Speaking about the history of Italian football, it is impossible to forget the name of Torino. The club that is based in the city of Turin has won a lot of achievements in Italian football, especially in the 1940s when they became the Serie A champion for five seasons in a row. The golden generation of the club is known as "Il Grande Torino" and even considered one of the strongest teams in the history of football.
Currently, Torino is recognized as one of the dark horses in the Italian league. They have produced some great football players who become the backbone of Italiy national football team. The question is, which player deserves to be called as Torino's greatest footballer of all time? Find the answer in this article, and be sure to vote for your favorite!
15. Gianluigi Lentini
Gianluigi Lentini is a former Italian winger who was raised by Torino Youth Academy. He created a history as the world's most expensive player when he was signed by AC Milan from Torino in 1992 for a fee of 13 million pounds. Although his performance declined after the record-breaking moment, the fact that he created a world-record make Lentini should be included in this list.
14. Enzo Scifo
Enzo Scifo is an ex-attacking midfielder who is regarded as one of the best Belgian players of all time. Although only two years playing for Il Toro, he gave significant contribution to the club. Scifo presented a Coppa Italia trophy and took his club into the UEFA Cup final in 1992. During the two years of joining Torino, Scifo scored 20 goals from 88 appearances.
13. Walter Casagrande
Just like Enzo Scifo, Casagrande joined Torino only for two seasons in the early 1990s. The Brazilian striker had a vital role in helping the club win the Coppa Italia in the 1992-93 season. Before moving to Torino, he collaborated with Socrates in Sao Paulo, forming one of the strongest offensive in the history of the Brazilian League. During his career at Torino, Casagrande scored 10 goals in 47 appearances.
12. Leovegildo Lins da Gama Júnior
Junior was a versatile player who played for Torino in the period 1984-1987. In addition to play as a midfielder, he can also be positioned as a wingback. Junior also possessed equally strong left and right legs, allowing him to play on both sides of the pitch very effectively. Despite not winning even a single trophy with Torino, Junior was awarded as Italian League Player of the Year in 1985.
11. Marco Ferrante
Marco Ferrante was known as Torino's number one striker when the club competed in Serie B in late 1990s. For eight years playing for Il Toro, Ferrante netted 114 goals in 232 appearances. He also became the top scorer of Serie B in the 1998-99 season, with a total of 27 goals. His excellent performances and consistency in scoring goal help Torino win promotion to Serie A, and his best season with the club this happened in 2001-02, when Ferrante scored a total of 10 goals in the competition.
10. Ciro Immobile
Ciro Immobile is the future star of Italy. Prior to joining Torino, he became the top scorer of Serie B, with a record of 28 goals from 37 appearances. When he finally moved to Torino in the 2013-14 season, he immediately made a surprise by becoming a Serie A top scorer, netting a total of 22 goals in 33 games. Immobile is known as a fast, effective, and intelligent forward. He is a reliable target man that reminds me of a former great Italian striker, Christian Vieri.
9. Mario Rigamonti
Mario Rigamonti was part of a golden generation of Torino in the 1940s named as "Il Grande Torino." Just like almost all the players of this generation, he died in a plane crash in 1949, known as the "Superga Tragedy."
Rigamonti was born in Brescia, played as a central defender, and joined Torino in 1941. During his career at this club, he played 140 times and won four Serie A titles consecutively.
8. Enrico Annoni
Enrico Annoni was a defender who played for Torino for four years, presented a Coppa Italia in 1993. He was dubbed as "Tarzan" by fans of the club and known as a very disciplined defender. Not only could play as a central defender, Annoni could also be positioned as a wing-back or sweeper. He moved from Torino to AS Roma in 1994 before joining Glasgow Celtic. He ended his career as a professional footballer at the club in 1997.
7. Rolando Bianchi
Rolando Bianchi deserves to be named as one of the best strikers of Torino in the 21st century. He joined from Manchester City in 2008. During five seasons playing for Il Toro, Bianchi consistently scored goals. With a total of 77 goals that he netted in 169 appearances, Bianchi was recorded as Torino's tenth top scorer of all time. He left Il Toro in 2013 to join another Serie A club, Bologna.
6. Alessandro Rosina
Rosina is regarded as player who successfully restored the honorable reputation of Torino in Italian football. Playing as an attacking midfielder, Rosina gave outstanding contribution in helping the club win a promotion to Serie A in the 2005-06 season. His consistent performances help Torino survive in the highest division of Italian football for three years in a row. Due to his hairstyle and high technique, Rosina is dubbed by Torino fans as "Rosinaldo."
5. Ezio Loik
Ezio Loik is one of the legendary Torino players who had a vital role in Il Grande Torino team. Playing as a midfielder, Loik formed an offensive duo with the striker, Mazzola, and helped Torino dominate Italian football in the 1940s. He played a major role in helping Il Toro claim five Serie A titles in a row. Unfortunately, his career ended tragically when he died in the Superga air crash tragedy in 1949.
4. Giorgio Ferrini
Talking about loyalty, Ferrini is the number one in the history of Torino. He played for the club for 16 years, from 1959 to 1975. Ferrini also holds the record for most number of appearances of all time for Torino, with a record of 566 appearances. Not only that, he also helped the club win the Coppa Italia in the1970-71 season. Ferrini was part of Italy national football team that won Euro 1968.
3. Francesco Graziani
Fast, smart, and effective in scoring goals. Being known by the nickname "Ciccio," Graziani formed a duet with Paolo Pulici in the period 1973-1981 and helped Torino become one of the most respected clubs in Serie A. During his career at Il Toro, Graziani netted 97 goals from 221 appearances. He also became the top scorer in Serie A in the 1976-77 season. He moved to Fiorentina in 1981, and in 1982 he was included in Italy squad that won the World Cup tournament.
2. Paolo Pulici
With a record of 172 goals, Pulici is the all-time top scorer of Torino. The Italian striker played for Il Toro in the period 1967-1982, presented a Serie A title and a Coppa Italia trophy. Not only that, Pulici also became three times top scorer of Serie A. His duet with Francesco Graziani was known as one of the best striker combinations in the history of Italian football and played a major role in helping Torino win the Serie A in the 1975-76 season.
1. Valentino Mazzola
Charismatic and talented. Valentino Mazzola is a player who was trusted to be the captain of Il Grande Torino, Torino's golden generation that won five consecutive Serie A titles in the 1940s. Playing as an attacking midfielder, Mazzola was able to defend and attack equally well. He also frequently scored goals, in total netted 118 goals in 204 matches. Considering his contributions and outstanding individual skills, it seems very appropriate to name Mazzola as the best Torino player of all time.
