Giovanni Moscardini

Background

Moscardini’s father was one of three brothers who left their hometown of Barga in Tuscany in 1872 to move to Scotland.

Career

He was one of the earliest of the Oriundi. While the majority of these foreign-born football players who played for Italy came from South America, Moscardini was the only one born in Scotland. The football stadium in Barga, Tuscany, where his family came from, is named in his honour.

Once there they established several fish-and-chip shops and ice-cream parlours.

In 1925 after retiring Moscardini’s father returned to Italy. During the, Moscardini left Scotland and enlisted in the Italian Army as a machine gunner.

During the Battle of Caporetto, he was wounded in the elbow by shrapnel and was later sent to Sicily to recover. While there, he helped organise a football team

When the war ended, Moscardini returned to his family home of Barga where he played football for the local team

He was subsequently spotted by a scout from Lucchese. After five years playing for Lucchese he switched to Pisa and during the 1924-1925 season he scored 18 goals. He later played with Genoa and went on tour to South America with the club

Between 1921 and 1925 Moscardini made 9 appearances and scored 7 goals for Italy.

He made his international debut against Switzerland on November 6, 1921 and scored in a 1-1 draw. Then on January 15, 1922 he scored twice in a 3-3 draw against Austria.

He scored his fifth international goal on May 27, 1923 in a 5-1 away defeat against Czechoslovakia. After retiring as a football player Moscardini returned to Scotland to manage an uncle"s shop in Campbeltown.

He later established his own business, the Lake Café, in Prestwick.

He lived in Prestwick until he died in 1985 at the age of 88.

Achievements

• On May 21, 1922 he scored again in a 4-2 win against Belgium. He made his last appearance for Italy against France on March 22, 1925 and he marked the occasion by scoring twice in a 7-0 win. Moscardini won his first eight caps while playing for Lucchese and his last while at Pisa He was the first Pisa player ever capped by Italy.