Otávio Fantoni (Italian: [fanˈtoːni];[needs Portuguese IPA] 4 April 1907 – 8 February 1935),[1] best known as Nininho or Fantoni II, was a Brazilian-born Italian professional football player, who played as a midfielder.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 April 1907 | ||
| Place of birth | Belo Horizonte, Brazil | ||
| Date of death | 8 February 1935 (aged 27) | ||
| Place of death | Rome, Italy | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1929–1930 | Palestra Itália | ? | (?) |
| 1930–1935 | Lazio | 108 | (5) |
| International career | |||
| 1934 | Italy | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He was born in Belo Horizonte, into a family of Italian origin, which supported Cruzeiro, than known as Palestra Itália. In Cruzeiro, he played along with his cousins João Fantoni (Ninão) and Leonízio Fantoni (Niginho). In 1931, they were sold to Lazio, where they would be known by their surnames, like a dynasty: Nigão was Fantoni I, he was Fantoni II and Niginho, Fantoni III.[2]
Fantoni made an appearance for the Italy national team on one occasion: in Vittorio Pozzo's selection in the 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification match, on 25 March 1934 against Greece, a 4–0 home victory.[3][4]
Less than one year later, he injured his nose in a game against Torino. The injury caused a generalized infection that would kill him. He died in Rome, on 8 February 1935.
References edit
- ^ Littoriale, February 9, 1935, page 1, news about his death Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine emeroteca.coni.it
- ^ "Tanque de guerra", Dagomir Marquezi, Placar número 1334, setembro de 2009, Editora Abril, pág. 98
- ^ Le vicende della partita "Italia-Grecia" nei quattro goals del trionfo "azzurro", Il Littoriale, 26 marzo 1934, pag.3
- ^ Italia-Grecia 4-0 Italia1910.com
External links edit
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