The third member of a dynasty of champions after his brothers Guido and Mario, Giuseppe Della Valle – “Geppe” - was born in Bologna on 25 November 1899 to a noble family on his mother’s side (Elena Marchetti, was the daughter of Count Paolo Marchetti degli Angelini). After graduating from Liceo Minghetti high school in Bologna, he enrolled in a two-year preparatory course in engineering at the University of Bologna and completed his studies with a degree from the Regia Scuola di Ingegneria on 25 July 1923. He died on 26 November 1975.
A reserved but much-loved figure, Giuseppe Della Valle was an example of class, loyalty and style. An extraordinarily talented striker, he was one of the most complete forwards in Italian football. A modern inside forward, he combined power, technique and vision, perfectly embodying the footballing spirit of the era. A key player for the national team (17 appearances, 6 goals), he also participated in the 1924 Olympics in Paris. He left football in 1930 for professional reasons, then joined the board of directors of Bologna FC. He played 225 times for Bologna in the league from 1919 to 1931, scoring 104 goals.
1 - Bologna FC line-up in the 1923-24 season.
2 - Giuseppe Della Valle in action during a match against Genoa in the 1924-25 season.
3 - Leave of absence form at the end of the two-year science programme.
4 - Enrolment booklet for the Civil Engineering course.