On the day that marks the anniversary of the Superga tragedy, 4 May, the Museo del Calcio, which aims to tell Italy’s national football story, is exhibiting a series of objects dedicated to the memory of Grande Torino. 

Indeed, in the first hall, there is a display with Virgilio Maroso’s shirt (a gift from Bruno Giorgi), worn for Grande Torino’s tour of Brazil in the summer of 1948. From 18 to 28 July 1948, Torino battled it out in four friendlies against Corinthians, Palmeiras, Portuguesa and San Paolo over in Brazil. 

Another item dedicated to the memory of Grande Torino in the museum is Romeo Menti’s pin (a gift from Titti Menti). The player, before joining Torino, played for Fiorentina for three years. Menti remained so close with the Fiorentina squad that he used to wear the pin, which bore the club’s badge, on his jacket. 

In addition, the Granata flag can be seen hung up, as can both Aldo Ballarin’s shin-pads and his cigarettes, which were found at the site of the crash, Valentino Mazzola’s identity card and the gold medal offered in his memory.

Finally, a place was found inside the museum’s structures for the engine connector of the FIAT G.212, the plane that, on 4 March 1949, was supposed to bring Grande Torino’s Italian footballers back home. This is a gift from Piero Cirri. 

“The memory of the Superga tragedy binds the whole country together,” explained Matteo Marani, Vice President of the Museo del Calcio foundation. “That team was the pride of the nation and was also an expression of the hope for an Italy that was ready to rebuild. The Museum of Football wanted to commemorate the Grande Torino side, its almost total dominance of the contemporary National Team, its history, its sense of belonging and its continued link through the generations. This link is a strong one, that goes above and beyond the passage of time.”