Italo Vassallo
# Italo Vassallo

Italo Vassallo (1940 – 30 July 2021) was an Italian-Eritrean footballer. He played for Ethiopia internationally, scoring in their 1962 Africa Cup of Nations final victory over Egypt. His half-brother is Luciano Vassallo, a former footballer for the Ethiopian team.

## Club career

Vassallo made his debut at Hamasien where he won the Ethiopian First Division for the first time in 1957.

When Vassallo's half-brother Luciano moved to Cotton Factory Club, Italo joined him at 17 years old. They would go on to win the Ethiopian First Division four times at Cotton FC before retiring in 1973.

## International career

Once Eritrean-born footballers were allowed to be called up for the national team, Italo and Luciano were selected for the 1962 Africa Cup of Nations. Italo scored a goal in Ethiopia's extra-time victory in the final against Egypt.

## After football

During the Eritrean–Ethiopian War, Italo was expelled from Ethiopia and returned to Eritrea. He ran a restaurant in Asmara.

## Career statistics

### International goals

    Scores and results list Ethiopia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Vassallo goal.

List of international goals scored by Italo Vassallo :

| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 21 January 1962 | Hailé Sélassié Stadium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | United Arab Republic | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1962 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 2 | 21 February 1965 | Kampala, Uganda | Uganda | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1965 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3 | 27 March 1965 | Khartoum, Sudan | Sudan | | 1–2 | 1965 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | 4 April 1965 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Kenya | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1965 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
