60 years from tragedy of Superga

60 years from tragedy of Superga. In the aircraft incident 31 persons lost the life. All granata players: Bacigalupo, Aldo and Dino Ballarin, Bongiorni, Castigliano, Fadini, Gabetto, Grava, Grezar, Loik, Maroso, Martelli, Valentino Mazzola, Menti, Operto, Ossola, Rigamonti and Schubert. The managers Agnisetta, Civalleri and Bonaiuti. The coaches Erbstein and Lievesley, the masseur Cortina. The journalistes Casalbore, Renato Tosatti and Cavallero. The aircrew Meroni, D'Inca, Biancardi and Pangrazi.

Sandro Mazzola has shared his memories of the Superga air disaster in which he lost his father Valentino, the legendary captain of Il Grande Torino side.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of one of Calcio's worst tragedies. On May 4 1949, an aircraft carrying all but one of Il Grande Torino crashed in Superga near Turin, killing all on board, including Sandro Mazzola's father.

Goal.com caught up with the great Inter man, who followed in his father's footsteps and became a legend in his own right.

"I was only six at the time of Superga and so most of my memories regarding what happened have been erased," Mazzola told Goal.com.

"However, I remember when I used to go to Turin to watch the games and I used to hold onto my father's hand. I don't remember much, but I do recollect when I was told that my father was dead many years later.

"I was told many things about what happened, but I tended to forget about it."

Mazzola has compared the Grande Torino side of that era with some of the greatest ever teams in the history of football.

"I was told by coaches and players such as Ferruccio Valcareggi, and Giampiero Boniperti, who played for Juventus, that the Grande Torino team was fantastic," added Mazzola.

"I also remember when I was in Brazil, the Brazilians always used to say that they were the best at football, but they told me that Il Grande Torino were as good as they were.

"Therefore I can say that Il Grande Torino were a great side, fantastic."

Mazzola's father Valentino captained and played for the Granata as a striker, and Sandro feels he was as good as Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano.

"I cannot see any Italian player who was like my father. My father had a very unique style of playing. The only player I can compare him with is Real Madrid's Alfredo Di Stefano," added the former Inter man. (exclusive Goal.com)

An English boy Ben Smithy Shiell writes on Our Great Turin on the page of facebook (exclusive torinofc.altervista.org):

I am a supporter of Liverpool FC. Sorry I do not know Italian, maybe one of you can translate. I understand May 4th is the aniversary of a great disaster in your club. Liverpool have suffered our own disasters as you know, 96 of our brothers and sisters were killed at hillsborough in 1989, we understand how it feels to lose people connected to the club. I wanted to wish you all the best for your current season and to let you know you and those who died are in our thoughts.

RIP Il Grande Torino