Football protagonists part 1 - Giovanni and Mario VARGLIEN

Location: primitive field, north side, area B, Tomb of the Cerutti Mazzoli family Varglien n. 634

Giovanni VARGLIEN - Born in Rijeka (Istria, now Croatia) on May 16, 1911. Died in Trieste on October 16, 1990
Nicknamed Varglien II ° or Nini, Giovanni began his activity in the youth teams of the Fiumana, to make his debut in the First Division at 17 years of age. After a year he arrives in Turin, in 1929, in a Juventus that is preparing to become a legendary team.
He is very strong physically and also eclectic, able to play various roles on the pitch as needed. His older brother Mario had been playing there for a year, so Giovanni, initially holding a similar role, is normally not part of the starting line-up. The following Juventus periods are no exception, in which the arrival of Depetrini will take away part of the visibility.
Despite this, in a very long Juventus career he manages to ring such a high number of appearances - 410, with 42 goals scored - that he will be beaten only twenty years later by Boniperti. He won 5 championships and 2 Italian cups. After his experience with Juventus in 1947, he ended his playing career in Palermo, after which he began a twenty-year experience on the bench to coach many teams, even as far as Turkey, retiring permanently in 1966. Like his brother Mario, he also died in Trieste , in a hospital where the nephew worked.

Mario VARGLIEN - Born in Rijeka / Istria (now Croatia) on December 16, 1905. Died in Trieste on August 11, 1978.
Median role player with a rather rough game, he made his debut in the Olimpia Fiume. After some time he moved first to Pro Patria and then to Juventus in 1928. He played 14 seasons with the black and white shirt, scoring 402 appearances and 32 goals. He is nicknamed "the Chinese" for his narrow cut of the eyes. He wins 5 championships and 2 Italian cups with black and white colors, and being summoned by Vittorio Pozzo in the world expedition of 1934, even if he does not play a single race he becomes World Champion. He left Juventus at 37 to move first for a season in the Sanremese, where he played the double role of player / coach then, after having again trodden the playing fields with Triestina for another season, he devoted himself entirely as a trainer of some teams, including Como and Rome, until 1954. In his life he also had success in the athletic field, competing with good results in speed disciplines and in triple jump. He passed away at 73 in his adopted city, Trieste. Initially buried in the main city cemetery, it is subsequently moved to Turin, where his sister lives buried in this same tomb.

(Texts and research by Giovanni Arbuffi / Pianezza -To)