Pasquale Vivolo was born in Brusciano (Napoli), on January 6, 1928. He was born near Naples but as a kid he moved to Cremona in Lombardy.
It was with the Grigiorossi of Cremonese that he started his football career. After coming through the youth ranks, he made his first team debut in 1947.
The "Violini" were in Serie B. The manager was Mario Villini and they finished 6th. The following season, under Hungarian manager József Bánás, "la Cremo" finished 11th. In his two years at Cremonese, Vivolo played 40 league games and scored 11 goals.
His performances earned him a call from Juventus and in the summer of 1949, he signed for the "Old Lady". The manager was Englishman and future Lazio, Jesse Carver. The Bianconeri won the Scudetto and Vivolo played 10 league games with 1 goal (Palermo). One of Juve's few defeats was a 1-2 home defeat by Lazio. His teammates included future Lazio Karl Aage Præst and Carlo Parolo.
In 1950-51 the Bianconeri finished 3rd while in 1951-52, under duo Combi-Bertolini until December and then Hungarian György Sárosi, they won the Scudetto again. Vivolo played 19 league games and scored 12 goals (Palermo x2, Novara, Padova, Udinese x3, Sampdoria, Torino, Bologna, Milan, Novara). Again, one of the Zebras few defeats came in Rome 0-2 against Lazio.
In 1952-53 Sárosi stayed on and Juventus finished 2nd. Vivolo played 22 league games and scored 16 goals (Atalanta, Triestina x2, Fiorentina x2, Udinese, Novara x3, Sampdoria x3, SPAL, Fiorentina, Como, Lazio).
In total he played 67 league games for Juventus with an impressive 31 goals.
In 1953-54 he joined Lazio. The manager was first Mario Sperone (1-24) and then Federico Allasio (25-34). The Biancocelesti finished 11th and Vivolo played 30 league games with 9 goals (Legnano, Palermo, Roma, Triestina, Sampdoria, Fiorentina, Genoa, Triestina, Milan). The highlight of the season was beating Juventus 2-1 in Rome while Vivolo equalised in the derby and got the winner in Florence.
In 1954-55 Allasio started but was replaced by Englishman George Raynor after seven games. The Biancocelesti finished 12th while Vivolo played 28 league games with 6 goals (Atalanta, Pro Patria, Novara, Inter, Torino, Novara). The high points of the season were beating Juventus 2-1, Inter 3-2 but above all Roma 3-2 (the other derby ended 1-1).
In 1955-56, first under Luigi Ferrero (1-14) and then Carver again (15-34), Lazio finished an excellent 3rd. Vivolo played 24 league games and scored 5 goals (Vicenza, Inter, Sampdoria, Torino, SPAL). There were several highlights: wins against Juventus 2-0 at home, Inter 3-2 and Milan 3-1 both away and another derby win 1-0 (the other was 0-0).
In 1956-57 Lazio repeated themselves and finished 3rd again under Carver. Vivolo played 28 league games and scored 9 goals (Vicenza, Udinese, Inter, Juventus, Fiorentina, Bologna, Roma, Milan, Padova). Lazio beat Milan 3-0 at home, Inter 1-0 and Palermo 6-2 away while they drew 3-3 away to Juventus and the derby 2-2 (the other they lost).
In 1957-58 Lazio had two different managers, Milan Ćirić (1-19), Alfredo Monza (20-34) and a third for the summer Coppa Italia, Fulvio Bernardini. In Serie A the Biancocelesti finished 12th. Vivolo played 11 league games with4 goals (Bologna, Napoli, Atalanta, Sampdoria). Lazio beat 3-1 and Napoli 4-1 at home plus won a derby 2-1 (they lost the other).
The 1957-58 season was his last with Lazio. A pity because he just missed out on winning the first ever historic silverware, the 1958 Coppa Italia (played in the summer and September due to Italy not qualifying for '58 World Cup in Sweden).
In 1958 Vivolo joined Genoa but after playing one game in Coppa Italia he immediately signed for Brescia in Serie B. He however only played 1 league game for the "Rondinelle" (The Little Swallows) who finished 13th.
Vivolo then retired at 31.
He also won 4 Caps for Italy, scoring against Sweden in a friendly.
Vivolo was a forward. He started his career as a classic centre-forward but later adapted his game and became a useful attacking partner for other forwards. He played alongside some greats: Gianpiero Boniperti, John Hansen, Karl Aage Præst, Ermes Muccinelli, Rinaldo Martino at Juventus and Aldo Puccinelli, Renzo Burini, John Hansen and Ernes Muccinelli again, Arne Selmosson, Humberto Tozzi and Lorenzo Bettini at Lazio. He played 189 games in Serie A, scored 63 goals and won two Scudettos with Juventus.
At Lazio he was a great success. He stayed five seasons, playing 121 games and scoring 33 goals (2 against Roma). He was at Lazio in one of their better periods, confirmed by two third places. He scored goals and was a good partner to Selmosson who he helped score more goals before "Raggio di Luna" (Moon beam) defected to the other side of the Tiber. Vivolo however is remembered fondly in his own right for his personal goals and performances.
After retiring "Bibì, as he was nicknamed, returned to Cremona and for some years in the 1960's was a director at the club (he married the owner Guido Grassi's daughter). He died in Cremona in 2002.
Lazio Career
Season | Serie A | Goals |
1953-54 | 30 | 9 |
1954-55 | 28 | 6 |
1955-56 | 24 | 5 |
1956-57 | 28 | 9 |
1957-58 | 11 | 4 |
Total | 121 | 33 |
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