Luciano Re Cecconi was a symbol of Lazio’s rise to glory in the 1970s, a tireless midfielder whose story ended in one of football’s most tragic and bizarre accidents.
The man known as L’Angelo Biondo was part of the Biancocelesti’s first ever Scudetto-winning team, yet just three years after lifting the Serie A title, he would lose his life in an unimaginable prank gone wrong.
Luciano Re Cecconi was born in 1948 near Milan, the son of a farmer. His early football journey took him through the lower leagues with Pro Patria and Foggia, where his hard-running, box-to-box style caught the attention of coach Tommaso Maestrelli. When Maestrelli later took charge of Lazio, he ensured Re Cecconi followed him to Rome in 1972.
By the 1973–74 campaign, the midfielder had become an essential cog in Maestrelli’s machine. Alongside stars like Giorgio Chinaglia, he helped Lazio clinch their first ever Serie A crown, overcoming Juventus by just two points.
Re Cecconi’s relentless energy and understated intelligence made him a fan favourite: a player who covered every blade of grass, moved the ball with purpose, and embodied the humility of his working-class roots.
A Team of Talent and Turmoil
That title-winning Lazio side was as notorious for its off-field antics as it was for its footballing brilliance. The dressing room was split by political divides and combustible personalities, and several players were known to carry firearms—sometimes firing them for amusement. It was a team of extremes: daring, chaotic, and often on the edge of control.
Within that atmosphere, Re Cecconi stood out as a calming influence. He loved to laugh and take part in harmless mischief, but he was respected as one of the few grounded figures in a volatile squad. Unfortunately, it was that same mischievous spirit which would ultimately lead to his death.
The Fatal Joke
On the evening of 18 January 1977, Re Cecconi and teammate Pietro Ghedin visited a jeweller’s shop in Rome owned by Bruno Tabocchini, along with a mutual friend. Known pranksters, the pair decided to play a practical joke as they entered the store, shouting: “Hands up, this is a robbery!” while covering their faces with their jackets.
What they didn’t know was that the shop had been robbed only weeks earlier, leaving Tabocchini nervous and prepared. Panicking, the jeweller pulled out a shotgun. Ghedin immediately raised his hands, realising the danger. Re Cecconi, however, continued the act, smiling and stepping forward. A single shot was fired.
The midfielder was struck in the chest at close range. As he lay dying on the floor, his final words were said to have been:
“It’s a joke! It’s just a joke!”
He was 28 years old. Despite being rushed to hospital, he was pronounced dead within half an hour. Tabocchini was arrested but never charged, his actions deemed a reaction to a perceived threat.
A Legacy Etched in Lazio History
Re Cecconi’s death sent shockwaves through Italian football. Lazio lost not just a beloved player, but one of the symbols of its greatest triumph. He left behind a wife, two children, and a grieving fanbase that struggled to comprehend how such a light-hearted personality could meet such a fate.
Though he earned only two caps for Italy, Re Cecconi remains an enduring figure in the club’s history. His blond hair, tireless running, and unassuming smile made him a cult hero in Rome. To this day, Lazio supporters speak of him not in sorrow, but with affection and respect—a man whose life, however brief, represented the purest spirit of football’s golden era in the capital.
The Blond Angel may have fallen far too soon, but his story continues to flutter through the history of Italian football, a haunting reminder of the fine line between joy and tragedy.
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