Parma, 8 November 2020 – Parma Calcio mourns the loss of Leopoldo Raimondi, who has passed away at the age of eighty-two. Everyone at the club extends their deepest condolences to his family.
Raimondi was one of the Parma boys that grew up at the school of sports, football and life that in the Fifties had developed the unforgettable maestro Dante Boni, who played regularly at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. The school itself acted as a forge that had prepared and sculpted dozens of players for the Crociati, as well as the entire national football movement.
Poldo made his debut at the age of nineteen with the first team in the 1956/1957 season, in Serie B.
It was June 16, 1957, on the last day of the league. He was chosen to take to the field in the starting line-up by coach Cestmir Vycpalek. The match was won 4-0 at the Tardini against Sambenedettese; the clash became famous for three goals scored in five minutes by the late Giampiero Convalle.
It was Parma, (and a team mainly consisting of players from Parma itself), who participated in the youth tournament for a decade without experiencing relegation.
Raimondi collected a total of 42 appearances.
In the year following his debut (1957/1958), he took to the field eight times. In the 1958/1959 championship, he became a crucial component of the team, playing in 33 matches.
Leopoldo Raimondi was a full-back with immense technical skills. These characteristics allowed him to make his debut in Serie A with Alessandria in the 1959/1960 season and to play about ten matches with Roma between 1960 and 1963.
In the Giallorossi jersey, he scored his first goal in the topflight, which was the only one he scored in his career. It happened at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa on May 14 1961, against Sampdoria. It was the goal of the momentary 2-2 that at the final whistle ended 3-2 in defeat.
He finished his career at Venezia in 1963/1964 Serie B season.
After hanging up his boots, Poldo went back to work in Parma and to live on our hills, in San Vitale Baganza. Then, he moved to Rome, the hometown of his wife Mimma.
