Valentino Mazzola
- Simon Basten
- Jan 4
- 2 min read
Valentino Mazzola was one the best Italian players of all time. A great number ten, he was part of the Great Torino that won five consecutive scudettos in the 1940s.
Born on January 29, 1919, in Cassano d’Adda near Milan, he started his career with Tresoldi while still working at the same time. In 1938 he signed for Alfa Romeo in Serie C. He had been offered to play for Milano, but he needed the money and opted for the third-tier team so he could also work. He played there for just one season before signing for Venezia and debuted in Serie A on March 31, 1940, in the away defeat to Lazio. That season they won the Coppa Italia beating Roma in the final. In the first leg after half an hour they were losing 3-0, but he scored an incredible goal and Venezia then found the strength to equalise. In the second leg, they won 1-0 and lifted the cup.
After two seasons he joined Torino and it is there that he showed all his abilities. The Granata won the scudetto in 1942-43 before the war and then the first four leagues after. He played a total of 200 games for the Piedmontese with 123 goals. He was top scorer in 1946-47 with 29 goals.
In the Nazionale he made 12 appearances with 4 goals, all friendlies (for obvious reasons). The Italy team was almost entirely made up of players from Torino; they were that strong.
The dominance of the Grande Torino was tragically interrupted by a plane crash.
On Saturday April 30, they played in Milan against Inter. It was the Nerazzurri’s final attempt at reducing the Granata's lead but it ended in a goalless draw. Torino then flew to Lisbon where on May 3 they played a friendly against Benfica. The day after the team flew back home but the weather conditions over Turin were terrible: strong winds, rain, low clouds. The plane smashed into the Superga hill. Nobody survived.
His two sons followed in his footsteps. Sandro became a legend at Inter, Ferruccio had a good career at Lazio.
Voted by Four Four Two as one of the top 100 players of all time, Mazzola was a legend. One of the most complete players of all time. He was an excellent dribbler, great aerial abilities despite not being very tall. He was able to shoot with both feet, so it was difficult to determine if he was right or left footed.
His career was cut short, he would have certainly continued to play reaching new hights, if it was not for that tragic accident.
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