Virginio Rosetta

1919/23 Pro Vercelli (ITA) 85 matches, 11 goals

1923/36 Juventus Turin (ITA) 366 matches, 18 goals

(Italian Championship: 338 matches, 15 goals)

(Italian Cup: 3 matches, 3 goals)

(Central European Cup: 25 matches)

With the National Team :

52 selections

(Friendly matches: 37 selections)

(World Cup: 1 selection)

(International Cup: 14 selections)

1st selection: August 31, 1920 against Norway (2-1)

Last selection: May 27, 1934 against the United States (7-1)

Virginio Rosetta

Born on February 24, 1902 in Vercelli (ITA)

Died on March 31, 1975 in Turin (ITA)

Italian, Right back, central defender, 1m72

Nickname: "Viri"

Virginio Rosetta was born in Vercelli on February 25, 1902 in a family with a modest income. His father was a clerk and his mother a schoolteacher. The young boy would start playing football in the playground and would gradually become a great hope for Italian football.

He made his first team debut in 1919 in the legendary Pro Vercelli team, certainly the best Italian team at the time. He initially played in a striker role but was very quickly repositioned as the team's starting full-back/central defender.

Very gifted technically for a defender, he continued to show exceptional passing quality throughout his career. He was the first relauncher and a launch pad for his teammates in midfield or in attack.

A rumor from the time has it that the player never had to use his aerial game with his head, too concerned about dirtying his beautiful hair, always shiny. The player was intelligent, very intelligent, since he was able to perfectly anticipate the choices of his opponents, and to tackle at the right time. His knowledge of positioning was also one of his great strengths, capable of always intercepting passes, or anticipating the deep calls of his opponents.

Very talented and showing great maturity in his game despite his young age, he was first aligned in the Italian national team in 1920, on August 31 against Norway during the 2-1 victory of the Italians. From that moment on he became a must-have for the selection, bringing his total to 52 matches for Italy.

Virginio Rosetta also entered history for being the first Italian player officially sold in exchange for money (Juventus bought him from Pro Vercelli in 1923 for 50,000 lire). He composed with Combi and Allemandi first then Caligaris a legendary defensive trio of rare efficiency.

His class, combined with a perfect physique, allowed him to play until his mid-thirties, making him one of the great protagonists of the multi-champion Juventus of those years. He also participated in the 1934 World Cup where he was initially a starter in the first match before being relegated to a substitute role, thus winning the World Cup and further expanding his enormous list of achievements.

After the World Cup, he played two more championships with Juventus, of which he also became the coach. After retiring from competition, he continued as coach of Juventus, launching highly talented youngsters such as Pietro Rava and Guglielmo Gabetto and winning the first Italian Cup in the history of the Turin team in 1939. After the war, he returned to coaching, leading Palermo back to Serie A in 1948. He returned to the Juventus club where he played the role of talent scout for years.

- Named Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy in 1933

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