Calcio Deal presents a tribute to the Grande Torino written during the period of the pandemic, in the midst of lockdown, commemorating not only a piece of Italian football history but Italy itself. The Grande Torino, a symbol of national pride, has left an indelible memory in the minds of fans and supporters of Toro.
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Memory of the Grande Torino
Today marks the seventy-first anniversary of the Superga tragedy. A crucial event in the history not only of the Granata (Torino’s nickname) but also of Italy. On that fourth of May in 1949, at 17:03, the plane carrying the Invincibles crashed, returning from Lisbon after a friendly match against Benfica.
That magical lineup held (and still holds) numerous records. For example, the highest number of players in the National Team (10 out of 11 in Italy-Hungary on May 11, 1947), the highest home victory (10-0 in Torino-Alessandria on May 2, 1948), and the most goals scored in a season (125 in the 1948-49 championship with an average of 3.1 goals per game).
The Grande Torino was not just among the strongest teams ever; it was and continues to be an Italian pride. Why do so many fans sympathize with Toro today? The answer is simple: because of the Invincibles! With their triumphs, the Grande Torino maintained the prestige of Italy, cementing the sense of Italian identity in people.
Why, seventy-one years later, do they still resonate throughout the country? The answer is very simple: it was a national mourning. All Italians felt involved. Because the Grande Torino was not just a “little team” like many others: the Invincibles were ITALY! This year’s commemoration will be atypical: there won’t be countless Granata fans filling the square and crowding around the memorial.
I, too, won’t be able to walk the “twisting” path, as Don Aldo Rabino, the historic Granata chaplain, called it, leading to the memorial. But with their hearts, all Granata people will be there reciting: THE CHAMPIONS OF ITALY: BACIGALUPO, BALLARIN ALDO, BALLARIN DINO, BONGIORNI, CASTIGLIANO, FADINI, GABETTO, GRAVA, GREZAR, LOIK, MAROSO, MARTELLI, OUR CAPTAIN VALENTINO MAZZOLA, MENTI, OPERTO, OSSOLA, RIGAMONTI, SUBERT.
OFFICIALS AND COACHES: CIVALLERI, EGRI ERBSTEIN, LIEVESLEY, AGNISETTA, CORTINA. JOURNALISTS: CASALBORE, CAVALLERO, TOSATTI. CREW: MERONI, D’INCA, BIANCIARDI, PANGRAZZI, BONAIUTI.
Federico Cairo, May 4, 2020
