Giuseppe Mancini

In July 1932, the Lazio manager Karl Strumer organised a draft for the under 14s. This was something unheard of at the time in Italy. The Microbes, as they were called, kids born in 1920 and 1921, trained twice a week, had tactical and behavioural lessons, and started playing and winning around Italy.

They became so famous that they were invited to play in Vienna, on June 11, 1933, for a game against Wacker. The match was played before a 45,000-crowd gathered to watch the national Wunderteam play against Romania. It was a 40-minute game.

The Microbes managed to draw the game and with a bit of luck might have even won it. The small little Biancocelesti against the much bigger Austrian youngsters left the stadium with the crowd enthusiastic. For the Italian media it was a triumph and when the kids arrived in Rome they were overwhelmed by fans, relatives and the entire Lazio first team.

Giuseppe Mancini was one of the forwards of that team.

He was born on March 19, 1920.

He became part of the first team in 1938-39 making three appearances. After a year on loan at Catania he returned in 1940-41 making two appearances.

He then became a regular for the B team but when football stopped for the Second World War, Lazio played the Roman League in 1943-44, winning it, and 1944-45, coming second. Mancini made 43 appearances in those two years with 10 goals.

In 1946-47 he played for Albatrastevere, then two seasons at Latina and one with Chinotto Neri.

Lazio Career

Season	Total games (goals)	Serie A	Coppa Italia	Roman War League	Other competitions
1938-39	3	2	1	-	-
1940-41	2	2	-	-	-
1943-44	19 (5)	-	-	17 (3)	2 (2)
1944-45	24 (5)	-	-	14 (3)	10 (2)
Total	48 (10)	4	1	31 (6)	12 (4)

 Sources

Lazio Wiki