Italo Vassallo Explained

Italo Vassallo
Birth Place:Asmara, Eritrea
Position:Forward
Years1:1957–1960
Clubs1:Hamasien
Years2:1961–1973
Clubs2:Cotton Factory Club
Nationalyears1:1962–1971
Nationalcaps1:10+
Nationalgoals1:4+

Italo Vassallo (1940 – 30 July 2021[1]) was an Italian-Eritrean footballer. He played for Ethiopia internationally, scoring in their 1962 Africa Cup of Nations final victory over Egypt. His half-brother is Luciano Vassallo, a former footballer for the Ethiopian team.[2]

Club career

Vassallo made his debut at Hamasien where he won the Ethiopian First Division for the first time in 1957.[3]

When Vassallo's half-brother Luciano moved to Cotton Factory Club, Italo joined him at 17 years old. They would go on to win the Ethiopian First Division four times at Cotton FC before retiring in 1973.

International career

Once Eritrean-born footballers were allowed to be called up for the national team, Italo and Luciano were selected for the 1962 Africa Cup of Nations. Italo scored a goal in Ethiopia's extra-time victory in the final against Egypt.

After football

During the Eritrean–Ethiopian War, Italo was expelled from Ethiopia and returned to Eritrea. He ran a restaurant in Asmara.[4]

Career statistics

International goals

Scores and results list Ethiopia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Vassallo goal.

List of international goals scored by Italo Vassallo
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1Hailé Sélassié Stadium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia3–2 4–21962 Africa Cup of Nations
2Kampala, Uganda2–1 2–11965 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3Khartoum, Sudan1–21965 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia1–0 2–11965 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

International

Ethiopia

1962

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.africarivista.it/e-morto-italo-vassallo-col-fratello-porto-letiopia-ai-vertici-del-calcio/189198/ È morto Italo Vassallo, col fratello portò l’Etiopia ai vertici del calcio
  2. News: Ethiopian soccer great Italo Vassallo speaks out . . 4 December 2009 . 4 June 2011 .
  3. Web site: LE GRANDI COPPIE: LUCIANO ED ITALO VASSALLO . Football Pills.
  4. Web site: Felici . Antonio . LUCIANO VASSALLO: IL MAGNIFICO SUPERSTITE . antoniofelici.it/.