Silvio Marzolini

Silvio Marzolini (4 October 1940 – 17 July 2020) was an Argentine footballer who gained recognition during his tenure on Boca Juniors (1960–72). He is widely regarded as the best Argentine left-back of all time, playing that position for the Argentina national team in the 1962 FIFA World Cup and the 1966 FIFA World Cup, where he was elected as the best left back of that tournament. Marzolini played a total of 28 games for Argentina.

Quick Facts

Born: 4 October 1940
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: 17 July 2020
Height: 1.83 m / 6 ft
Position: Left-back
Total caps: 440

Lore & Background

Marzolini's first steps as footballer were in Deportivo Italiano, soon moving to the young divisions of Ferro Carril Oeste in 1955. After a discussion with the club managers asking to play in the senior team, Marzolini was suspended for two years. Nevertheless, he debuted in Primera División in May 1959, playing against Boca Juniors, that would hire him the following year. Marzolini debuted with Boca on 3 April 1960 against Estudiantes de La Plata, defeating it by 2–1.

Boca finished third at the end of the season, with Marzolini playing all of the games. In 1961 Marzolini scored his first goal in the top division, but Boca did not have a great campaign, finishing fifth. Marzolini played a total of 29 games scoring 2 goals. The first achievement came in 1962 when Boca won the title, with notable players such as goalkeeper Antonio Roma, Brazilian striker Paulo Valentim and Norberto Menéndez.

Boca finished first with 42 points. Marzolini was also the most capped player of the season with 28 games played. Marzolini was named as left-back in the 1966 FIFA World Cup team of the tournament while Argentina was eliminated at the quarter final stage.

Reader's Guide

As a player, Marzolini won the Primera División with Boca Juniors in 1962, 1964, 1965, 1969 Nacional, and 1970 Nacional. He also won the Copa Argentina in 1969 and was a runner-up in the Copa Libertadores in 1963. With Argentina, he won the Panamerican Championship in 1960 and was a runner-up in the Copa América in 1967. Individually, he was named to the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team in 1966 and was included in the IFFHS Argentina All Times Dream Team in 2021. As a manager, he won the Primera División with Boca Juniors in 1981 Metropolitano.

Did You Know?

Bobby Charlton named Marzolini in his dream eleven in a 2007 FourFourTwo interview.
Marzolini was the most capped player of the 1962 title-winning season with 28 games played.
His grandson Facundo Lescano is a footballer playing for U.S. Salernitana 1919 in Italy.