There is not just one first league | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova
-
0:11 - 0:12Good morning everybody.
-
0:13 - 0:16As the speaker already said,
my name is Fabrizio Lori. -
0:17 - 0:19I see an "A” in front of me
-
0:19 - 0:23and this is a letter that I loved so much.
-
0:23 - 0:28But I also hated it,
and now I'll try to explain why. -
0:30 - 0:34It was 2004-2005, we're talking about
almost 15 years ago. -
0:34 - 0:39Back then, the managers of Mantua
asked me for a sponsorship. -
0:40 - 0:44I immediately said,
"No, I'm not interested." -
0:44 - 0:48But then I reconsidered:
"Doing something for the city, why not?" -
0:48 - 0:52Because back then, unlike today,
with basketball, five-a-side football - -
0:52 - 0:54there was just football,
-
0:54 - 0:57it was in C2 Series.
-
0:58 - 1:01And I said, "Okay, why not?"
-
1:01 - 1:04More to do something for the city
-
1:04 - 1:05but not at all thinking
-
1:05 - 1:07that it would have turned out to be
-
1:07 - 1:08a similar experience.
-
1:08 - 1:10Anyway, we start
the first year in C Series, -
1:11 - 1:14a fantastic enthusiasm builds up,
the team played so well. -
1:14 - 1:19Of course, I never thought the team
would win and go straight to the B Series. -
1:19 - 1:21Also because we had stayed
for 35 years in C Series. -
1:22 - 1:25Here is a nice photo of the stadium,
to prove the enthusiasm. -
1:25 - 1:26What did emerge there
-
1:26 - 1:31was a real merger between the city,
the fans, the players. -
1:31 - 1:33Everybody spoke about Mantua team.
-
1:33 - 1:38And finally we came to the B Series.
-
1:38 - 1:41We had never gotten
to B Series for 35 years. -
1:41 - 1:43It was a real event for Mantua.
-
1:44 - 1:47Here is a picture
that is particularly dear to me, -
1:47 - 1:51look at the stadium
that was really "bombed" -
1:51 - 1:54it looked like a "bomboniera"
(wedding present) -
1:54 - 1:59And the moment we got to the B Series,
-
2:00 - 2:04many fans, especially a few hooligans,
asked me to play in the A Series. -
2:04 - 2:05In the A Series?!
-
2:05 - 2:08We have been in C Series for 35 years,
let’s stay in B Series! -
2:08 - 2:11"That's fine, ok"
-
2:11 - 2:13Players were rather worried:
-
2:13 - 2:16it was another category,
with other players, -
2:16 - 2:18there were other important teams,
-
2:18 - 2:22like Atalanta, now you see how well
it is playing in the A Series, incredible. -
2:22 - 2:26The Torino team -
I find it hard to say, Torino. -
2:26 - 2:31And then there was Catania -
there were a lot of emblazoned teams. -
2:31 - 2:33At the end of the day,
-
2:33 - 2:38Mantua was a small town,
with just 48,000 people, -
2:39 - 2:42compared to Turin, Bergamo, Bologna.
-
2:44 - 2:47Long story short, we start at full speed,
-
2:47 - 2:49I remember the first game we lost,
-
2:50 - 2:52maybe some supporters here also remember
-
2:52 - 2:56it was in December, the last match
-
2:56 - 2:58against Pescara,
-
2:58 - 2:59beating all other teams -
-
2:59 - 3:02and this is the ranking of the B Series
-
3:02 - 3:05of the first half, the winter round.
-
3:05 - 3:09There was Mantua 42, Catania 40,
-
3:09 - 3:12I can't pronounce that, Atalanta 38.
-
3:13 - 3:14Incredible!
-
3:15 - 3:17In fact, Sky's call comes in.
-
3:18 - 3:20Look, Sky TV calls me,
-
3:20 - 3:23the director - I can't remember his name,
-
3:23 - 3:25it was long time ago, I can't remember.
-
3:25 - 3:28He tells me: "Fabrizio, we have to meet
-
3:28 - 3:31because we have to sign
the agreement for the A Series. -
3:32 - 3:36"For God's sake", I say, "let's just
wait a second, it's still early". -
3:37 - 3:40"No” he adds "because it's never happened
-
3:40 - 3:45that a team that got first in the ranking
in the first half of the season, -
3:45 - 3:47didn't go to B Series".
-
3:47 - 3:50Well, even though it never
happened before, I was not so sure. -
3:50 - 3:51What happened?
-
3:51 - 3:54We failed, unfortunately,
we remained in B Series. -
3:55 - 3:59And it hasn't happened later, also,
in the 80, 90 years of B Series. -
3:59 - 4:04The only time when a team came first
in the first half of the season, -
4:04 - 4:05and got stuck in B Series.
-
4:05 - 4:07What was the team? Mantua.
-
4:07 - 4:09Okay, it doesn't matter.
-
4:10 - 4:14Here we do the playoffs.
-
4:15 - 4:17Many people from Mantua
remember them, I think. -
4:17 - 4:19I remember them like yesterday.
-
4:20 - 4:24We played against Modena,
a great round-trip game, -
4:24 - 4:27we went to the final with Turin
and played the first one home, -
4:27 - 4:28we won 4-2.
-
4:28 - 4:31We are already close to the dream,
-
4:31 - 4:35that dream that frankly
I never hoped would happen. -
4:35 - 4:37But it was happening.
-
4:37 - 4:43Mind you, during that week,
after the 4 - 2 match we played at home, -
4:43 - 4:48perhaps the best match
I've seen played by my Mantua team. -
4:49 - 4:52Had we played against Real Madrid,
we'd win against Real Madrid. -
4:52 - 4:56Anyway, we play great.
-
4:56 - 5:01A title is published in the Gazzetta
"Betting scandal”, -
5:01 - 5:05which means, Juventus team
is relegated to B Series. -
5:05 - 5:07No, it's not possible.
-
5:07 - 5:09And then we go to Turin,
-
5:09 - 5:13we played a "honest" match,
-
5:13 - 5:14but it was no real match,
-
5:14 - 5:19something was clearly wrong
since the very beginning, -
5:19 - 5:22because Mantua was a small town.
-
5:23 - 5:28Juve and Toro could not
stay in B Series or go in B Series -
5:28 - 5:31and let Mantua go to A Series.
-
5:31 - 5:34So the game was
nothing short of scandalous, -
5:34 - 5:36with an arbitration -
-
5:36 - 5:39let's say unlikely, to be kind,
-
5:40 - 5:42and we remained in B Series.
-
5:42 - 5:46What a disappointment:
it would have been a fairytale -
5:46 - 5:49and it would have done good
for Italian football too. -
5:49 - 5:51This fairytale of this small team,
-
5:51 - 5:56starting from the C2 Series,
and in three years goes to the A Series. -
5:56 - 5:58That's what happened, anyway.
-
6:00 - 6:03The day after, I remember
the endless sadness, I cried, I remember. -
6:04 - 6:07I cried in the stadium,
like most of Mantua fans. -
6:07 - 6:11Because you know,
it's not easy to repeat yourself. -
6:11 - 6:18However, in the second year of B Series
we played with Juventus, Naples and Genoa, -
6:19 - 6:22I mean, no small teams.
-
6:22 - 6:26And in September
I go to the players' market, -
6:26 - 6:28because there is the players' market -
-
6:28 - 6:29and I say:
-
6:30 - 6:33"Let’s see some players
to strengthen the team: -
6:33 - 6:35after all, the winning team
was already there. -
6:35 - 6:39We got to A Series, after all:
they just didn't allow us to play. -
6:39 - 6:43But now I'm not here
to say things I could regret - -
6:43 - 6:44Whatever.
-
6:46 - 6:51I meet a journalist, still from Sky -
seems like a destiny. -
6:51 - 6:55And he says: "President Lori, please,
don't buy anybody this year". -
6:55 - 6:56And I say, why not?
-
6:56 - 6:59Excuse me, we got all the way
to the B Series. -
6:59 - 7:02And I'd like to try
and play in the A Series. -
7:02 - 7:06“Please, do not invest anything,
-
7:06 - 7:11Juventus, Napoli and Genoa
are poised to go to the A Series. -
7:11 - 7:13There probably won't even be playoffs".
-
7:13 - 7:15I was like, you're kidding:
-
7:15 - 7:17but that's what happened.
-
7:17 - 7:21First time in the history of football,
Juve, Napoli, Genoa go to A Series. -
7:21 - 7:24We ranked fourth or fifth,
we had a great season. -
7:24 - 7:27But we did manage to do one thing, anyway.
-
7:27 - 7:29And now I want to show you what it was.
-
7:29 - 7:31Please, video.
-
7:31 - 7:32[Video]
-
7:32 - 7:34[10 years ago, epic win
at Martelli stadium] -
7:34 - 7:40[January 13th, 2007]
-
7:40 - 7:45[LITTLE BUT PROUD -
the triumph of red and white pride] -
7:45 - 7:49[Even for red and white players,
it's the day when a dream comes true,] -
7:49 - 7:51[Playing against the idols of their youth]
-
7:51 - 7:58[A match to watch again and again]
-
8:00 - 8:02[Buffon, newly nominated world champion,]
-
8:02 - 8:05[leaving the stadium injured
among everyone's applause] -
8:06 - 8:10[A last minute mistake by Del Piero]
-
8:11 - 8:15[We made the history: Juve KO,
after 45 matches in A series] -
8:16 - 8:21[What a party!]
-
8:22 - 8:26[A night to remember]
-
8:27 - 8:32[President Lori, today: "That was
the peak of my management"] -
8:36 - 8:38(Applause)
-
8:38 - 8:39Thank you.
-
8:39 - 8:42(Applause)
-
8:43 - 8:47I don't know if it was
the peak of my management. -
8:47 - 8:52Certainly, the victory was
a great satisfaction. -
8:52 - 8:56But this victory proved -
Juve hadn't lost a match in two years! -
8:56 - 8:59Then there were all
the world's champion players, -
8:59 - 9:00among which Trezeguet
-
9:00 - 9:03even though he played for France,
he also played for Juventus, -
9:03 - 9:05Del Piero - everyone.
-
9:06 - 9:08And we showed, especially to the League,
-
9:08 - 9:11that we also were an A Series team.
-
9:11 - 9:12That was it,
-
9:12 - 9:15that's why my boys
put their hearts into it -
9:15 - 9:17and we won that game.
-
9:17 - 9:21Then I went through a number
of rather quiet years, -
9:22 - 9:25we played three more years in B Series,
-
9:25 - 9:29so five years of B series,
not bad for a little town like Mantua. -
9:31 - 9:34Then in 2010 we had a few issues,
-
9:34 - 9:37we had a very good team
but we couldn't understand - -
9:37 - 9:41I remember sitting with coach Serena,
that maybe someone remembers, -
9:42 - 9:44at a table, trying to understand:
-
9:44 - 9:46how come we cannot win a match?
-
9:46 - 9:48We couldn't figure out."
-
9:48 - 9:50Long story short,
-
9:51 - 9:56we lost position after position,
not figuring out why. -
9:56 - 9:59Then we had to face a bankruptcy,
-
9:59 - 10:02a frankly unpleasant chapter of my life
-
10:02 - 10:06beyond the disappointment of that year.
-
10:06 - 10:10Then, after two years, it became known
-
10:10 - 10:11that we filed for bankruptcy
-
10:11 - 10:14because we had players
who sold themselves against us. -
10:14 - 10:16And that was my life's
biggest disappointment, -
10:16 - 10:22because one feels betrayed.
-
10:22 - 10:23You always try your best,
-
10:23 - 10:27then a few players spoil everything
betraying your trust. -
10:31 - 10:35Someone can figure out
what I felt back then. -
10:35 - 10:37In fact, for some years
-
10:37 - 10:40I decided to have
nothing to do with football -
10:40 - 10:43because I was disgusted,
sorry to put it bluntly, -
10:44 - 10:46Even disgusted, maybe,
doesn't convey properly. -
10:46 - 10:52I was disgusted by the corruption
in the football world. -
10:52 - 10:54Then, after a few years,
I got a bit over it -
10:54 - 11:01and I decided with my partner - Hi Elena -
-
11:04 - 11:08to start this little
amateur football academy -
11:08 - 11:12with children aged 4 to 12 years
-
11:12 - 11:15to teach them - these are
the pictures of children - -
11:17 - 11:20to teach more than to become champions,
-
11:21 - 11:24to live and have fun
-
11:24 - 11:26because football must be fun.
-
11:26 - 11:28If it starts to become, like,
-
11:28 - 11:30"I'm going to be a player
so I can earn millions of euros," -
11:30 - 11:32then it's best not to do anything.
-
11:33 - 11:37And this is something I'm proud of,
in addition to this small academy -
11:37 - 11:38AS Diverso
-
11:38 - 11:42is a company here in Mantua
dealing with disabled people. -
11:42 - 11:48We merged and we created
this fabulous team. -
11:48 - 11:53This team is called
Accademia Fabrizio Lori - AS Diverso. -
11:54 - 11:59And this year for the first time
we played in the B Series in Milan. -
12:00 - 12:02We are a small reality, of course,
-
12:03 - 12:08and we played against teams
like Inter, Genova, Fiorentina, -
12:08 - 12:10which are all affiliated
with professional teams. -
12:10 - 12:14The academy Fabrizio Lori
is only affiliated with my academy. -
12:14 - 12:19We went to the stadium with small buses,
I drove one and Riccardo drove the other. -
12:19 - 12:23They came on Inter-branded buses, instead.
-
12:24 - 12:26We played a great championship.
-
12:26 - 12:28I got shivers,
-
12:28 - 12:32because I remembered my old Mantua.
-
12:33 - 12:35We beat Inter, Genoa and Fiorentina,
-
12:35 - 12:39so we basically ranked third
in the standings. -
12:41 - 12:42How many of them did go up?
-
12:43 - 12:44Two.
-
12:44 - 12:46(Laughter)
-
12:46 - 12:48Well, it doesn't matter
because we received -
12:48 - 12:52the most beautiful award
a president could ever receive. -
12:53 - 12:55This is the fair play award.
-
12:55 - 12:57There were 45 teams
and it was given to us, -
12:57 - 13:00They were possibly sorry
for us, I don't know. -
13:00 - 13:06Anyway I think that will entitle us,
-
13:06 - 13:08they have already told me, informally,
-
13:08 - 13:11because basically first,
second, third team are up; -
13:11 - 13:14then there was the fourth that had
an unthinkable difference of points. -
13:14 - 13:17So I think they're going
to make us go further - -
13:17 - 13:21I want to go to this A Series, sorry.
-
13:21 - 13:27And anyway it's another way
of seeing things, -
13:27 - 13:31but these guys made me really happy,
-
13:31 - 13:34I call them special guys,
because for me they are really special. -
13:34 - 13:35I'll tell you more.
-
13:36 - 13:39I learned much more from them,
over this last year -
13:39 - 13:40than they from me
-
13:41 - 13:46because they have given me
a sense of lightness and happiness -
13:46 - 13:47that I never felt in so many years.
-
13:49 - 13:51I thank you so much,
-
13:51 - 13:55I hope I haven't bored you,
and I thank you for listening to me. -
13:55 - 13:57Thanks.
-
13:57 - 13:59(Applause)
- Title:
- There is not just one first league | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova
- Description:
-
A story of passion and success, defeat and betrayal, in which fairy tales turn into nightmares, but the ability to get engaged can always be awakened.
Fabrizio Lori was an entrepreneur and president of a professional football team. Today his football academy offers disabled people a sporting, social and growth space, making them feel part of a great football and human movement.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- Video Language:
- Italian
- Team:
closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 14:05
![]() |
Muriel de Meo approved English subtitles for Di Serie A ce n'è una sola, anzi due | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova | |
![]() |
Nicoletta Pedrana accepted English subtitles for Di Serie A ce n'è una sola, anzi due | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova | |
![]() |
Nicoletta Pedrana edited English subtitles for Di Serie A ce n'è una sola, anzi due | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova | |
![]() |
Michele Gianella edited English subtitles for Di Serie A ce n'è una sola, anzi due | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova | |
![]() |
Michele Gianella edited English subtitles for Di Serie A ce n'è una sola, anzi due | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova | |
![]() |
Michele Gianella edited English subtitles for Di Serie A ce n'è una sola, anzi due | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova | |
![]() |
Michele Gianella edited English subtitles for Di Serie A ce n'è una sola, anzi due | Fabrizio Lori | TEDxMantova |