“Amateurs play for fun when the weather is good. Professionals play to win in the midst of the storm.” In these few lines there is all the essence of Vasile Mogos. Formidable athlete of Romanian origin, who grew up in San Damiano and blossomed with the Galletti shirt of Asti Calcio in Eccellenza and Serie D, and then flew among the professionals. His is a story of dreams, resilience, determination and discipline. He combined with an uncommon physique and an incomparable gift, that of humility. In learning from the greats of football, in holding dear, today more than yesterday, the affections of the past, maintaining a constant and well-defined “DNA”, playing on suburban or professional fields. Vasile’s path to glory, marked by prestigious stages, such as Ascoli, Reggiana, Crotone, Cremonese and Chievo Verona, characterized as it should also be by some unexpected pit stops to make the plot of a successful sports biography more intriguing , now leads him to rejoice at an extraordinary point of arrival. Mogos, playing for the renowned Cluj, received the extraordinary news in recent days of his call-up to Euro 2024, where he will defend the colors of Romania (which made a great debut against Ukraine). A great pride for the man, who recently became the father of a beautiful little girl, and the athlete, but also for the many people from Asti who respect him and have followed his path.
Among them certainly figures Remo Turello, the beating soul of Asti Calcio for many seasons alongside Gianmaria Piacenza and Piero Chiesa, who recalls some anecdotes linked to his bond with the Sandamianese full-back. «In many years of football I have been able to admire many talented athletes, but what made the difference for Vasile was certainly his determination – says the former red and white manager – I remember how he and Amedeo Celeste had worn the shirt of the National Representative of Serie D making the Galletti the only team with two players in the squad, demonstrating the quality of the two boys. At twenty he told me that he would have liked to wear the national team shirt and he always underlined how he felt it was right to pursue this dream for his country of origin, Romania.”
When the first call-up arrived, Turello received a surprise: «Mogos, shortly after making his debut in the national team, came to visit me and gave me his shirt with a dedication, “To my dad Remo”. I won’t deny that I was moved, among the greatest satisfactions in my career in football is the bond that is created with many boys who have worn the Galletti uniform, and Vasile is certainly one of those.” The news of participation in Euro 2024 was welcomed with joy and irony by Remo: «He wrote to me immediately after receiving this great news – Turello recalls – In addition to the shared satisfaction, I wrote to him to get me two free tickets for the final of the Italian European Championships -Romania and he, jokingly, told me that in the case of a final like this he will also pay for a helicopter to go to the stadium. I am very happy for him and his family. In addition to the Azzurri, I will follow Vasile and his national team with sympathy and affection”, comments the former director.
If among those who followed the first steps of Vasile Mogos in red and white there is certainly mister Paolo Rossi, the first to give him enormous continuity, and then hand him over to Enrico Pasquali in Juniores, the debut among the “greats” of the side is marked by trust placed in him by Marco Fornello, with whom the Romanian international won promotion to Serie D. The great intuition of positioning “Vasi” in the role of right-footed fluidizer is thanks to Stefano Civeriati, a coach who with Alessandro Sala as assistant, Luca Agoglia as athletic trainer and Sergio Tabbia as goalkeeping trainer led Asti to come close to promotion to Serie C. They were the cockerels of the triad, of director Tony Isoldi and of Alessandria managers Colla and Baistrocchi.
The former Inter and Vicenza footballer tells us how he learned of his former athlete’s participation in Euro 2024: «I received this message: “Mister, my friend, I was pleased to tell you that I will be going to Germany with my national team. You have been and will forever be part of my inspiration to play and continue to play, for that I thank you! I hug you tightly, please also cheer a little for Romania.” What can I say, there is nothing more gratifying than being remembered with such esteem by a footballer. I was moved.”
A dream that comes true, but which is not born by chance and has solid roots: the hearts of many Asti people at Euro 2024 will also beat for Vasile Mogos, a special athlete but above all a boy with unparalleled human qualities.
