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Franco Armani
Franco Armani, born 1986 in Casilda, Argentina, is a World Cup 2022-winning goalkeeper nicknamed "el pulpo", with 13 titles at Atlético Nacional and 10 at River Plate before returning to Colombia in 2026.
Franco Baresi
Franco Baresi (not to be confused with Baggio), AC Milan libero and captain 1977-1997, 719 matches, six Scudetti, three European Cups, 81 Italy caps, 1994 World Cup final captain; pioneer of zonal defending.
Franco Bertinetti
Franco Bertinetti (1923-1995), Italian épée fencer of US Pro Vercelli, won Olympic team épée gold at Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956 plus five World Championship team titles (1953-1958); son of Marcello and father of Marcello "Cito" Bertinetti.
Franco Colapinto
Franco Colapinto (born 2003, Pilar, Argentina) is an Argentine Formula 1 driver racing for Alpine, car 43. Debuted with Williams at the 2024 Italian GP, first Argentine F1 driver in 23 years, scored 32 career points, and is confirmed at Alpine alongside Gasly through 2027.
Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu (Francesco Maria Columbu), 1941–2019, Italian bodybuilder, two-time Mr. Olympia (1976, 1981), shortest Olympia winner at 5'5", Arnold Schwarzenegger's best friend, powerlifter, chiropractor, and actor.
Franco de Piccoli
Franco de Piccoli (Francesco De Piccoli, 1937-2026), Italian heavyweight boxer; won gold at Rome 1960 Olympics, first Italian Olympic heavyweight champion, KO'd Daan Bekker in the final.
Franco Di Santo
Franco Matías Di Santo, Argentine centre-forward born 1989 in Mendoza; played for Chelsea, Blackburn, Wigan (2013 FA Cup winner), Werder Bremen, Schalke 04, and clubs across the Americas; 3 Argentina caps, 0 goals.
Franco Faggi
Franco Faggi, born in Perledo in 1926, was an Italian rower who stroked the Moto Guzzi coxless four to gold at the 1948 London Olympics.
Franco Gandini
Franco Gandini, Italian track cyclist born 1936 in San Lazzaro di Parma; Olympic gold in the 4,000 m team pursuit at Melbourne 1956 with Faggin, Gasparella, and Domenicali; world pursuit silver 1950 and 1957, bronze 1958; professional 1958-1960.
Franco Giorgetti
Franco Giorgetti was an Italian track cyclist who won Olympic gold in the team pursuit at Antwerp in 1920 and later became a leading six-day racer in America.
Franco Harris
Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back (1972-1983, then Seattle Seahawks), caught the Immaculate Reception, won four Super Bowls, was Super Bowl IX MVP, and had No. 32 retired.
Franco Lavoratori
Franco Lavoratori (1941–2006), Italian water polo player of Pro Recco; Olympic gold at Rome 1960, fourth at 1964 and 1968, sixth at 1972; 14 Italian titles and the 1965 European Cup.
Franco Mastantuono
Franco Mastantuono (born 2007, Azul, Argentina) is an Argentine left-footed winger and attacking midfielder; River Plate's youngest goalscorer, sold to Real Madrid in 2025 for a record €63.2m, then loaned to Fiorentina.
Franco Menichelli
Franco Menichelli (1941–2026), Italian artistic gymnast and 1964 Tokyo Olympic floor exercise champion, the only Italian Olympic champion on floor; five Olympic medals, 14 European medals, Hall of Fame 2003.
Franco Morbidelli
Franco Morbidelli, Italian MotoGP rider (VR46 Ducati), 2017 Moto2 World Champion with Marc VDS and 2020 MotoGP runner-up with Petronas Yamaha; first VR46 Academy member and champion, moving to World Superbikes in 2027.
Franco Nones
Franco Nones (Francesco Nones, born 1941), Italian cross-country skier; won 30 km gold at Grenoble 1968, first Italian Olympic cross-country champion and first winner from outside Scandinavia or the USSR.
Franco Riccardi
Franco Riccardi (13 June 1905 – May 1968) was an Italian épée fencer who won four Olympic medals: team gold 1928, team silver 1932, and individual and team gold at Berlin 1936, where Italy swept the individual épée podium.
Franco Testa
Franco Testa (7 February 1938 – 22 June 2025), Italian track cyclist from Cadoneghe; Olympic team pursuit gold at Rome 1960 (4:30.90) and silver at Tokyo 1964; world silver Paris 1964; later a butcher in Mogliano Veneto.
Franco Tognini
Franco Tognini (Gaudenzio Franco Tognini), Italian artistic gymnast from Monza; Olympic team gold at Los Angeles 1932, fifth with the team at Berlin 1936, later Italian national coach and FIG judge.
Franco Trincavelli
Franco Trincavelli (Abele Francesco Trincavelli, 1935–1983), Italian rower of Canottieri Moto Guzzi; Olympic gold in coxed fours at Melbourne 1956 and bronze at Rome 1960, plus European eights medals.
Franco Vázquez
Franco Damián Vázquez, "El Mudo" (born 1989, Tanti, Argentina), Argentine attacking midfielder of Palermo, Sevilla, Cremonese, and Belgrano; won 2 caps for Italy and 3 for Argentina.
Francois Botha
Francois (Frans) Botha, "The White Buffalo", South African heavyweight boxer born 1968 in Witbank; IBF champion 1995 vs Axel Schulz (later No Contest); fought Tyson, Lewis, Klitschko, Holyfield; also K-1 kickboxer.
Francois Brandt
François Brandt (François Antoine Brandt, 1874–1949), Dutch rower; with Roelof Klein won the 1900 Paris coxed pairs, the first Dutch Olympic title, plus eights bronze; recognized by IOC only in 2012.
François Brisson
François Brisson, born 1958 in Saintes, French forward and left winger; two France caps, Olympic gold at Los Angeles 1984, scored the first goal in the 2-0 final win over Brazil; clubs included PSG, Lens, Marseille, Lille.
François Cevert
François Cevert, born Albert François Cevert, was a French Formula One driver who won the 1971 United States Grand Prix for Tyrrell and was killed in practice for the 1973 race at Watkins Glen.
Francois Drolet
François Drolet, Canadian short track speed skater, Nagano 1998 Olympic gold medallist in the men's 5000m relay with Bédard, Campbell, and Gagnon; 1996 and 1997 world relay medallist; later Nagano Skate general manager.
Francois Hamelin
François Hamelin, born 1986 in Lévis, Quebec, is a retired Canadian short track speed skater, brother of Charles Hamelin, and 2010 Vancouver Olympic gold medalist in the men's 5000 m relay.
Francois Heersbrandt
François Heersbrandt, Belgian butterfly and sprint freestyle swimmer born 1989 in Uccle; three-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016), 2011 European short course 100m butterfly bronze medalist, 2013 4x50m freestyle relay world record holder, seven Belgian records.
Francois Louis Tremblay
François-Louis Tremblay, born 1980 in Alma, Quebec, is a retired Canadian short track speed skater, nicknamed The Boucherville Bomber, with five Olympic medals including 5000 m relay gold at Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010.
Francois Pienaar
Francois Pienaar (Jacobus Francois Pienaar, born 1967) is a South African flanker who captained the Springboks in all 29 of his tests and won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, famously receiving the Webb Ellis Cup from Nelson Mandela.