached the final but lost to Ajax. They also finished third in Serie A that year.

In the 1992–93 season, Torino won their fifth Coppa Italia. However, the club then faced serious money problems. They were relegated several times in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 2005, due to large debts, Torino faced bankruptcy. But on August 16, 2005, a new group of businessmen formed "Società Civile Campo Torino" and saved the club. Urbano Cairo became the new president. The club changed its name to "Torino Football Club."

Torino was immediately promoted back to Serie A in the 2005–06 season. After a few more ups and downs, they were promoted to Serie A again in 2012.

Back in Europe

In the 2013–14 season, Torino had a great year, finishing seventh and qualifying for the Europa League. Ciro Immobile was the top scorer in Serie A that season.

In the 2014–15 season, Torino reached the round of 16 in the Europa League. They also won their first derby against Juventus in 20 years!

In the 2018–19 season, Torino finished seventh again, earning a spot in the Europa League. They set a club record for points since the three-points-for-a-win system started in 1994. However, they were knocked out before the group stages.

In recent seasons, Torino has mostly finished in the middle of the Serie A table. Ivan Jurić managed the club for three years, guiding them to tenth-place finishes. As of July 2025, Paolo Vanoli is the new manager.

Team Colors and Badge

Torino's first uniform was orange and black. But these colors were too similar to a historical enemy of the Italian royal family, so the club chose a new color: maroon.

The most popular story for the maroon color is that it honors the House of Savoy, the Italian royal family. After a victory in 1706, a blood-colored handkerchief was used to honor a messenger who died bringing news of the win. Other stories say it was a tribute to the founder Alfred Dick, who liked a Swiss team called Servette, or that the color was created by accident from washing red and black uniforms together.

Since then, Torino's home jersey has been maroon, often with white shorts and black socks. Sometimes, they wear all maroon. The away uniform is usually white with maroon details. Sometimes, the away shirt has a diagonal maroon band, which is a tribute to River Plate, an Argentine club that has a special bond with Torino.

Torino in 1976–77 with their traditional white away shirt, featuring the bull symbol.

The Torino club badge always features a rampant bull, which is the symbol of the city of Turin. The current badge was adopted in the 2005–06 season, after the club's financial difficulties. The "1906" was added to show the year the club was founded.

In the 1980s, Torino had a square badge with a stylish 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.

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  Torino's crest from 1936–1946.

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  Torino's crest from 1946–1983 and 1990–2005.

Home Stadiums

The Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino in 2007.

Torino has played in several stadiums over the years. The first official match was at the Stadio Velodrome Umberto. Later, they moved to different pitches in the Piazza d'armi.

From 1925, Torino played at the Stadio Filadelfia, often called "Fila." This stadium is strongly linked to the famous Grande Torino team of the 1940s. It opened in 1926 and hosted Torino's games until 1958.

The grandstand of the new Stadio Filadelfia, with parts of the old stadium visible.

In 1958, the club briefly moved to the Stadio Comunale. They returned to the Filadelfia for a short time, but by 1963, Torino fully moved to the Comunale, which could hold 65,000 fans. They played there until 1990.

From 1990 to 2006, Torino played at the Stadio delle Alpi, which 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 April 2016, it was renamed the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino to honor the legendary team.

The Stadio Filadelfia also served as Torino's training ground for many years. Since 2017, the team has returned to train at the rebuilt Filadelfia.

Players

Current Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Alberto Paleari 3 DF Perr Schuurs 4 DF Sebastian Walukiewicz 5 DF Adam Masina 8 MF Ivan Ilić 9 FW Antonio Sanabria 10 MF Nikola Vlašić 13 DF Guillermo Maripán 15 DF Ardian Ismajli 16 DF Marcus Holmgren Pedersen 17 GK Antonio Donnarumma 18 FW Ché Adams 20 MF Valentino Lazaro 21 MF Ali Dembélé

No. Position Player 22 MF Cesare Casadei 23 DF Saúl Coco 26 MF Emirhan İlkhan 32 GK Vanja Milinković-Savić 34 DF Cristiano Biraghi 61 MF Adrien Tameze 66 MF Gvidas Gineitis 79 FW Zanos Savva Fs player|no=83|nat=MLD|pos=MF|name=Sergiu Perciun}} 91 FW Duván Zapata (captain) 92 FW Alieu Njie MF Tino Anjorin (on loan from Empoli) FW Alessio Cacciamani

Torino Youth Teams

Torino has a strong youth system, which helps young players develop their skills. They have several teams for different age groups. Torino was one of the first Italian clubs to have an organized youth system, starting in the 1930s. It's known as one of the best in Italy.

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've also won the Coppa Italia Primavera a record eight times.

Many famous players have come from Torino's youth system, including Fabio Quagliarella.

Famous Players

Francesco Graziani, a top goal scorer for Torino.

Here are some Torino players who have won major international awards:

• Giuseppe Dossena (Italy, 1982 World Cup)
• Franco Selvaggi (Italy, 1982 World Cup)
• Giorgio Ferrini (Italy, 1968 European Championship)
• Lido Vieri (Italy, 1968 European Championship)
• Andrea Belotti (Italy, 2020 European Championship)
• Salvatore Sirigu (Italy, 2020 European Championship)

On May 11, 1947, during a match between Italy and Hungary, the Italian coach used 10 players from Torino! This is the most players from one club ever to play for the Italy national team in a single match.

Torino is the fifth-ranked Italian club for the number of players who have played for the Italy national team. Francesco Graziani has played the most games (47) and scored the most goals (20) for Italy while playing for Torino.

Club Management

Board of Directors

Position	Name
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
Head of fitness coach	Giampiero Ascenzi
Fitness coach	Enrico Busolin
Fitness coach - Rehab coach	Paolo Solustri
Goalkeeping coach	Fabio Ronzani
	Marco Zuccher
Technical coach	Pau Quesada
Head of match analyst	Davide Gallo
Match analyst	Mattia Bastianelli
Sport scientist	Enrico Perri
Nutrition biologist	Javier Ríos Penalba
Head of medical	Daniele Mozzone
First team doctor	Corrado Bertolo
	Marco Salvucci
Massophysiotherapist	Gianluca Beccia
	Dario D'Onofrio
	Silvio Fortunato
	Paolo Iuele
Physiotherapist	Giuseppe Gerundo
Physiotherapist - Osteopath	Alessandro Pernice
Nutritionist	Antonio Ventura
Podiatrist	Michele De Felice
Kit manager	Luca Finetto
	Angelo Ghiron
	Marco Pasin

Notable Coaches in History

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

Fans and Rivalries

Torino fans cheering in the stands.

Torino fans are special! They had the first organized supporters group in Italy, called the Fedelissimi Granata, started in 1951. They also displayed the first banner of an organized club at the Stadio Filadelfia. In 1963, they organized the first away trip by plane in Italian football history!

Torino fans are "twinned" with fans of Fiorentina. This friendship started in the 1970s because both clubs didn't like Juventus. Fiorentina also showed support after the Superga tragedy.

Torino has special friendships with clubs from other countries too. The Brazilian club Corinthians and Torino have been friends since 1914. After the Superga disaster, Corinthians even played a game wearing Torino's kit to honor them.

The Argentine club River Plate is also a close friend of Torino because of the Superga disaster. River Plate flew to Turin to play a charity match to help the team. 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. The Portuguese club Benfica also has a strong bond with Torino, as they were the last team to play against the Grande Torino before the plane crash.

Torino's biggest rivalry is with their city neighbors, Juventus. Their matches are called the Derby della Mole, and it's one of the most exciting derbies in Italian football!

Club Achievements

National Titles

League Championships

• Italian Football Championship / Serie A
  • Winners (7): 1927–28, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1975–76
  • Second Place (7): 1907, 1914–1915, 1928–1929, 1938–1939, 1941–42, 1976–77, 1984–85
• Serie B
  • Winners (3): 1959–60, 1989–90, 2000–01
  • Second Place (2): 2004–05, 2011–12

Cup Competitions

• 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 Competitions

• Torneo Internazionale Stampa Sportiva:
  • Runners-up (1): 1908
• Anglo-Italian League Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 1971
• Eusébio Cup
  • Winners (1): 2016

Notes:
Torino won the title in the 1926–27 season, but it was later taken away.

Club Records

Giorgio Ferrini, Torino's record appearance holder.

Torino is ranked 8th in the all-time Serie A standings, which includes all teams that have played in Italy's top league.

In the Italian league, Torino has finished first eight times, second seven times, and third nine times. This means they've been on the podium in 23% of their seasons!

Paolo Pulici, Torino's all-time top goal scorer.

In the 2006–07 season, Torino played in Serie A while Juventus was in Serie B due to a big scandal. This was the first time Torino was in a higher league than Juventus.

Giorgio Ferrini holds the record for the most appearances for Torino, playing 566 games between 1959 and 1975. 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 goal scorer in the Italian top league:

• Heinrich Schönfeld (1923–24)
• Julio Libonatti (1927–28)
• Gino Rossetti (1928–29) - His 36 goals are still the most ever scored to win the award!
• Eusebio Castigliano (1945–46)
• Valentino Mazzola (1946–47)
• Paolo Pulici (1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76)
• Marco Rucci (2001-2002)
• Ciro Immobile (2013–14)

Most Appearances Rank Player Nationality Appearances 1 Giorgio Ferrini 566 2 Paolo Pulici 437 3 Renato Zaccarelli 413 4 Claudio Sala 360 5 Lido Vieri 357 6 Cesare Martin 345 7 Luigi Danova 340 8 Natalino Fossati 336 9 Antonio Janni 330 10 Giorgio Puia 326

Top Goalscorers Rank Player Nationality Goals 1 Paolo Pulici 172 2 Julio Libonatti 157 3 Gino Rossetti 144 4 Guglielmo Gabetto 127 5 Marco Ferrante 125 6 Valentino Mazzola 123 7 Francesco Graziani 122 8 Andrea Belotti 113 9 Adolfo Baloncieri 100 10 Franco Ossola 85

League History

Series	Years	Last	Promotions	Relegations
A	81	2024–25	–	6 (1959, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2009)
B	12	2011–12	6 (1960, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2012)	never
93 years of professional football in Italy since 1929
Founding member of the Football League’s First Division in 1921

Kit and Sponsors

See also

In Spanish: Torino Football Club para niños

• Famous Teams in Italian Football
• Allemandi Case