The Career
Alberto Tomba was born in San Lazzaro di Savena, in the province of Bologna, on December 19, 1966, into a wealthy family with no skiing tradition. He made his World Cup debut in December 1985 at just 18 years old and achieved his first victory on November 25, 1987, in Sestriere, in the slalom. In 1988, he participated in his first Olympic Games in Calgary, where he became a global star by winning two gold medals in giant slalom and slalom—an achievement that cemented his nickname "Tomba la Bomba." Four years later, at Albertville 1992, he was Italy's flag bearer and won his second consecutive gold in giant slalom (the first alpine skier in history to do so in the same discipline), adding a silver in slalom. At Lillehammer 1994, he won another silver in slalom after a historic comeback, for which Rai 1 interrupted the Sanremo Festival to broadcast the second run live. 1995 was his most successful year: he won the overall World Cup with 11 seasonal victories, a historic achievement for a technical specialist. In 1996 in Sierra Nevada, he won two world golds in giant slalom and slalom. He ended his career on March 15, 1998, in Crans-Montana with a victory in slalom, where he had achieved his first World Cup podium ten years earlier. He holds the record for nine consecutive slalom victories and eleven consecutive seasons with at least one World Cup victory. On February 10, 2006, he was a torchbearer at the opening ceremony of the Turin Games. In 2023, he was the subject of the Netflix documentary "Alberto Tomba - Winning is Playing," and in November 2025, his second autobiography "The Longest Slalom" is set to be released.
Why collect an Alberto Tomba autograph
An original autograph by Alberto Tomba is one of the most sought-after pieces in Italian sports collecting, capable of capturing two generations of fans: those who witnessed his epic comebacks live between Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992, and Lillehammer 1994, and the younger generation reconnected to the legend by the 2023 Netflix documentary. Tomba la Bomba is considered the greatest Italian skier in history and one of the three most successful of all time in technical disciplines. His signature is particularly valuable on iconic photographs of Olympic triumphs, on replica helmets and skis from the 1987-1998 seasons, on World Cup posters, on memorabilia related to the 1995 overall World Cup, and on career publications. The collectible value is supported by his status as a torchbearer at the Turin 2006 and Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, by the rarity of Tomba's public appearances—today a private figure living in the Bolognese hills—and by the constant media narrative that keeps his legacy alive.
Original Alberto Tomba Autographs on MTM Memorabilia
MTM Memorabilia is the benchmark in Italy for high-level collecting. Every original Alberto Tomba autograph available on MTM is selected with rigorous criteria of provenance and authenticity by our experts. Each autographed piece is always accompanied free of charge by an MTM Letter of Authenticity (LOA), a document issued by our experts that declares the provenance and veracity of the autograph based on our direct knowledge. Depending on the type and value of the piece, MTM autographs may be accompanied by additional internationally recognized third-party certifications—including COAs issued by entities such as PSA, JSA, Beckett, Epperson, Autograph COA, or Associazione Autografia—either included in the price or purchasable separately. Each product sheet precisely indicates the available certification for that specific piece.