After pirate assaults on his father's business, he and his family immigrated to Switzerland two years later; he was nicknamed Franz.

[1] Calì played several games as a left-back for Swiss clubs Zürich and Urania Genève Sport.

He then played for two rival Genovese teams: Genoa and Andrea Doria.

[4] After his retirement as a player, he was also chosen several times as a member of the technical commission, in 1912, 1914, 1915, 1920 and 1921.

This biographical article related to association football in Italy, about a defender born in the 1880s, is a stub.