Yesterday evening, December 1, 2025, saw the Franco Scoglio stadium become the setting for one of the most memorable evenings in the city’s sporting history: the celebration of 125 years of football in Messina .
An extraordinary event that attracted around 10,000 spectators, confirming the deep bond between the city and its team and the Racing City Group’s remarkable attention to detail in organizing the event.
The party had its heart in the legends match , which fielded two exceptional teams.
The white team , led on the field by Alessandro Nesta, was composed of: Nesta, Storari, Abbiati, Parisi, Pancaro, Giuliano, Portanova, Di Livio, Tacchinardi, Perrotta, Budel, Coppola, Sullo, Di Napoli, Cerci, Floccari, and Pippo Romano.
The red team , coached by Fabio Cannavaro, included: Dida, Frey, Paolo Cannavaro, Serginho, Fiore, Giannichedda, Evani, Fuser, Eranio, Montolivo, Mauri, Hernanes, Pagnello, Brocchi, Candreva, Jeda, Gans, and Vincenzo Iaquinta.
The match, packed with technical plays and spectacular moments, ended with a 3-0 victory for Cannavaro’s team, thanks to goals from Iaquinta, Stefano Mauri, and Jeda. The Franco Scoglio Stadium experienced the atmosphere of a great occasion: a packed Curva Sud, incessant chants, and a Tribuna A that hadn’t been so crowded since the golden days of Serie A. A testament to the city’s immense affection for its football. The most emotional moment: the memory of Totò Schillaci. Between the first and second half, a touching commemoration was held dedicated to Totò Schillaci, an unforgettable symbol of Italian football with special ties to the city of Messina. His brother, Giuseppe Schillaci, was present, thanking the Curva Sud and the entire crowd for the affection and warmth shown towards Totò. It was a deeply moving moment that united different generations under the same colors and the same memories. The evening was about more than just football: there was also room for musical performances and the presentation of the book “FairPlay. I’ngrisi del Messina Football Club” by Marco Boncoddo, dedicated to the origins of the team founded in 1900 and profoundly influenced by the English community living in the city at the time.
A successful celebration. With its thrills, football stars, music, and memories, the “125 Years of Football in Messina” event was a perfect celebration: a bridge between past, present, and future, reaffirming, once again, how integral this sport is to Messina’s identity. Mayor Basile and Councilor Finocchiaro were also in attendance, but were booed by some of the fans, who criticized them for their lack of involvement in football matters, as well as their lack of management of Messina’s sports facilities.
Finally, the mini museum showcasing some historic Messina jerseys was a huge success, thanks to the dedicated collaboration of the Società Cooperativa Calcio Messina, which strongly supported the Racing City Group event by providing a historical and footballing showcase.
