Valentino Mazzola facts for kids
Valentino Mazzola with Torino
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 January 1919 | ||
| Place of birth | Cassano d'Adda, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 4 May 1949 (aged 30) | ||
| Place of death | Superga, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward Attacking midfielder |
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| Youth career | |||
| 1934–193? | Tresoldi | ||
| 193? | Fara d'Adda | ||
| 193?–1936 | Tresoldi | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1936–1938 | Tresoldi | ||
| 1938–1939 | Alfa Romeo | (18) | |
| 1939–1940 | Venezia Reserves | ||
| 1939–1942 | Venezia | 61 | (12) |
| 1942–1949 | Torino | 195 | (118) |
| National team | |||
| 1942–1949 | Italy | 12 | (4) |
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Valentino Mazzola (born January 26, 1919 – died May 4, 1949) was a famous Italian football player. He played as an attacking midfielder or forward.
Many people think he was one of the best "number 10s" in football history. Some even say he was the best Italian footballer ever. Mazzola was the captain of the "Grande Torino" team. This team was known as one of the strongest in the world in the 1940s. With Torino, Mazzola won five Serie A championships. He was also the captain of the Italian national team for two years.
He became well-known while playing for Venezia. He played as a midfielder, which helped him become famous outside Italy too. Later in his career, he was seen as one of Europe's top players in his position. Sadly, he died at age 30 in the Superga air disaster.
Contents
Growing Up: Valentino's Early Life
Valentino Mazzola was born in Cassano d'Adda, Italy. His family was very poor. His father, Alessandro, worked as a laborer and died in 1940 after being hit by a truck. His mother was Leonina Ratti, and he had four brothers.
Valentino had a tough childhood. In 1929, his father lost his job because of the Great Depression. To help his family, Valentino started working the next year, after finishing just one year of school. He worked as a baker's boy and then, at 14, in a linen factory.
When he was 10, in 1929, he bravely jumped into the Adda River to save a younger boy from drowning. That boy was Andrea Bonomi, who later became a football player and captain of Milan. Valentino loved Juventus as a child. People called him "Tulen" because he often kicked old tin cans on his way to work.
He played for his local team, "Tresoldi." A football fan who worked for the Alfa Romeo car factory noticed him. This person offered Valentino a spot on the Alfa Romeo team and a job as a mechanic.
In 1939, Valentino joined the military service in the Royal Navy in Venice. He spent time on a ship and later worked at the port. While in Venice, he went to night school and earned his elementary school diploma.
Valentino was a quiet person. On March 15, 1942, he married Emilia Rinaldi. They had two sons, Sandro (born 1942) and Ferruccio (born 1945). Both sons also became football players. Ferruccio was named after Ferruccio Novo, the president of Torino.
In Turin, Valentino lived in a small apartment. He worked at Lingotto for FIAT. This job was important for wartime production, which helped him avoid fighting directly in World War II. Torino players earned good salaries, but they also had other jobs. After the war, Mazzola owned a sports shop in Turin where he sold footballs he made himself.
Mazzola was a private person who focused mostly on football. He enjoyed playing bowls near his home. He was very organized and wrote everything down. He expected others to be just as disciplined. This was a main reason for his separation from his first wife in 1946. He remarried on April 20, 1949, to 19-year-old Giuseppina Cutrone. Just days later, on May 4, 1949, he died in the Superga air disaster. He had sadly thought he might die from war or bad luck.
Playing for Clubs: Valentino's Football Journey
Starting Out: Early Career
Even though he started working young, Mazzola kept playing football. He was the leader of Tresoldi, his hometown team in Cassano d'Adda. They noticed him playing and invited him to their youth team in 1934. He played for Tresoldi's first team in 1935–36, earning 10 lire per game.
In 1938, both Alfa Romeo and Milan offered him a chance to play. Alfa Romeo also guaranteed him a job. He chose Alfa Romeo because of the job security. He played one season as a winger for Alfa Romeo before joining the military in 1939.
Playing for Venezia
In 1939, while in the Navy, Mazzola played well in several football matches. Observers from Venezia noticed him. He went for a tryout, even playing barefoot to protect his boots. He impressed everyone, especially manager Giuseppe Girani, who decided to sign him.
After a few months in the reserve team, he joined the main team on January 1, 1940. He made his Serie A debut on March 31, 1940, for Venezia. He scored his team's only goal in a Coppa Italia match against Modena.
At Venezia, Mazzola met Ezio Loik. They both came from humble backgrounds. Loik was quiet, while Mazzola was more outgoing. At first, Loik thought Valentino was arrogant, but they soon became good friends. Their partnership on the field was amazing. Loik's hard work combined with Mazzola's talent made them Italy's most exciting young players.
Venezia finished tenth in 1940 and twelfth in 1941. But in 1941, the team won the Coppa Italia final against Roma. In 1942, they finished third in the league.
Becoming a Legend: Torino Years
In July 1942, Mazzola moved to Torino for a large sum of money. This helped Venezia pay off all its debts. Juventus had also wanted to sign him, but Torino offered more, including two players. Ezio Loik also joined Torino in the same deal.
Mazzola first played for Torino on September 20, 1942, in a Coppa Italia match. He scored two goals in a 7–0 win. His league debut for Torino was on October 4. At first, Mazzola and Loik didn't play well together. But soon, the team started winning many games. Mazzola scored his first league goal for Torino on October 18 against Juventus.
In April 1943, Mazzola scored three goals in the last four games of the season. Torino and Livorno were tied for first place. In the final game, Mazzola scored the winning goal against Bari with only four minutes left. This win gave Torino the scudetto (league title). Torino also won the Coppa Italia that year, with Mazzola scoring against his old club, Venezia, in the final.
During World War II, football leagues were uncertain. Mazzola stayed in Turin and trained with his teammates. In an unofficial championship in 1944, Torino FIAT finished second.
The league restarted in 1945. Mazzola scored 16 goals, helping Torino win the scudetto again. In this season, Mazzola started a famous tradition. When the team needed an extra push, he would roll up his sleeves. This was called the quarto d'ora granata ("the maroon quarter-hour").
In the 1946–47 season, Mazzola became captain. He was the league's top scorer with 29 goals. On April 20, 1946, he scored the fastest hat-trick in Italian football history, with three goals in three minutes against Vicenza. Torino won their fourth league title that season.
Mazzola continued his great form in the 1947–48 season. On October 5, 1947, Torino scored seven goals in 25 minutes against Roma, with Mazzola scoring three. He had some injuries in November and December but kept playing. On May 23, 1948, in a game against Triestina, Mazzola refused to pass to his teammates. Some thought he was tired or injured, others thought he wanted to leave Torino for Internazionale. Despite this, Torino won their fourth straight title. Mazzola scored the winning goal against Lazio and finished as the second top scorer with 25 goals.
At the end of the season, Torino was invited to play friendly matches in Brazil. Before leaving, Mazzola announced he would leave Torino, which upset the fans. Six Torino players, including Mazzola, missed the first game of the new season due to a contract disagreement. But an agreement was reached, and Mazzola returned. He scored the winning goal in the derby and played very well in other games.
In early 1949, he had several muscle injuries and gained weight. Despite this, he scored four goals in a row between January and February. On April 24, he scored the last goal of his career against Bari. On April 30, Torino drew 0–0 against Inter. Mazzola did not play due to a high fever and sore throat.
On May 1, Torino flew to Lisbon to play a friendly match against Benfica on May 3. Mazzola had arranged this game as a farewell for Benfica's captain, Francisco Ferreira. Benfica won the match 4–3.
The Superga Air Disaster: Valentino's Death
Despite being sick, Mazzola was determined to go to the match he had organized in Lisbon in 1949. On May 4, on the way back from the game, the plane carrying Mazzola and the rest of the team crashed. Everyone on board died.
Vittorio Pozzo, a famous football manager, helped identify the bodies. The funeral was held on May 6, with over half a million people attending. The bodies were brought to Palazzo Madama and then to the Duomo. On the same day, the FIGC (Italian Football Federation) declared Torino champions of the 1948–49 season. This was four rounds before the season ended, following a suggestion from Inter, Milan, and Juventus.
Playing for Italy: International Career
Mazzola first played for the national team on April 5, 1942. It was a friendly match against Croatia, which Italy won 4–0. He scored his first international goal on April 19, in a 4–0 friendly win against Spain. In total, Mazzola played 12 matches for Italy between 1942 and 1949, scoring 4 goals. He was also the team's captain from 1947 to 1949.
How Valentino Played: Style of Play
Valentino Mazzola is considered one of the greatest football players ever. He was perhaps the first "modern all-around footballer." This means he was a very complete and versatile player. He could play well in almost any position on the field. He was known for his strong will to win and his ability to lead his teammates. Mazzola was famous for rolling up his shirt sleeves when his team wasn't playing well. This was a signal to his teammates and the fans to push harder.
Mazzola was a fast, strong, and energetic midfielder. He had excellent technical skills and dribbling abilities. He also had great stamina, knew where to be on the field, and had good vision. He was creative and could shoot and pass accurately with both feet. Because he was so smart tactically, he could both score goals and create chances for his team.
He was also an excellent playmaker, meaning he was great at setting up his team's attacks. While he usually played as an attacking midfielder, he could also play closer to the goal as a forward or on the sides as a winger. Even though he wasn't very tall, he was great at heading the ball. He could jump high and time his jumps perfectly to beat taller defenders.
Mazzola was also good at defense. He would often press and tackle opponents to win the ball back. He could even play as a central midfielder or a defender.
In the Milan area, players who dribble a lot instead of passing are sometimes called "Veneziani" (Venetians). This name comes from Mazzola's time at Venezia and his love for individual dribbling runs. José Altafini, a forward who played for Brazil and Italy, was called "Mazzola" in his home country. This was because he looked like Valentino.
Achievements: Valentino's Honours
Club
- Serie A (5): 1942–43, 1944–45, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49
- Coppa Italia (1): 1942–43
- Coppa Italia (1): 1940–41
Individual
- Seria A top goal scorer (1): 1946–47
- Coppa Italia top goalscorer (1): 1942–43
- Italian Football Hall of Fame (Posthumously): 2012
- Walk of Fame of Italian sport: 2015
- Torino F.C. Hall of Fame: 2015
See also
In Spanish: Valentino Mazzola para niños
