José Altafini
The prolific 'Mazzola' who conquered Italy and Europe.
José João Altafini (Italian: [altaˈfiːni]; born 24 July 1938), also known as "Mazzola" in Brazil, is an Italian-Brazilian former footballer who played as a forward. He began his career with Palmeiras in Brazil, later moved to Italy, and is mostly remembered for his successful stint with AC Milan. He also played for Napoli and Juventus, and ended his career in Switzerland with Chiasso and Mendrisiostar. Altafini is the joint-fourth highest scorer in Italian Serie A history with 216 goals, and held the record for most goals in a single European Cup campaign for over 50 years.
- Role
- Striker
- Nationality
- Italian-Brazilian
- Napoli Tenure
- 1965–1972
- Key Achievement
- Second highest goalscorer in Serie A 1967–68, led Napoli to second place
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Altafini was born on 24 July 1938 in Piracicaba, Brazil, to Gioacchino Altafini and Maria Marchesoni. He earned the nickname "Mazzola" due to his physical resemblance to Italian attacking midfielder Valentino Mazzola. He began playing football at age 16 for XV de Novembro Sporting Club, and at 17 joined the youth side of Palmeiras. He made his senior debut for Palmeiras on 29 January 1956, scoring a brace and becoming the youngest goalscorer for the club. In 1958, he moved to AC Milan, where he won two Serie A titles and a European Cup. He later played for Napoli from 1965 to 1972, forming a notable attacking partnership with Omar Sívori. He then joined Juventus, winning two more Serie A titles. At the international level, he represented both Brazil (winning the 1958 FIFA World Cup) and Italy (at the 1962 FIFA World Cup).
In Their Own Story
The San Paolo crowd watched as Altafini, facing Torino on 31 December 1967, launched himself into an acrobatic bicycle kick. The ball flew into the net for a 2–2 draw, a 'golaço' that cemented his bond with the Neapolitan fans. Years later, after he had moved to Juventus, he came off the bench in the 88th minute against his former club during the 1974–75 season, scoring the match winner to give Juventus a 2–1 victory. A few days later, a banner reading 'José core 'ngrato' was placed on one of the gates of the San Paolo stadium, referencing his time with the Neapolitan club.
Reader's Guide
Altafini was a highly prolific goalscorer, known for his quickness, skill, and power. He is one of only eight players to have scored five goals in a single European Cup match. He coined the expression "golaço" (or "golazzo") for notable goals and was known for his exclamation "incredibile, amici!" After his playing career, he worked as a football pundit on Italian TV for SKY Italia and as a commentator on Italian radio for RTL 102.5, and was the secondary commentator on the Pro Evolution Soccer video games in Italy.
Did You Know?
- Altafini scored 630 goals in his career.
- He is the fifth-youngest player in Serie A history to score 100 goals, achieving that at age 24 years and 239 days.
- He scored five goals in a single match for Palmeiras in a 5–0 win over Noroeste on 9 June 1957.
- Altafini scored two goals in the 1963 European Cup Final to secure Milan's first European triumph.
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