Sergio Bertoni is one of four Italian players to have been on the winning team at both the Olympics and the World Cup. At the 1936 Olympics he competed as a centre-forward and assisted Annibale Frossi’s goal in the 2-1 victory over Norway in the semis. Outside of the Olympics he played three more international matches, scoring once against Germany in 1940. He was on the victorious World Cup team in 1938, but did not participate in any matches. In domestic competition, Bertoni started his career in his hometown for Pisa Calcio, playing from 1932 until 1938 in the Prima Divisione and later in Serie B. He scored 22 goals in 30 games of the 1937-38 season, which earned him a place on the World Cup squad. For the next season he joined CFC Genoa. Just before the start of the 1938-39 season, however, in a game against Slavia Prague, he suffered a broken tibia and fibula, an injury that affected the performance for the rest of his career, and he never regained his previous striking abilities. Bertoni stayed with Genoa through World War II, until 1946. For the rest of his active career, which ended in 1950, he played for various clubs including Brescia Calcio, Modena FC and Spezia Calcio. He closed out his career at La Spezia, where he continued as a coach, leading the team off and on until 1962. Sergio’s brother Elio was a defender who played for various clubs in Serie A. In honor of his sporting achievements, Bertoni was awarded a gold medal by the Italian Olympic Committee.
Italy