Valerio Bacigalupo

Valerio Bacigalupo (Italian pronunciation: [vaˈlɛːrjo batʃiɡaˈluːpo]; 12 February 1924 – 4 May 1949) was an Italian footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Valerio Bacigalupo

Bacigalupo in the 1940s
Personal information
Full name	Valerio Bacigalupo
Date of birth	12 February 1924[1]
Place of birth	Vado Ligure, Italy
Date of death	4 May 1949(1949-05-04) (aged 25)
Place of death	Superga, Italy
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1942–1943	Savona	20	(0)
1944	Genoa	20	(0)
1945–1949	Torino	137	(0)
Total		177	(0)
International career
1947–1949	Italy	5	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Born in Vado Ligure, he began his career with Savona. After a brief spell at Genoa, he moved to Torino in 1945, where he won four Serie A titles. He also represented the Italy national team.

Club career

Bacigalupo started his club career with his home province side Savona. After a brief spell at Genoa he moved to Torino where he won Serie A four times in a row.^[1][2][3]

International career

Bacigalupo was called up in the Italy national team five times between 1947 and 1949, making his senior international debut in a 3–1 win over Czechoslovakia on 14 December 1947.^[1][4]

Style of play

Bacigalupo in action

Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, Bacigalupo was a modern and world-class goalkeeper, who revolutionised his position in Italy. A precocious talent, he was known for his strong physique, reactions and excellent positional sense, as well as his athletic diving saves. In addition to being an outstanding shot-stopper, he was also a dominant goalkeeper, known for his ability to come off his line to collect crosses.^[1]

Personal life

Valerio Bacigalupo's older brother, Manlio Bacigalupo, also played professional football before the Second World War, also serving as a goalkeeper for Genoa and Torino.^[1] Valerio died in the Superga air disaster with most of the Grande Torino team, which also formed a large part in the Italy national team at the time, which was scheduled to take part at the 1950 FIFA World Cup.^[5]

Legacy

After his death, the club where he started his career, Savona, named its ground Stadio Valerio Bacigalupo in his honour.

Honours

Torino

• Serie A:^[1] 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49

Individual

• Torino FC Hall of Fame: 2014^[6]