Farewell to Cesare Castellotti, politeness and expertise at 90° Minuto

At the age of 86, Cesare Castellotti has gone, a voice that for decades accompanied Italian soccer with measure, rigor and respect. An old-fashioned journalist, as they say today, of those who did not seek prominence but let the facts, the images, the game speak.

Many remember him for his sober and composed style in reporting Juventus and Torino matches, chronicles that were never shouted, always precise, and able to convey passion without losing elegance. Castellotti was above all the face of the links from Turin of 90° Minuto, the symbolic broadcast of Italian football Sunday, when at 6 p.m. on the dot millions of people gathered in front of the television to review the summaries of the Serie A and Serie B matches played all, strictly, at 3 p.m.

He joined 90° Minuto in 1976 and for the general public will always remain linked to that experience. But to reduce his career to that role would be unfair. Castellotti was much more than that. He worked in television news, covered basketball and volleyball, followed five Olympics and six World Cups, always under the RAI banner, bringing the same method everywhere: preparation, discretion, reliability.

In 1999 he left public television for retirement, ending a long and consistent professional career. Remembering him was also Carlo Nesti, who wrote on social media: “He was, in the Rai of Turin, first secretary of the editorial staff, then, for about twenty years, head of the sports core”. A central role, carried out with quiet authority, as stressed by the former Rai, alongside colleagues such as Beppe Barletti, Franco Costa and Federico Calcagno.

With the passing of Cesare Castellotti goes a piece of television that is no more. A way of doing journalism made of low tone and respect for the listener. And perhaps, for this very reason, still so regretted.