Graziano Franzon

Graziano Franzon... moved to Vancouver in 1956 and returned home to Italy in 1963...

represented Canada on the four-week tour to the Soviet Union and United Kingdom in 1960 with Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team...

a four-time all-star selection in four successive years from 1957 to 1960 (he missed the 1961 all-star match on account of flying back to Italy to visit his ill father)...

once said to be a “rugged individual and one of the best blockers in game” in a 1958 all-stars program... as noted in a 1959 all-star program, “colorful figure in local soccer and one of hardest checkers in game”... as noted in a 1961-62 Vancouver program, “one of the hardest checkers; used to be called Golden Head for his timing and precision in heading the ball... as noted in 1963, he “became Signor Futbol to thousands who have followed the swift progress of (his) Italian team Vancouver Columbus FC”....

said Pietro Mainardi in 1963, “we are indeed sorry to see Franzon leaving us. We can only praise him for always trying to do his very best for Columbus and for soccer in general. In his career he has achieved much satisfaction and his contribution to the game cannot go unnoticed”... said Jack Hobbs in 1963, “Franzon is one of the very few players I know who never gives up and puts everything into each 90 minutes. Many times his al-out effort has sparked the team”...

said Franzon in 1963, “I hate to leave, but my mother and brother and sister-in-law are still there and my wife and I feel we should be with them”...

said Roy Nosella in 2018, “Graziano Franzon was the king of the Italians. He was very solid and had a flair about him for being an Italian import. He was very solid. He had a bit of a personality too. I remember one time, he got a little bit of a cut on his head, but he went into the dressing room and came out wrapped up with a big towel or something. He came out like that and the crowd went crazy”... said Dan Comuzzi in 2018, “Graziano Franzon was the leader of Columbus. On the field, he never quit and he never shied away from anything”...