Umberto Carabella, Footballer Carlo Galli, 1955, Oil on Canvas

Beautiful and striking oil on canvas painting by the great Italian artist Umberto Carabella (Paliano di Frosinone 1912-1956).
This is an intense portrait of the great soccer player Giancarlo "Carlo" Galli known as the "Golden Head" because of his skill in the head game
1950s Period

Certificate of authenticity issued by Sabrina Egidi Expert of the Court and the C.C.I.A.A. of Rome.
This item comes from a private collector and is therefore unpublished on the market

After his football training in Montecatini, Carlo Galli's competitive career remains inextricably linked to that of coach Giuseppe Gipo Viani. He met the future national team coach in Lucca in 1949, and in the summer of that year with Viani's move to the Palermo bench, Galli was hired by the Rosanerodal Cascina.
Despite his stature, however, he is gifted in the aerial game and here Viani's contribution was decisive.
He succeeded in making him a center forward who made the most of his characteristics so much so that he was nicknamed the golden head, and on December 8, 1949 came his Serie A debut. On December 18 (Palermo Lazio 2-1) he scored his first goals in Serie A.
He closed his first season in the top division with 8 goals. On November 5, 1950 (Palermo Pro Patria 8-0) he scored four goals.
After two seasons, the Viani-Galli pair moves to Roma, which, relegated to Serie B, seeks immediate ascent, focusing on youth and with the other acquisition, Lorenzo Bettini, forms a new offensive department.
Roma won the 1951-1952 Serie B championship and Galli was the Giallorossi's top scorer with 13 goals.
The following season, as Viani returned to A by accepting the bench of Bologna, which was saved by only one point, Galli decided to rise in the top division while remaining at Roma.
He wore the Giallorossi until 1956 when an exchange with Gunnar Nordahl led him to the Rossoneri jersey, where he met Viani again.
He stayed in Milan for five years, collecting 112 appearances in Serie A, scoring 47 goals and winning two Scudetti (1956-1957 and 1958-1959).
In the scoring phase to be remembered the 5 goals scored in the Milan-Lazio match on April 13, 1958 (touching the all-time record).
This was followed by a brief experience with Udinese, with whom he played 8 games until November 1961, when he moved to Genoa, a team with which he won the 1961-1962 Serie B championship and the 1964 Coppa delle Alpi.

He closed his professional career in the top division in Rome, this time on the Lazio side, remaining there until 1966.

Galli played for the military national soccer team of Italy and Italy B.
with Italy B he won the 1950-1953 edition of the Mediterranean Cup.
with the senior national team he collected 13 matches and 5 goals, also participating in the World Cup in Switzerland. Also worth mentioning are his 4 appearances and 2 goals with the National B team, 3 appearances and 3 goals instead with the Youth team. He also played one match with the National B team on December 11, 1953 in Istanbul against the Turkish senior representative team, a match won by the Azzurri 1-0 thanks to one of his goals.

Having hung up his boots, Galli was appointed sporting director of Lazio until the 1970-71 season. He operates mainly as a talent scout.

Later he opened an equestrian agency together with Nello Governato and Ferruccio Mazzola, and a racing hall in Montecatini Terme