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The Italian football community mourns the loss of Gianluca Vialli, a former striker for Sampdoria, Juventus, and Chelsea who passed away at age 58 following a protracted illness.
Vialli was a prolific goal scorer who made 673 appearances in Serie A, the English Premier League, and European club competitions during the course of his 19-year career, scoring 259 goals. He also made 59 appearances for Italy, scoring 16 goals in those games.
The President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Gabriele Gravina, was one of the first to pay respect to Vialli. He said, "I'm really sorry." I waited until the very end in hopes that he would pull off another miracle, but I find comfort in knowing that what he accomplished for Italian football and the Azzurra will go on forever.
Gianluca was a wonderful person and he leaves a vacuum on the national team and in all those who have valued his extraordinary human traits that are impossible to fill. A minute of quiet will be held prior to each of the Italian football games scheduled for the upcoming weekend, according to the FIGC.
Vialli recently made the decision to temporarily leave the Italy team, which is coached by Roberto Mancini, a former Sampdoria teammate. The two pals contributed to the Azzurri's victory in UEFA EURO 2020 in the summer of 2021.
Aleksander Ceferin, the president of UEFA, said: "A young man leaving us is always a huge loss. All members of the football family will experience genuine suffering and a profound sense of dismay."
"Gianluca was more than just a champion; he was kind, reserved, courteous, and above all brave, in life even more than on the field, as he has taught us in recent years via his honourable battle against his illness."
"We will never forget his brilliance in the numerous trophies he amassed, all the way to the last picture of him hugging Roberto Mancini in the centre of the field at Wembley, a moment of emotion and delight in the most exquisite and spectacular of victories. We will truly miss him.
Zvonimir Boban, a former Milan player who is now UEFA's technical director and head of football, continued: "Gianluca was an excellent soccer player, but he was also a beautiful person who brightened everyone's day. encircled them with their contagious personality".
"Last summer, when he contributed to Italy and his dear friend Roberto Mancini winning the European Championship, it was clear that he was always happy and truly loved life. Luca's friends and family are currently in my thoughts. All of football's football community will miss him a lot."
Vialli signed with Sampdoria in 1984 after beginning his career in 1980 with Cremonese. He scored 85 goals in Serie A while playing for the "Blucerchiati," winning the Italian Cup three times, the Italian national championship, and the Cup Winners' Cup of Europe in 1989/90. He also participated in the 1992 European Cup final defeat of Sampdoria by Barcelona.
Vialli won the UEFA Champions League four years after joining Juventus, when the Bianconeri triumphed over Ajax in the Rome final after a shootout. He also won the Coppa Italia, the Scudetto, and the 1992–93 UEFA Cup while playing for Turin, making him one of only nine footballers to have triumphed in all three major European club competitions.
Alessandro Del Piero, who won the UEFA Champions League with Vialli for Juve, stated: "Our captain. My captain. Forever."
After joining Chelsea in 1996 and becoming a player and manager in February 1998, Vialli managed the English team even after he stopped playing football in 1999. He won the English FA Cup, English League Cup, the 1998 UEFA Super Cup, and the 1997/98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup while playing for the London squad.
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