Otávio Fantoni

Otávio Fantoni, best known as Nininho or Fantoni II (Italian: [fanˈtoːni]; 4 April 1907 – 8 February 1935)[1] was a Brazilian-born Italian professional football player, who played as a midfielder.

Otávio Fantoni
Personal information
Date of birth (1907-04-04)4 April 1907
Place of birth Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Date of death 2 August 1935(1935-08-02) (aged 28)
Place of death Rome, Italy
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1929–1930 Palestra Itália ? (?)
1930–1935 Lazio 108 (5)
National team
1934 Italy 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He was born in Belo Horizonte, into a family of Italian origin, which supported Cruzeiro, than known as Palestra Itália. In Cruzeiro, he played along with his cousins João Fantoni (Ninão) and Leonízio Fantoni (Niginho). In 1931, they were sold to Lazio, where they would be known by their surnames, like a dynasty: Nigão was Fantoni I, he was Fantoni II and Niginho, Fantoni III.[2]

Fantoni made an appearance for the Italy national team on one occasion: in Vittorio Pozzo's selection in the 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification match, on 25 March 1934 against Greece, a 4–0 home victory.[3][4]

Less than one year later, he injured his nose in a game against Torino. The injury caused a generalized infection that would kill him. He died in Rome, on 8 February 1935.

References
  1. Littoriale, February 9, 1935, page 1, news about his death Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine emeroteca.coni.it
  2. "Tanque de guerra", Dagomir Marquezi, Placar número 1334, setembro de 2009, Editora Abril, pág. 98
  3. Le vicende della partita "Italia-Grecia" nei quattro goals del trionfo "azzurro", Il Littoriale, 26 marzo 1934, pag.3
  4. Italia-Grecia 4-0 Italia1910.com


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