Born in Busalla, province of Genoa, Bertolini played in the 1920s for Savona, Alessandria and Juventus.

In total, he played 137 matches for Juventus, scoring five goals, helping the team to win four Serie A tournaments.

Alongside Luisito Monti and Attilio Ferraris, Luigi Bertolini made up the legendary Italian midfield established at the 1934 World Cup.

Bertolini is very recognisable in the photos of the 1934 Italian World Cup-winning team by virtue of his big white bandana which he used to protect his head from the seams of the ball when attempting headers.

As the story goes, during the second half he was disoriented from fatigue and with the English constantly in attack, he kept calling out for Luisito not realising that Monti was not on the field (due to a broken bone) and the midline was just himself and Ferraris.