Turin is not only culture and history, but sports as well. Turin is the city of the most successful Italian soccer team – Juventus, and the other team, Torino FC, has a glorious yet tormented past. Moreover, mountains are close enough to let you enjoy from Turin some cool – pun not intended – winter sports.
Turin sport: a Soccer tour
Soccer in Turin: two teams, three stadiums…
Turin FC, usually “the other” team of the city of Turin, has a tormented story. On May 4th 1949 the airplane which was bringing back to Turin the Turin FC team crashed into the hill which hosts the Basilica of Superga.
The team was completely annihilated: no survivors among the team which had won five “scudetti” (the symbol of the Italian soccer championship is the tri-colour badge – scudetto – on the winner’s jersey) in a row.
The tragedy hit the city very badly, and it has never been forgotten. The “Grande Torino” has always been remembered, but the heritage of such a great team after the terrible event had troubles as well.
Among them, the destiny of the Stadio Filadelfia, the arena of the great victories of the Grande Torino. Built in 1926, after the Superga tragedy the Filadelfia was also at risk of demolition, and only in 2015 a project of restoration has started.
While Turin FC was hit so bad in the late ‘50s, Juventus FC has been the strongest soccer team in Italy between the 70’s and nowadays, with Inter and Milan – the two Milan’s teams – to contend for the supremacy.
Juventus has now its own stadium, the “Juventus Stadium”, one of the most modern in Europe (opening was in 2011).
Turin sport: Winter Olympics
The third Turin’s stadium is the “Comunale”, restored to host the opening ceremony of the 2006 XX Winter Olympics.
So, if you are a soccer fan you have in Turin the opportunity to visit three soccer stadium and the museums of two great soccer teams: the Museo del Grande Torino e della Leggenda Granata is in Grugliasco; the Juventus’ Museum is part of the “Juventus Stadium” – the Alps are not far and you can enjoy olympic – level facilities!