Soccer is in mourning again. After the death of Sinisa Mihajlovic and Pelé, Calcio now mourns the death of Gianluca Vialli. The former striker for Cremonese, Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea, was 58 years old and last December had announced the suspension of his commitments with the Italian team, where he was head of the delegation, due to a complicated health situation. Vialli had been fighting pancreatic cancer since 2018 and leaves his wife Cathryn, whom he married in 2003, and his daughters Olivia and Sofia.
The Italian soccer federation confirmed the sad news this Friday: “The Italy of soccer is in mourning for Gianluca Vialli,” it announced in a statement explaining that a minute’s silence would be observed on all Italian soccer fields. during this weekend.
“He always fought head-on, with dignity and with the entire blue family to give him strength in a moment of silent but enormous suffering. Italian football is not only in mourning for the head of the national team delegation: it is in mourning for a great man, who had already been a great striker and an appreciated coach before, “reports the emotional note from the Azzurri federation.
“I am deeply saddened,” said Italian federation president Gabriele Gravina: “I waited until the last moment that he could perform another miracle, but I take comfort in the knowledge that what he did for Italian football and the blue jersey will never be forgotten. Without beating around the bush: Gianluca was a splendid person and leaves a void that cannot be filled, in the national team and in all those who have appreciated his extraordinary human quality”.
Vialli announced in 2018 that he had overcome a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, but unfortunately, in December 2021, he announced that the disease had returned. With his condition worsening, Vialli announced in the middle of last month that he would temporarily step down as head of delegation for the Italian national team. Vialli had been appointed head of delegation under Azzurri head coach Roberto Mancini, his old friend and former teammate.
Vialli and Mancini were known as the ‘gemelli del gol’ or ‘goal twins’ when they played together for Sampdoria, leading the Genoa-based club to their only Serie A title in 1991 and their only European title one year. before, among other trophies. Vialli and Mancini also led Sampdoria to the 1992 European Cup final, which they lost to Barcelona at Wembley Stadium, the first European trophy for the blaugrana.
Giancula Vialli began his career at Cremonese, but it was at Sampdoria where he lived his most golden years. In 1992 he signed for Juve before hanging up his boots at Chelsea in 1999. As a footballer he was a prolific striker with 259 goals in 673 games spread over his career. In addition, as an international with Italy, he added 16 goals in 59 appearances as an azzurro. He won four Italian Cups, two Scudetti (one of them, legendary, with Sampdoria), two Italian Super Cups, one FA Cup, one English League Cup, two European Cup Winners’ Cups, one UEFA Cup, one Champions League and one European Super Cup. He also lived a brief journey as a coach on the benches of Chelsea (between 1998 and 2000, also being a footballer for six months) with which he won a League Cup, an FA Cup and a Charity Shield, and Watford (2001/02 ).
Chelsea has added to the condolences for his death with several messages on their social networks: “We will miss you. A legend for us and for all football. Rest in peace, Gianluca Vialli.” “His impact as a player, a coach, and most importantly, as a person, will always remain written in the history of our club. We send our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends”, added the co-owners of the London club, Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghabali.
After his retirement as a coach, he continued to live in London, where he developed other activities such as television commentator. Since 2019, he has worked as head of the Italian delegation alongside his friend Roberto Mancini: the image of the two hugging each other tearfully at Wembley, when Italy was crowned European champion in 2021, is part of the history of Calcio. “We have a relationship that goes far beyond friendship,” Mancini said during the Euro Cup. “He’s like a real brother to me.”
Vialli’s death comes three weeks after the untimely passing of another Serie A great, Siniša Mihajlovi?, who died after a long battle with leukaemia. Mihajlovi? also played under Mancini at Sampdoria after Vialli left the club for Juventus.
