Mario Pretto

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mario Pretto

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1915|10|07|df=y}}

| birth_place = Schio, Italy

| death_date = {{death date and age|1984|04|02|1915|10|07|df=y}}

| death_place = Campinas, Brazil

| height =

| position = Right-Back

| years1 = | clubs1 = Calcio Schio

| years2 = 1937–1949 | clubs2 = Napoli| caps2 = 223 |goals2 = 1

| manageryears1 = 1950 | managerclubs1 = Litoral

| manageryears2 = 1950 | managerclubs2 = Bolivia

| manageryears3 = 1951–1954 | managerclubs3 = Audax Italiano

| manageryears4 = 1954–1955 | managerclubs4 = Unión La Calera

| manageryears5 = 1955 | managerclubs5 = Chile (assistant)

| manageryears6 = 1957–1958 | managerclubs6 = Guarani

}}

Mario Pretto (7 October 1915 – 2 April 1984) was an Italian footballer turned coach who managed Bolivia in the 1950 FIFA World Cup.[https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=7/teams/team=43923.html 1950 FIFA World Cup Brazil] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918204248/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition%3D7/teams/team%3D43923.html |date=2011-09-18 }}

Career

A football defender, Pretto was with Calcio Schio before joining Napoli in 1937, with whom he spent his entire professional career.{{cite web |title=Il record di Mario Pretto. Il vicentino Ct mondiale |url=https://www.ilgiornaledivicenza.it/iniziative/lane-120-anni/in-viaggio-con-il-vicenza/il-record-di-mario-pretto-il-vicentino-ct-mondiale-1.8737818 |website=Il Giornale di Vicenza |access-date=7 May 2024 |language=it |date=23 June 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Cangelli |first1=Marco |title=L’eroe dei due mondi: Mario Pretto e la Bolivia ai Mondiali 1950 |url=https://www.vita-sportiva.it/leroe-dei-due-mondi-mario-pretto-e-la-bolivia-ai-mondiali-1950/ |website=Vita Sportiva |access-date=7 May 2024 |language=it |date=16 December 2022}}

Following his retirement, he emigrated to South America and managed Bolivian club Litoral and subsequently the Bolivia national team{{cite web |title=[12/03/1950] Chile-Bolivia 5:0 |url=https://www.partidosdelaroja.com/1970/01/12031950-chile-bolivia-50.html |website=Partidos de La Roja |access-date=7 May 2024 |language=es}} in the 1950 FIFA World Cup.

In 1951, he came to Chile and led Audax Italiano until 1954. The next year, he served as the assistant coach of Luis Tirado in the Chile national team.

In 1957, he moved to Brazil, led Guarani{{cite web |title=Técnicos Italianos no Brasil |url=https://fernandogaluppo.wordpress.com/2023/06/19/tecnicos-italianos-no-brasil/ |website=FERNANDO RAZZO GALUPPO |access-date=7 May 2024 |language=pt |date=19 June 2023}} and made his home in Campinas, São Paulo state.

Outside football

He made an appearance in the 1948 Italian film 11 uomini e un pallone (Eleven men and a ball) by Carlo Dapporto, alongside the also footballers Amedeo Amadei, Carlo Parola, Leandro Remondini and Héctor Puricelli.