Valentino Mazzola

Lore & Background

He was born in Cassano d'Adda, Ricetto, to a very modest family. In the summer of 1929, at age 10, he threw himself into the river Adda to save the life of a boy four years his junior from drowning: his name was Andrea Bonomi, the future football player and captain of Milan. He was nicknamed "Tulen" for his habit of kicking old tin cans. He played in his local neighbourhood team, the "Tresoldi" and was noticed by a football fan who worked as a test driver for the Alfa Romeo factory in Arese, who offered Valentino a place in the Alfa Romeo team and a job as a mechanic.

Reader's Guide

Mazzola began his professional career at Alfa Romeo, playing one season as a winger. He then joined Venezia in 1940, making his Serie A debut on 31 March 1940. In July 1942, he transferred to Torino for a record fee. He played as an attacking midfielder or forward, and was known for his versatility. He won five Serie A titles with Torino and captained the Italy national team.

Did You Know?

• He was a Juventus fan at a young age.
• He married Emilia Rinaldi on 15 March 1942 and had two sons, Sandro and Ferruccio.
• He remarried on 20 April 1949 to Giuseppina Cutrone, just days before his death.