Valentino Mazzola Football player
Valentino Mazzola (Italian pronunciation: [valenˈtino matˈtsɔla]; January 26, 1919 - May 4, 1949) was an Italian footballer and captain of the celebrated Grande Torino side, killed in the Superga air disaster. He is considered one of the best football players of all time, and perhaps the first modern all-around footballer, as he was a well-rounded and hardworking footballer who could lead his teammates to victory with his charismatic presence and leadership (Mazzola was famous for raising his shirt's sleeves when his team was not playing well as a signal to his teammates and the fans). Mazzola was a quick, strong and energetic attacking midfielder, with excellent technical ability, vision, and accurate shooting and passing ability; he also excelled in the air. Because of his many attributes he was capable of both scoring and creating many goals, and was also competent defensively, often pressing and tackling opponents in order to win back possession.With Torino, Mazzola won an Italian record of five successive Serie A titles, as well as a Coppa Italia in 1942–43. He was also awarded the Capocannoniere award in 1946–47 for most goals in Serie A, with 29 goals in 38 games. In 1940–41, he won the Coppa Italia with Venezia.
