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Immortal Torino: How the Superga Air Crash Robbed Italian Football of its Champions
It was just after five o’clock on 4 May 1949 as the Avio Linee Italiane Fiat G.212, carrying 18 players of AC Torino and 13 other passengers, was preparing to land at Turin’s Aeritalia airport.
?Thick fog meant visibility was poor, and strong winds had blown the plane off course. Disorientated, the plane was around ten miles from the runway and flying in excess of 100mph, when suddenly, out of the fog emerged the Basilica of Superga. With no time for the pilot to react, the plane crashed into the Basilica, killing all 31 passengers instantly – including manager Ern? Egri Erbstein, English coach Leslie Lievesley, and three well-known Italian sports Renato Casalbore, the founder of Tuttosport, Renato Tosatti, Gazzetta del Popolo, and Luigi Cavallero, La Stampa.
Known as Grande Torino, in honour of their achievements, AC Torino had dominated their domestic league, and on the international stage their players were the backbone of the national team. They were on the verge of winning their fifth successive championship, when they flew to Lisbon to face Benfica in a friendly on 1 May, before flying home via Barcelona three days later. Two days after the crash AC Torino were declared Italian champions, before the club’s reserve and youth team players completed the club’s fixtures and topped the table by five points.
Published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of one of Italian football’s most heartbreaking tragedies, and drawing on testimonies from colleagues and team-mates who survived, Immortal Torino is the emotional story of the rise and tragic fall of one of Italian football’s greatest ever teams.
?Thick fog meant visibility was poor, and strong winds had blown the plane off course. Disorientated, the plane was around ten miles from the runway and flying in excess of 100mph, when suddenly, out of the fog emerged the Basilica of Superga. With no time for the pilot to react, the plane crashed into the Basilica, killing all 31 passengers instantly – including manager Ern? Egri Erbstein, English coach Leslie Lievesley, and three well-known Italian sports Renato Casalbore, the founder of Tuttosport, Renato Tosatti, Gazzetta del Popolo, and Luigi Cavallero, La Stampa.
Known as Grande Torino, in honour of their achievements, AC Torino had dominated their domestic league, and on the international stage their players were the backbone of the national team. They were on the verge of winning their fifth successive championship, when they flew to Lisbon to face Benfica in a friendly on 1 May, before flying home via Barcelona three days later. Two days after the crash AC Torino were declared Italian champions, before the club’s reserve and youth team players completed the club’s fixtures and topped the table by five points.
Published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of one of Italian football’s most heartbreaking tragedies, and drawing on testimonies from colleagues and team-mates who survived, Immortal Torino is the emotional story of the rise and tragic fall of one of Italian football’s greatest ever teams.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2024
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April 8, 2026
"The Immortal Torino" is a moving tribute to one of football’s most poignant stories.
The book centres on the legendary Torino F.C. side of the 1940s. Pennino writes with a clear sense of reverence. The narrative captures not only the team’s remarkable achievements on the pitch but also their cultural significance in post-war Italy.
The concise style ensures accessibility even though, at times, the tone leans toward the sentimental. This sentimentality feels appropriate given the subject matter.
The book centres on the legendary Torino F.C. side of the 1940s. Pennino writes with a clear sense of reverence. The narrative captures not only the team’s remarkable achievements on the pitch but also their cultural significance in post-war Italy.
The concise style ensures accessibility even though, at times, the tone leans toward the sentimental. This sentimentality feels appropriate given the subject matter.
Displaying 1 of 1 review