Virgilio_Maroso
Virgilio Maroso
Italian footballer
Virgilio Maroso (Italian pronunciation: [virˈdʒiːljo maˈroːzo; -oːso]; 26 June 1925 – 4 May 1949) was an Italian football player, who played as a defender for Torino FC and died in the Superga air disaster together with nearly the whole Grande Torino team.
|
Virgilio Maroso | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1925-06-26)26 June 1925[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Marostica, Italy[1] | ||
| Date of death | 4 May 1949(1949-05-04) (aged 23) | ||
| Place of death | Superga, Italy | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1944 | → Alessandria (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 1944–1949 | Torino | 103 | (1) |
| Total | 115 | (1) | |
| International career | |||
| 1945–1949 | Italy | 7 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Maroso was born in Marostica, in the province of Vicenza. He was the brother of Pietro Maroso (1934–2012), also a Serie A player and honorary president of A.S. Varese.
Maroso played as a defender. After a period on loan at Alessandria (1944), he made his club debut with Torino on 14 October 1945, in a 2–1 defeat to rivals Juventus in the Turin Derby. In total, he played 103 times for Torino in league matches, scoring once, and won four consecutive Serie A (scudetti) titles between 1945 and 1949.[1]
At international level, he was capped seven times for the Italy national team between 1945 and 1949, scoring one goal. His debut came on 11 November 1945, in a 4–4 draw against Switzerland.[1][2]
A promising and highly talented player, Maroso was a precocious full-back, who is considered to be one of the best Italian players ever in his position, and is even rated by some pundits in the sport to be Italy's greatest left-back ever. A fast, powerful, elegant, and technically gifted offensive-minded left-back, who was known for his flair and touch on the ball, Maroso was one of the first ever attacking full-backs in football, and was even capable of playing as a winger due to his ability to get up the flank; although he stood out for his attacking prowess, he was also strong defensively, courtesy of his foot-work and anticipation, and was capable of playing with either foot. In addition to his playing ability, he also stood out for his correct behaviour and fair-play on the pitch, and rarely gave away fouls; despite his skill, however, he was also injury-prone.[1][3][4][5][6]
Maroso died with most of the Grande Torino team in the Superga air disaster near Turin, on 4 May 1949.[1]
The football stadium in his home-town of Marostica is dedicated to him.
Club
- Torino
Individual
- Statistics at Enciclopedia del Calcio website (in Italian)
- Statistics at FIGC website (in Italian)
- "Maroso, Virgilio" (in Italian). www.enciclopediadelcalcio.it. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- "Maroso, Virgilio" (in Italian). FIGC.it. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- GESSI ADAMOLI (24 September 2005). "Il Grande Toro arriva in tivù Gandolfi: 'Mi salvò il destino'" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- Gigi Garanzini. "MAROSO, Virgilio" (in Italian). Treccani: Enciclopedia dello Sport (2002). Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- Marino Bartoletti. "CABRINI, Antonio" (in Italian). Treccani: Enciclopedia dello Sport (2002). Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- GIANNI MURA (5 September 2006). "Il gigante buono che amava fare gol" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- "Nasce la Hall of Fame del Toro: il 3 dicembre la cerimonia per i primi 5 granata indimenticabili". Quotidiano Piemontese (in Italian). 20 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.