Torino Football Club: The Complete Guide

Torino F.C is an Italian soccer club based out of Turin in northwest Italy. They currently play in the top flight of Italian soccer, Serie A, and have a rich history filled with both euphoric success and tragedies that have helped Torino develop into the club it is today with a passionate loyal fanbase and a fierce rivalry with Italian giants Juventus. 

Contents show

Keep on reading if you’re interested in delving deeper into the past and present of one of the most successful clubs in Italy. 

Basic Facts

  • Location of Torino: Turin, Northwest Italy
  • Founded: December 1906
  • Nickname: I Granata (The Maroons), II Toro (The Bull), II Vecchio Cuore Granata (The Old Maroon Heart)
  • Ground: Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
  • Ground Capacity: 27,958
  • Club Colors: Maroon and white
  • Owner: UT Communication 
  • League: Serie A
  • Current Manager: Ivan Juric 
  • Current Club Captain: Andrea Belotti 

Home Grounds

Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino (1933-1990 and 2006 – Present)

This is Torino’s current home and was constructed in the 1930s. It was home to both Torino and rivals Juventus in the 1990s before they moved to the Stadio Della Alpi and then returned when it was renovated in 2006 where they have remained ever since. Juventus no longer uses this stadium.

Stadio Delle Alpi (1990-2006)

This was Torino and Juventus’ stadium between 1990 and 2006, it was demolished in 2009, and Juventus’ new stadium is now built on the site of the old Stadio Della Alpi.

Stadio Filadelfia (1926-1963)

Torino’s first-ever ground was Stadio Filadelfia (previously Campo Torino) and hosted all their games until 1958 before they moved to the Stadio Olimpico. The stadium is now the training ground for the first team and the youth team’s stadium.

Main Trophies 

Coppa Italia Winners (5 times):

  • 1935-36
  • 1942-43
  • 1967-68
  • 1970-71
  • 1992-93

Serie A Winners (7 times):

  • 1927-28
  • 1942-43
  • 1945-46
  • 1946-47
  • 1947-48
  • 1948-49
  • 1975-76

Mitropa Cup Winners (1 time):

  • 1990-91

Club History

Torino was founded as Foot-Ball Club Torino in 1906 when a group of Juventus dissidents and the Football Club Torinese merged. 

The club won their first scudetto in 1927 but was denied the title due to match-fixing allegations during their derby game against Juventus.

They went on to officially win the Divisione Nazionale (Serie A) the following season. 7 years later in 1936, Torino won their first Coppa Italia. 

The team experienced roaring success through the 40s and was known as the II Grande Torino, which is Torino’s most successful period in history. They won five consecutive league titles in a row and also a Coppa Italia trophy between 1942 and 1949.

Torino was considered to be one of the best teams in the world at this point and their players were featured in the Italian national starting 11.

Unfortunately, Il Grande Torino’s success was cut short by a catastrophic tragedy in 1949. The team was flying back from a friendly against Benfica when it crashed into Basilica Superga in Turin and all players and staff onboard were killed. 

After some time in Serie B, Torino would regain promotion to Serie A and win another Coppa Italia and came runners up 3 times. 

The club experienced another stint of success in the 1970s, where they won another Coppa Italia in 1971 and then a  Serie A title in 1976 (their most recent title.

Torino spent 30 years bouncing from Serie A to Serie B before the club officially went bankrupt in 2005. Current chairman Urbano Cairo bought the club some months later and changed the name to Torino Football Club where they gained promotion back to Serie A.

Torino has not been able to compete with their local rivals Juventus’ success in the league or Europe in recent years with their highest finish in Serie A being 7th place. 

Club Timeline

  • 1906 – Foot-Ball Club Torino is founded
  • 1907 – The first Derby Della Molla is played in which Torino defeat Juventus 2-1
  • 1908 – Torino is not allowed to participate in the Italian Football Championship due to regulations
  • 1928 – They win their first Serie A title
  • 1935 – Torino win their first Coppa Italia
  • 1959 – Torino are relegated to Serie B
  • 1989 – They are relegated to Serie B for a second time
  • 1991 – They win the Mitropa Cup
  • 1992 – They come runners up in the UEFA Cup
  • 1993 – They come runners up in the Supercoppa Italiana

Club Net Worth

Torino’s chairman Urbano Cairo has a net worth of $15 million and made his wealth in the media and communications industry.

Their chairman is one of the least wealthy owners in the leagues, especially compared to their rivals’ owners who have a net worth of over $15 billion.

There is no current definitive net worth value of Torino, but according to TransferMarkt, their market value currently stands at over $135 million, with most of their financial assets being players, the stadium, and facilities. 

Going off the information from TransferMarkt again, Torino doesn’t even rank up in the top 10 of overall market value, with teams like Bologna FC 1909 and Cagliari Calcio stopping them from gaining a place in the top 10. 

Stadium

Torino’s current stadium is the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino which has been their home since they returned in 2006 after they moved to Stadio Della Alpi when they were without Serie A soccer. 

The stadium was built in 1933 and was originally known as Stadio Muncipale Benito Mussolini and then later on as the Stadio Comunale.

The stadium now serves as a multi-purpose stadium and has hosted the Winter Olympics, Rugby Union matches, FIFA World Cup matches, and numerous music concerts. 

The 27,958 capacity is made up of 4 stands, Curva Maratona, Curva Primavera, Distini Est, and Distini Ovest. 

The stadium is currency ranked Category 4 by UEFA’s stadium categories. This makes the Torino stadium eligible to host games in the playoffs of the qualifying stage in the UEFA Champions League or any other game in the competition.

They’re also eligible to host UEFA Europa League, Europa Conference League, Nations League, or the UEFA European Championship games. 

Owners

Torino F.C’s current owner is Urbano Cairo who owns 100% of the club and has done so since he purchased the club back in 2005 and led them to promotion back to Serie A in his first season.

Before Cairo bought the club, Torino Football Club was declared bankrupt after having years of financial problems with previous owners. 

One of the most famous and well-loved owners of Torino F.C. was back in the 1940s when Fernando Novo was president and put money into making the club successful and had great administration skills which kept the club on top of their finances so they could dominate the league on the field.

Under Novo’s appointment as president, Torino won five successive scudettos (Serie A titles) and also a Coppa Italia trophy. 

Best Players

Valentino Mazzola (1942-49)

Mazzola is considered by some as the best Italian soccer player of all time. He spent 7 years at Torino and made nearly 200 appearances and scored 118 goals. He was the captain of the great ‘Grande Torino’ side in the 1940s and led them to 5 Serie A titles and a Coppa Italia.

He also captained the national Italian side and was also recognized as one of the greatest number 10s in history. Mazzola tragically died with the rest of his teammates in the Superga air disaster in 1949.

Gigi Meroni (1964-1967)

A once notorious player, Gigi Meroni spent 3 years at Torino and made over 100 appearances, and was considered one of the most promising players of his time and was nicknamed La Farfalla Granata (The Maroon Butterfly) by Torino supporters in reference to his creative and agile style of play.

He was tragically killed at the age of 24 in a car accident with his fellow Torino teammate Fabrizio Poletti.

Gianluigi Lentini (1986-92 and 1997-2001)

Gianluigi grew up playing in the Torino youth system and made his first senior appearance in 1986.

His time as a winger at Torino gained him over 200 appearances and 22 goals over two spells at the club, helping them gain promotion, win the Mitropa Cup, and also reaching the 1992 UEFA Cup Final.

Lentini was once the world’s most expensive player when Torino sold him to AC Milan for over $13 million in 1992. 

Alessandro Rosina (2005-2009)

Rossini spent 4 years at Torino and made 143 appearances and scored 32 goals helping them gain promotion back to Serie A in 2006. He also earned the captain’s armband in 2008 and remains hugely popular with the Turin locals.

Giorgio Ferrini (1959-1975)

Ferrini or known by his nickname as La Diga played for Torino’s first team for over 15 years, but even started spent part of his youth career at the club so his time is closer to 20 years.

He has the most appearances out of any players at Torino and scored 42 goals during his time there. Ferrini won 2 Coppa Italia with Torino and also went on to win European Championships with the Italian national soccer team. 

All-Time Top Scorer

172 Goals – Paolo Pulici (1967-1982)

Pulici is the all-time top goalscorer at Torino and his record has stood since the early 80s. 

157 Goals – Julio Libonatti (1926-1934)

The second-highest all-time top goalscorer at Torino is Libonatti who scored 157 goals during his 8 years there. 

103 Goals – Andrea Belotti (2015 – Present)

Belotti is the eighth highest all-time top goalscorer at Torino, however, with his future at the club still unknown after ongoing negotiations regarding an extension on his contract, it’s unsure whether Belotti will be able to challenge for a higher place in the all-time goalscoring records.

Captain

Andrea Belotti (2015 – Present)

The current Torini captain is striker Andrea Belotti who has been at the club since 2015. He was part of the Italian squad that won Euro 2020 and will play an integral part in Italy and Torino’s future. He has made over 200 appearances and scored over 100 goals for them. 

Valentino Mazzola (1942-49)

The most famous captain of Torino was Mazzola who was part of the legendary II Grande Torino team in the 1940s. He won 5 Serie A titles and a Coppa Italia with the Turin club and was one of the 31 people who sadly lost their lives in the Superga air disaster.

Goalkeepers

Lido Vieri (1957-1969)

Vieri’s time as goalkeeper helped Torino win the 68 Coppa Italia and also the Serie A title in 1971. He made over 270 appearances and also went on to manage the club in the 90s.

Luciano Castellini (1970-1978)

Castellini also won a Coppa Italia and Serie A title with Torino and made over 200 appearances. 

Valerio Bacigalupa (1945-1949)

Valerio was the goalkeeper at the time of Il Grande Torino and won 4 Serie A titles with the club before he sadly lost his life in the Superga air disaster in 1949.

Defenders

Cesare Martin (1919-1936)

Martin started his youth career at Torino and then went on to spend 20 years as a defender at the club. He won a Serie A title and a Coppa Italia and made over 350 appearances.

Roberto Rosato

Regarded as one of Italy’s greatest defenders, Rosato made over 130 appearances in the backline for Torino. 

Roberto Cravero (1981-83 and 1995-98)

Former captain Cravero had two spells at Torino making over 200 appearances and scoring 17 goals. He helped them gain promotion to Serie A in the 90s and also won the Mitropa Cup in 1991. 

Virgilio Maroso (1944-1949)

Noted by pundits as one of Italy’s greatest left-back ever, Marosa won 4 consecutive Serie A titles with Torino and was capped 7 times for Italy. 

Strikers

Paolo Pulici (1967-1982)

Pulici is one of Torino’s best-ever strikers, scoring 172 goals during his 15 years there.

Valentino Mazzola (1942-49)

Mazzola, Torino’s notorious captain through the 40s, scored 123 goals for the club. 

Managers

Ivan Jurić (July 2021 – Present)

The current head coach/ manager is Ivan Jurić who took over in July 2021 succeeding the job from previous coach Davide Nicola who helped save Torino from navigation but was not given the role permanently for the new season. 

Ivan Jurić is a former Croatian International who also spent time playing in Italy at club level where he finished his playing career at Genoa, Italy’s oldest soccer team. 

He started his professional managerial career as an assistant manager to Gian Piero Gasperini at Inter Milan in 2011 after a short stint as the youth team coach at Genoa following his retirement from playing.

He then went on to manage numerous other Italian sides including Mantova, Crotone, Genoa, and Hellas Verona before arriving at Torino in 2021. 

Tony Cargnelli (1927-29 and 1934-46)

Another notable Torino manager was Tony Cargnelli who led them to their first official Divisione Nazionale (now Serie A, one year after they were confirmed champions of the league but then got it revoked due to allegations of match-fixing.

In his second spell as manager, Cargnelli also won the Coppa Italia in 1936. 

András Kuttik & Antonio Janni (1942-43)

Kuttik and Janni were two of many managers who were part of the Il Grand Torina era at the club. They led Torino to win the Serie A title in 1943 and also the Coppa Italia. 

Luigi Ferrero (1945-47)

Luigi Ferrero, like many other past managers of Torino, has had more than one spell at the club. He previously joined the club as manager back in 1939 before leaving for coastal side Bari in 1940.

He returned in 1945 and guided Torino to a triumphant two seasons where they won the Serie A title twice. 

Other Notable Managers:

  • Mario Sperone (1947-48)
  • Leslie Lieveskey (1948-49)
  • Oberdan Ussello (1948-49)
  • Edmondo Fabbri (1967-69)
  • Giancarlo Cade (1970-71)
  • Luigi Radice (1975-76)

Coach

As we previously mentioned above, Ivan Jurić is the current head coach of Torino and that is his formal title. A head coach is someone who has little to no say in the signing of players at the club and also has no input into player’s contracts – this is of the role of a manager. 

Assistant Coach

The current assistant coach is Matteo Paro, former Juventus midfielder. 

Home Kit

The Torino F.C home kit is made up of a rich maroon shirt with white detailing paired with white shorts that have maroon detailing that matches the shirt.

The shirt and shorts are worn with maroon socks. The shirt and shorts both display the Torino badge on and will also have that season’s kit sponsor displayed.

Sometimes the home kit may change in design depending on the kit sponsor of that season, but the traditional colors are always present with the designs. 

Away Kit

The away kit of Torino is commonly the reversed color of the home kit. It’s made up of a crisp white shirt with maroon detailing and the Torino badge on the left-hand side which is worn with the club’s traditional maroon-colored shorts which have white detailing and also the Torino badge.

The shirts and shorts are worn with white shorts that have maroon detailing.

The away kit may also change slightly in design depending on who the kit sponsor is that year. 

Torino may also wear the third kit occasionally throughout the season if the opposing team has similar colors to both their home and away kit so they do not clash. The third kit is often a very different design and color to the home and away kits

Torino’s club logo displays a white bull in the center of the crest which is the traditional symbol of the city of Turin and which is why the club’s nickname is II Toro (The Bull).

Above the bull, TORINO is positioned at the upper part of the crescent and the ‘FC’ is positioned beside the bull which stands for football club. 1906 is also positioned on the left-hand side of the bull which is the year the club was founded. 

Torino’s logo also exhibits Torino’s traditional white and maroon colors with hints of yellow and blue.

Club Academy

Torino does have a youth academy that currently plays in Campionato Primavera 1 and has won 9 league titles. The Torino Primavera was founded in the early 60s and played at the Stadio Filadelfia.

Over the years, Torino’s youth sector and academy have had some great graduates who have gone on to play for the senior side and also the national Italian side.

Torino Academy Graduates:

  • Renato Zaccarelli (317 apps)
  • Angelo Agbonna (150 apps)
  • Fabio Quagliarella (89 apps)
  • Federico Balzaretti (94 apps)

League Titles

Serie A Winners (7 times):

  • 1927-28
  • 1942-43
  • 1945-46
  • 1946-47
  • 1947-48
  • 1948-49
  • 1975-76

Other Titles

Serie B Winners (3 times):

  • 1959-60
  • 1989-90
  • 2000-01

Runners up of Serie A:

  • 1907
  • 1914-15
  • 1928-29
  • 1938-39
  • 1941-42
  • 1976-77
  • 1984-85

Runners up of Serie B

  • 2004-05
  • 2011-12

Fun Facts

  • Torino is 1 of only 3 teams in Serie A that have won more than 5 or more consecutive titles, the others are their close neighbors and rivals Juventus and Internazionale (Inter Milan)
  • Torino have the record in Serie A for the most goals scored in a season which is 125 goals in the 1947-48 season
  • In 1992, Torino broke the all-time record transfer fee when they sold Gianluigi Lentini to AC Milan for over $13 million at the time