Farewell to Franco Ligas, the unmistakable voice of Italian sport | OneFootball

A Sardinian journalist by birth and Florentine by adoption, from 1984 to 2013 he was part of the sports editorial team at Mediaset where for two decades he narrated with expertise and irony the main football, boxing, and horse racing events. His TV career began in 1976 with an interview with Adriano Panatta and Nicola Pietrangeli, fresh winners of the Davis Cup. From 1991 to 1993 he also collaborated with Tele+

Farewell to Franco Ligas, the unmistakable voice of Italian sport

Franco Ligas, a commentator and narrator capable of combining expertise, irony, and authentic passion, has passed away at the age of 79. For almost thirty years, he was one of the most recognizable voices of the Mediaset sports editorial team.

A life between Sardinia and sport

Born in Oristano on January 10, 1946, Franco Ligas always carried his Sardinian roots with him: the sing-song accent, the genuine irony, and a visceral love for football. Raised between Cagliari and Oristano, after obtaining his teaching diploma and qualification, fate pushed him towards another path: sports journalism.

His debut came in 1976, at just 30 years old, with TeleLibera Firenze, where he interviewed Adriano Panatta and Nicola Pietrangeli, fresh from their triumph in the Davis Cup. From there, a long apprenticeship between boxing, horse racing, and football, until he became a correspondent following Fiorentina, a team he adopted as his "second home" after his beloved Cagliari.

The consecration at Mediaset

From 1984 to 2013, Franco Ligas was one of the symbolic voices of Studio Sport and Mediaset's commentaries. Capable of naturally ranging from basketball to cycling, from boxing to football, he earned a special place in the hearts of viewers thanks to his direct and ironic style.

Famous was the character of the "Inspector Ligas", created together with his colleague Paolo Ziliani: a satirical mask that intelligently mocked the follies of football. "I've never been a great journalist - he said humbly - but having worked at Mediaset was a great honor and a stimulus to improve".

Between Fiorentina and Cagliari, his passions

Despite having a declared weakness for Cagliari, a team from his homeland with which he had played at a youth level, Franco Ligas indissolubly linked his career to Fiorentina, the city that welcomed him at 23 years old and where his son was born.

A double football love that he narrated without ever giving up his irony: sincere, but never over the top.

After the microphone: blog, TV and new adventures

Even after retirement, in 2013, Ligas never really stopped narrating sport.

In 2011 he joined Fabio Panchetti in the boxing commentaries on Sportitalia.

He then moved to Elefante TV, with the program DDA - Straight to the Finish, dedicated to horse racing, basketball and "minor" disciplines.

He continued to write on his personal blog, "Frankly yours", commenting on current sports events with his usual lightness.

An authentic narrator

Franco Ligas was not just a commentator: he was a narrator. With his voice, every match became a little show. With his irony, every event found the right lightness.

Today we lose a great professional, but above all a man capable of transmitting authentic passion for sport.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.