Valentino Mazzola
|
Mazzola with Torino | |||
| 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) | ||
| Position(s) |
Forward Attacking midfielder | ||
| 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) |
| International career | |||
| 1942–1949 | Italy | 12 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Valentino Mazzola (Italian pronunciation: [valenˈtiːno matˈtsɔːla]; 26 January 1919 – 4 May 1949) was an Italian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or forward.
Considered one of the great number 10s in the history of football and, according to some, the best Italian footballer of all time, Mazzola was the captain and symbol of the "Grande Torino", the team recognised as one of the strongest in the world during the second half of the 1940s, with whom Mazzola won five Serie A championships. He was also captain of the Italy national team for two years.
He became known during his spell at Venezia, where he played as a midfielder, a playing position he held throughout his career that allowed him to expand his fame beyond Italy. In his later seasons, he was considered one of the best players in Europe in his role. He died at the age of 30 in the Superga air disaster.