 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Adolfo Baloncieri | ||
| Date of birth | 27 July 1897 | ||
| Place of birth | Alessandria, Italy | ||
| Date of death | 23 July 1986 (aged 88) | ||
| Place of death | Genoa, Italy | ||
| Position(s) | 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: [aˈdolfo balonˈtʃɛːri]; 27 July 1897 – 23 July 1986) was an Italian football manager and former player who played as a midfielder.
Critically regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Gianni Brera considered him one of the greatest Italian playmakers ever, alongside the likes of Giuseppe Meazza and Valentino 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 with Alessandria, but most notably played for Torino, where they won league titles in 1927 and 1928 (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 the Italy national team to a bronze medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics, and also won the 1927-30 Central European International Cup with Italy. With 25 goals, he is the sixth highest all-time scorer of the Italy national team, alongside Filippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Altobelli, and he is also the highest scoring midfielder in the history of the Italy national side.[3]
- ^ Brera, Gianni; Milano, Baldini & Castoldi (1998). Storia critica del calcio italiano.
- ^ Chiesa, Il secolo azzurro. pp. 165-166.
- ^ "Nazionale, De Rossi raggiunge le 100 presenze" (in Italian). Il Corriere dello Sport. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2016.