Merone
The Career of the Italian Football Butterfly of the 1960s
Luigi Meroni, also known as "the butterfly", was a talented Italian football player of the 1960s and one of the best players of his generation. Unfortunately, his life was tragically cut short at the age of only 24 while crossing Corso Re Umberto in Turin. However, his football career was incredibly bright. This article will explore Luigi Meroni's life and football career, highlighting his technical abilities and important milestones along the way.
Technical Characteristics
Luigi Meroni was a right winger who wore the number 7. He was a fantastic player on the field, often compared to George Best with whom he shared not only technical skill but also physical resemblance. He was an incredibly fast player with unpredictable dribbling, which often left opposing defenders behind, allowing him to traverse the entire field with the ball at his feet and enter the penalty area to create goal-scoring opportunities.
Career
Club
Luigi Meroni started playing football in a small courtyard and then moved on to the Oratorio di San Bartolomeo field in Como. He developed his football skills in the youth formations of Como and made his Serie B debut with the club. He was then transferred to Sampdoria, where he shone on a national level thanks to his extraordinary performances. In 1964, Torino acquired him for 300 million lire, at the time a record figure for a 21-year-old player. Meroni was nicknamed "butterfly" for his playing style and "beatnik of the goal" for his passion for art. Although his non-conformist lifestyle often placed him at the center of controversy, his football skills were undeniable. With Torino, Meroni formed an excellent attacking duo with center-forward Nestor Combin and scored many important goals for the team.
National Team
Meroni was first called up to the Italy national football team in 1965 by coach Edmondo Fabbri for the European Championship qualifying match against. Meroni responded to the call-up with an extraordinary performance, scoring two goals and demonstrating his talent on an international scale. However, the fierceness of the opposing defense (especially in a match against Wales) showed that Meroni's active and aggressive style of play, which had made him so popular in Italy, was poorly suited to international football.
Personal Life
Meroni's private life was very turbulent, with a personality that was the opposite of the traditional rules of the 1960s. Meroni lived "outside the box" and was often fired from teams due to inappropriate behavior, such as his non-conformist lifestyle, his long hair and beard, and his cohabitation with a married woman. However, his unconventional personality and non-traditional appearance made him a fascinating and remarkable character off the field.
Tragedy and Memory
Unfortunately, Meroni's life ended tragically and prematurely. During a match between Torino Football Club and Unione Calcio Sampdoria, Meroni crossed Corso Re Umberto in Turin and was hit by a car. The death of this young football talent was a great shock to the Italian football world and a great loss for the game's enthusiasts.
To honor Luigi Meroni's memory, the city of Como named the sports field 'Luigi Meroni' in his honor, and the municipality of Turin inaugurated a square with his name. His football talent, fascinating personality, and turbulent private life will always be remembered by football enthusiasts around the world.
