Adieu Mazzola!
Lucien Gamblin | 06/05/1949

The terrible disaster which has bluntly undermined the prestigious F.C. Torino team has grieved, to the bottom of their hearts, all the sportsmen and clubs who follow international football directly or indirectly.

We are not about to double the offensive starts and how intelligent of Mazzola, wise captain of Squadra Azzurra, the finesse of his accomplice Loik, before, for whom football was nothing more than an applied science, and the ease of a Castigliano whose actions could rival in quality and artistry with those of the great tenors of British football.

And then again, we will long remember the remains of the matador of the late, kind and sparkling porter Bacigalupo who would have easily replaced one of the four traditional musketeers, if he had been needed.

What more to say about this Gabetto who, at 33, having his established position in the city of Turin, had only to let himself live and manage his flourishing business, but who continued to play football so that the colors of his club are still at the forefront of national and international football.

And this generous Ballarin who was trying to compensate in his team and that of Italy for the void caused by the unavailability of his prestigious partner Maroso.

What more can we say in favor of our friend Emile Bongiorni whom we have, of course, often criticized as a footballer because he had so much quality that, shockingly, we expected from him better exploits, and who was so sensitive, so nice boy, that today it seems to us that we have exaggerated our criticisms, however affectionate, because, you see, you do not beat your child.

And Rigamonti, Grezar, Operti, Ossola, Martelli, Fadini, all consecrated champions. We can hardly believe we won't see you on the playing fields again. You left hiding in the long shadow of Mazzola, your great captain, but international football will not forget you and your names will be etched in stone.