Football, the Italian national team and philately: a close and long-lasting relationship that has brought these two worlds together for almost ninety years. To celebrate this bond, Poste Italiane has donated to the Coverciano Museum the 'Stamp Book - The World of Football', delivered by the Head of Philately Giovanni Machetti to FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, and the President of the Museo del Calcio Foundation, Matteo Marani. It is a collection that traces the most significant pages in the history of Italian football through postage stamps, from the first World Cup, won in 1934 to the stamp issued in 2022 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the victory at the 1982 Spanish Mundial. Also present was the deputy secretary and Head of Revenues of the FIGC, Giovanni Valentini.

The 'Book of Stamps' - a limited edition of only 300 copies - contains 79 stamps accompanied by the texts of the illustrated bulletins and 9 simple reproductions; also present is the stamp designed by Renato Guttuso in 1982 to celebrate the World Cup raised to the sky in Madrid by Bearzot and his boys.

The handing over of the book was also an opportunity to present a new section of the Football Museum, which is located right at the entrance to the exhibition and can be visited until 4 October. It will also be possible to view some stamps from a private collection relating to the Italian national football team.

 

In the cover image, from left to right: Giovanni Machetti, Gabriele Gravina, Matteo Marani and Giovanni Valentini.
In the image within the article: President Gravina pays homage to Machetti with a number 10 Italy shirt