 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1897-07-27)27 July 1897 | ||
| Place of birth | Alessandria, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 23 July 1986(1986-07-23) (aged 88) | ||
| Place of death | Genoa, Italy | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| US Alessandria | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1919–1925 | US Alessandria | 120 | (74) |
| 1925–1932 | Torino | 192 | (97) |
| 1932–1933 | Comense | 3 | (0) |
| 1943–1944 | US Alessandria | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1920–1930 | Italy | 47 | (25) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1931–1932 | Torino(assistant) | ||
| 1932–1933 | Comense | ||
| 1934–1936 | Milan | ||
| 1936–1937 | Novara | ||
| 1937–1939 | Liguria | ||
| 1939–1940 | Napoli | ||
| 1941–1945 | Alessandria | ||
| 1945–1946 | Milan | ||
| 1946–1947 | Chiasso | ||
| 1947–1950 | Sampdoria | ||
| 1950 | Roma | ||
| 1951–1952 | Chiasso | ||
| 1954–1955 | Palermo | ||
| 1961–1962 | Chiasso | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Adolfo Baloncieri (Italian pronunciation:[aˈdolfobalonˈtʃɛːri]; 27 July 1897 – 23 July 1986) was an Italianfootball manager and formerplayer who played as amidfielder.
Critically regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time,Gianni Brera considered him one of the greatest Italianplaymakers ever, alongside the likes ofGiuseppe Meazza andValentino Mazzola.[1] In 2010, Carlo Felice Chiesa wrote: "If it were possible to rank all-time great "registas" of world football, Adolfo Baloncieri, an athlete from a period so remote from our own, would end up among the first, if not first."[2] Baloncieri began his club career withAlessandria, but most notably played forTorino, where they won league titles in1927 and1928 (the 1927 title was later revoked). Following his retirement, he also coached several clubs in Italy.
At international level, he took part at three editions of the Summer Olympic games with Italy,captaining theItaly national team to a bronze medal at the1928 Summer Olympics, and also won the1927–1930 Central European International Cup with Italy. With 25 goals, he is thesixth highest all-time scorer of the Italy national team, alongsideFilippo Inzaghi andAlessandro Altobelli, and he is also thehighest scoring midfielder in the history of the Italy national side.[3]
Baloncieri was born in Castelceriolo in the province ofAlessandria, to a family originally fromCaselle Torinese. During childhood he lived with his family inRosario, Argentina for 12 years where he entered the world of football at age nine. Eager to play sport, he did not complete his studies inaccountancy.
His older brother Mario was an amateur footballer in Alessandria and then areporter, while his cousin William Brezzi, who died at a young age, was his teammate at Alessandria and thenational team. His brother Carlo drowned inFinale Ligure in August 1933, while his son also died at a young age. With his other daughter, Flora, a teacher, and a sister, he lived inGenoa in later years. He died in 1986, four days before he turned 89, frompneumonia.[4][5]
After spending much of his childhood in Argentina, Baloncieri returned to Italy in 1913 and joinedAlessandria; for which he debuted in 1914 at the age of 17 beforeWorld War I suspended league fixtures. During the conflict he was at thefront as a gunner. After football resumed he distinguished himself among the most famous footballers of the 1920s withTorino, when they won twonational titles (one was revoked for the "Allemandi Case"). In 1930 he wasknighted by theCrown of Italy on the recommendation of theItalian Football Federation'sLeandro Arpinati. Baloncieri retired in 1931; interested in the development of young athletes, he was responsible for the development of the Torino youth system. He later became amanager.
At International level, Baloncieri was the captain of theItaly national team that won the bronze medal at the1928 Olympic Games,[6] and the winner of the 1930Coppa Internazionale, alongsideGiuseppe Meazza. He earned 47 caps for Italy between 1920 and 1930, and with 25 goals, he is Italy'ssixth all-time highest goalscorer and the highest scoring midfielder in the history of the Italy national team.[7] He also played in two other editions of the Olympics, in1920 and1924, making him the player with the most all-time appearances and goals, eleven and eight respectively, at Olympic football tournaments for the Italy national side.[8][9]
Usually deployed as anoffensiveplaymaker, Baloncieri was a quick, talented, elegant, and creativemidfielder, who had excellent technical skills, vision, passing ability, and a notable eye for goal from midfield.[5]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 August 1920 | Jules Ottenstadion,Ghent, Belgium |  Egypt | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1920 Summer Olympics | [10] |
| 2 | 26 February 1922 | Motovelodromo,Turin, Italy |  Czechoslovakia | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly | [11] |
| 3 | 21 May 1922 | Milan, Italy |  Belgium | 1–0 | 4–2 | Friendly | [12] |
| 4 | 3–1 | ||||||
| 5 | 29 May 1924 | Stade Pershing,Paris, France |  Luxembourg | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1924 Summer Olympics | [13] |
| 6 | 22 March 1925 | Stadio di Corso Marsiglia, Turin, Italy |  France | 2–0 | 7–0 | Friendly | [10] |
| 7 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 8 | 21 March 1926 | Motovelodromo, Turin, Italy |  Ireland (FAIFS) | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | [14] |
| 9 | 30 January 1927 | Stade de Genève,Lancy, Switzerland |  Switzerland | 1–0 | 5–1 | Friendly | [15] |
| 10 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 11 | 5–1 | ||||||
| 12 | 20 February 1927 | San Siro, Milan, Italy | Czechoslovakia | 2–2 | 2–2 | Friendly | [16] |
| 13 | 17 April 1927 | Campo Turin, Turin, Italy |  Portugal | 2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly | [17] |
| 14 | 29 May 1927 | Stadio Littoriale,Bologna, Italy |  Spain | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [18] |
| 15 | 29 May 1928 | Olympic Stadium,Amsterdam, Netherlands | France | 4–2 | 4–3 | 1928 Summer Olympics | [19] |
| 16 | 1 June 1928 | Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Spain | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1928 Summer Olympics | [20] |
| 17 | 4 June 1928 | Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Spain | 3–0 | 7–1 | 1928 Summer Olympics | [citation needed] |
| 18 | 7 June 1928 | Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands |  Uruguay | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1928 Summer Olympics | [21] |
| 19 | 10 June 1928 | Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands |  Egypt | 2–1 | 11–3 | 1928 Summer Olympics | [22] |
| 20 | 7–2 | ||||||
| 21 | 14 October 1928 | Utogrund,Zürich, Switzerland | Switzerland | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1927–30 Central European International Cup | [23] |
| 22 | 2 December 1928 | San Siro, Milan, Italy |  Netherlands | 3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly | [24] |
| 23 | 1 December 1929 | San Siro, Milan, Italy | Portugal | 4–1 | 6–1 | Friendly | [25] |
| 24 | 2 March 1930 | Waldstadion,Frankfurt, Germany |  Germany | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [26] |
| 25 | 6 April 1930 | Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Netherlands | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly | [27] |
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