Otávio Fantoni


Otávio Fantoni, best known as Nininho or Fantoni II was a Brazilian-born Italian professional football player, who played as a midfielder.
He was born in Belo Horizonte, into a family of Italian origin, which supported Cruzeiro, than known as Palestra Itália. In Cruzeiro, he played along with his cousins João Fantoni and Leonízio Fantoni. In 1931, they were sold to Lazio, where they would be known by their surnames, like a dynasty: Nigão was Fantoni I, he was Fantoni II and Niginho, Fantoni III.
Fantoni made an appearance for the Italy national team on one occasion: in Vittorio Pozzo's selection in the 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification match, on 25 March 1934 against Greece, a 4–0 home victory.
Less than one year later, he injured his nose in a game against Torino. The injured became a generalized infection that would kill him. He died in Rome, on 8 February 1935.