II Grande Torino

THE 75 YEARS EDITION. 1949-1924

II Grande Torino. They were a team of hearts who sadly few people alive today saw play live. Now just a fading black and white team portrait on a half-ripped postcard. Torino won five Serie A titles on the run and were set for many more. Led by their magnificent Captain and arguably the finest Italian footballer of all time. Valentino Mazzola. Tragically, on 4th May 1949, whilst returning home from Portugal, after a testimonial match the airplane carrying Torino football team, became lost in a thick fog and a ferocious storm, tragically causing it to crash into the Basilica Superga, (a large church on a hill) on the outskirts of Turin, killing everybody aboard. Thirty-one people in all, including eighteen Torino footballers. So died a dream. A catastrophe both on a human and football level for all Italy. (Ten Torino players made up the national side with the goalkeeper from Juventus.) This 75 years edition tells the story of a club ravaged by tragedy since its early days of inception, right up until the modern day. A dark tale of how life is beautiful until death comes unexpectedly calling. From the terrible days of two World Wars, up until Superga. A list of characters that litter the pages with astonishing exploits of both human courage and Fascist cruelty. Torino footballers fighting as Partisans. A very special story and an even more special football club that simply refused to die.