Julio Libonatti
Julio " Matador" Libonatti ( born July 5, 1901 in Rosario, Argentina; † 9 October 1981) was an Argentine footballer of Italian descent who played for the national teams of both countries. The striker was the first South American who moved to Italy and thus is considered the first of Oriundi, who greatly influenced the Italian football in the 1920s and 1930s.
Career in Argentina
Julio Libonatti was born as the son of Italian immigrants in Rosario and made his debut at age 16 at the CA Newell 's Old Boys, a club from his hometown. At this time there was no national Argentine League, the club played in the local league, therefore Rosarina de Fútbol. Libonatti remained eight years at the Leprosos and won a total of three times the Copa Nicasio Vila, the most important title in the league. The winner of this trophy earned by playing the right, against the champions of the League of Buenos Aires to the Copa Dr. Carlos Ibarguren. 1921 succeeded Libonattis team with a 3-0 win against Club Atlético Huracán of the Argentine championship win this unofficial.
In 1919 Libonatti was first convened in the Argentine national team. His greatest success with the gauchos succeeded in 1921 by winning the Campeonato Sudamericano. With the crucial goals in the two 1-0 victories against Brazil and Uruguay to the right inside forward was instrumental in the title and also became the top scorer of the tournament. Overall, he played 15 times in the Argentine selection, scoring eight goals.
Career in Italy
Enrico Maroni, the president of FC Turin had seen playing on a mission in Argentina Libonatti hired the striker, thus the first South American in the Italian league was. Since Libonattis parents had emigrated from Genoa, he also received promptly Italian citizenship.
In his first season, 1925/26, the Italian was nunmehrige with 16 goals second best scorer of his team behind Adolfo Baloncieri in participating in the finals you failed just wide of the local rivals Juventus.
The following season also Gino Rossetti joined the Toros and the inner storm Baloncieri Libonatti and Rossetti (also trio delle meraviglie called ) did not only have qualified for the final round, but also for winning the final tournament and thus the supposed title. The championship title was stripped of Turin, however, because club officials had the Juventus player Luigi Allemandi made a bribe offer. In the next season the Turin managed with her dream storm once again winning the final tournament and thus their first league title in the club's history. Libonatti was with 35 goals scorer in the league.
1928/29, reached the Turin again win the group, the championship title was this time played out directly between the two group winners. After the Turin outwardly had lost in Bologna, Libonatti forced with the only goal in the second leg a play. This was in Rome with lost 0:1.
Libonatti remained for another five years with the people of Turin, but on a second title, it should no longer be enough. In total he played 238 games for the Toros and met 158mal.
In 1934 he moved to Serie B at Genoa in 1893 and immediately achieved promotion to the top division, where he was active for another year before he ended his career as player-coach at Rimini Calcio.
As an Italian citizen, he was eligible to play for the national team and made his debut in October 1926 against Czechoslovakia. He stood in the winning team at the European Cup of the national soccer teams from 1927 to 1930, it came in six games and was used with six goals, and his club colleague Gino Rossetti, also top scorer of the competition. His last game for the national team against Hungary followed in 1931, where he contributed a goal to the 3-2 victory. For Italy it was 17 times internationally and was able to achieve 15 results.
Achievements
- European Cup national soccer teams: 1927/1930
- Copa América: 1921
- Italian Championship: 1928
- Copa Nicasio Vila: 1918, 1921, 1922
- Copa Dr. Carlos Ibarguren 1921
- Italian scorer: 1928