Luciano Ramella was born at Pollone (near Biella) on April 10, 1914. He started playing football in the youth teams of Juventus and made his debut in Serie A on December 23, 1934 in the home match against Alessandria. That year Juventus won the scudetto. After two years, and just two appearances, he signed for Pro Vercelli in Serie B and stayed there for two seasons with 57 appearances and four goals.
In 1938 he moved to the capital to play for the right side of the Tiber. He is considered one of the best midfielders the Biancocelesti have ever had. Full of energy, great vision, modest but determined. He was also very attached to the club, also because he married the daughter of the Vice President Olindo Bitetti, Gloria. He played six seasons for Lazio with 154 appearances and five goals including the 1943-44 season where due to the war Lazio participated in the Roman Championship (which they won). After a two-year break where he played for Como (winning the Lombardy Tournament) he returned to the capital but in two years played just once. He then closed his career playing for Palombara, near Rome, in 1948-49.
Once he stopped active football he emigrated to Brazil with his wife and bought a coffee plantation. Later on, he was joined by his team mate Salvatore Gualtieri. In 1951 the two former players agreed to join a club created by a train manager near the plantation called “Forza Lazio”. The club even won a regional championship. In return for the footballing services, the manager gave them the use of two freight wagons they could use for their wood and coffee, plus a tractor and a generator.
With Gualtieri he helped the Italian Federation organise a friendly between Italy and Brazil in 1956. He also helped Lazio, becoming technical director and with Alfredo Notti managed the Biancocelesti during their tour of Spain and Portugal before the Latin Cup in June 1950. Lazio played the Teresa Herrera Trophy beating Atletico Madrid 3-1, but lost the two games of the Latin Cup against Benfica and Atletico. He also helped organise the Biancocelesti’s tour in Brazil in 1957.
He died in Tomazina in Brazil on March 6 1990.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Roman Championship |
1938-39 | 27 (1) | 25 (1) | 2 | - |
1939-40 | 33 | 30 | 3 | - |
1940-41 | 22 (1) | 18 (1) | 4 | - |
1941-42 | 30 | 28 | 2 | - |
1942-43 | 33 | 30 | 3 | - |
1943-44 | 8 (3) | - | - | 8 (3) |
1947-48 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Total | 154 (5) | 132 (2) | 14 | 8 (3) |
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