US Cremonese

History

The club now known as US Cremonese was born on March 24, 1903, inside a tavern called l'osteria Varesina. Its founding charter aimed to encourage physical education, good sportsmanship, discipline, and unity for both individuals and the nation, and it was named Unione Sportiva Cremonese. Ten years later, in 1913, the club officially joined the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and organized its first major football event, the "Città di Cremona" Tournament.

This competition included the first team and reserves, plus sides from Crema, Lodi, Brescia, Palazzolo, and Fanfulla. The next year, Cremonese won the Lombardy Championship, earning a promotion to the First Division in 1914. The team originally played on a pitch at Via San Rocco, wearing white and lilac kits. On December 7, Guido Costa scored the club's first official goal against Varese.

In 1914, Cremonese moved up to the First Category, placed in Group E. During a friendly match against Vicenza on September 20, the team switched to its lasting gray and red colors, known as grigiorossi. The squad finished fifth in its group, but World War I halted the league. That season's regular starting eleven included Giovanni Zini, De Vecchi, Mainardi, Secondo Talamazzini, Attilio Tornetti, Cighetti, Curtabili, Brusati, Alberto Albertoni, Piero Lombardi, and Italo Defendi.

After the war, in 1919, the Via San Rocco ground was no longer available, so the club built a new home. Campo Cremonese opened on November 2, 1919, with a match against Juventus. In 1925, the stadium was renamed Giovanni Zini to honor the club's first goalkeeper, who died in the war.