Juventus career: 1958 - 1970
Position: Sweeper, Central Defender, Fullback
Technical features
He could play either as a stopper, libero or full-back, in a tactical whirlpool that lasted for his entire competitive career. Precisely this flexibility, in a sport that was beginning to pay more and more attention to defensive systems, made him in retrospect a precursor in the evolution experienced by the role of the central defender: "courageous, athletic, with a short step and turn of pace", he stood out as an element that, in addition to marking, was capable of commanding the entire rearguard as well as occasionally projecting himself even in the offensive phase.
Described as "steel character, crystal knees", his career was undermined by numerous injuries: in particular, he was able to overcome the breaking of three menisci, in an era in which such an injury could often mean the end of a career.
Club Career
Raised in Balsamese region, in 1956 he moved to Serie B and Legnano with which he immediately established himself as a starter despite being just seventeen. The following year he landed at Triestina, and remained with the youth team, with whom he won the 1957-1958 youth tournament before joining Juventus the following summer.
With the Piedmontese he made his Serie A debut on 22 November of that year against Bari, at the age of twenty, when the Torinese had just won their tenth Scudetto. At the beginning in Turin, even as a backup he took part in the epic era of the Trio Magico, which saw the bianconeri win the Italian titles of 1960 and 1961 as well as the Coppa Italia of 1959 and 1960.
Establishing himself in the following years among the regulars, until he became one of the leading elements for Juventus in the 60s, among his successes in the shadow of the Mole there was also another Coppa Italia, in 1965 - the year in which, moreover, he became the captain of the Piedmontese — and above all the 1967 Scudetto, which remained in the collective memory for overtaking the Grande Inter of Helenio Herrera on the last day, by a bianconeri "without stars, but extremely compact, somehow in the image and likeness of Castano".
He ended his career at the age of thirty-two, in 1971, after a handful of appearances with L.R. Vicenza.
International Career
Although he had only become a permanent starter with Juventus in 1962, he had already made it to the national team in previous years, with which he took the field for the first time on 29 November 1959 in Florence in the match against Hungary.
In Azzurri, despite playing only 7 games in the space of a decade (plus 3 with the national B), moreover almost all concentrated in the two-year period 1968-1969, he participated in the victorious 1968 European championship, first taking the field in the quarterfinals against Bulgaria, then in the semi-final won by coin toss against the Soviet Union and finally in the first final against Yugoslavia.
Retirement
Once his competitive career ended, he returned to Juventus where, during the 70s, he worked as a coach in the youth sector.
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As well as Vialli we also lost a leader of the past in Ernesto Castano just yesterday, one of the oldest champions who was still around.
Nice tribute by the club: https://www.juventus.com/en/news/articles/in-memory-of-ernesto-castano
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