Fifty-eight years ago, on October 15th, one of Italian football`s greatest artists tragically passed away. He was a nonconformist talent, both on and off the field, who captivated Torino fans and beyond.
The Sad Trajectory of the “Granata Butterfly”
Explaining Gigi Meroni to today`s youth presents a significant challenge. Meroni graced the football pitches of the 1960s, an era characterized by strict man-marking and defenders whose first priority was often the opponent`s legs rather than the ball—a stark contrast to the modern game. Yet, even 58 years after his tragic passing, a figure like Meroni is profoundly missed. He was a right-winger who effortlessly bypassed full-backs, embracing the wind with the courage of someone who sought pure moments of joy.
We long for his boundless imagination, his mesmerizing dribbling, and his wonderfully unconventional spirit. In essence: his artistry. Indeed, Meroni was a poet, who “wrote” with his feet (in the best possible sense); every touch of the ball produced light, lyrical verses that deeply stirred the soul. He played for Como, then Genoa, before moving to Torino, who paid the then-astronomical sum of three hundred million lire to secure him from “the Griffin.” It was with the Granata that he experienced his golden age.
He eventually reached the national team, playing for Edmondo Fabbri`s Italy squad that famously suffered an embarrassing defeat against North Korea at the 1966 World Cup. Meroni collected 6 appearances for Italy, scoring 2 goals. He was famously dubbed “the fifth Beatle,” akin to his English counterpart, George Best. However, Meroni was neither George Best nor Garrincha, despite sharing certain characteristics with these footballing legends. He was, more simply and profoundly, a butterfly who loved to linger on the right wing, at the very edge of the field where space to maneuver was scarce, and from there, he invented football for the delight of the crowd and, most importantly, to feel truly free. About Meroni, one must know that…
