GIANLUCA VIALLI. Died this Friday, January 6 at the age of 58, the legend of Italian football had been suffering from pancreatic cancer since 2018. During his playing career, Gianluca Vialli passed through Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea.
[Mis à jour le 6 janvier 2023 à 13h08] After the death of King Pelé, the world of football says goodbye to another of its legends, this Friday January 6, 2023. Gianluca Vialli, former Italian striker, died this Friday in London, at the age of 58. In 2018, he announced that he had pancreatic cancer, before indicating that he had overcome it in 2020, as recalled RMC Sports. But the disease has resurfaced in recent weeks. On December 14, the man who was head of delegation within the Italian national team announced that he was leaving his post in order to concentrate his forces in his fight against cancer. He then left for the British capital for treatment.
“Surrounded by his family, he passed away last night after five years of illness which he faced with courage and dignity. We thank the many people who supported him with their affection during these years. His memory and his example will live forever in our hearts”, communicated this Friday his family, according to remarks reported by The Parisian. The Italian footballer leaves behind his wife, to whom he was married for twenty years, as well as his two daughters.
A busy career in selection as in club
Star striker of the 1980s and 1990s, Gianluca Vialli played 686 games during his career, and scored 275 goals. He notably shone with the Italian selection, called the Nazionale, for which he scored 16 goals in 59 games. La Nazionale had notably won a bronze medal with him, during the 1990 World Cup which was held in Italy. She had also reached the semi-finals at the Euro in 1988. “Ciao Gianluca, we will never forget you”, reacted on Twitter the official account of the Italian selection.
Born in 1964 in Cremona, Gianluca Vialli combined speed, power and mastery of heading. He played for Sampdoria Genoa between 1984 and 1992, before joining Juventus Turin between 1992 and 1996. His playing career ended in the shirt of Chelsea, a British team for which he played between 1996 and 1999. His club record is substantial. He won the Italian football championship twice, Serie A, first with Sampdoria in 1991, then with Juventus in 1995. Club with which he won the Champions League in 1996, after winning , with the team, the UEFA Cup in 1993. He also won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1990 with Sampdoria, then in 1998 with Chelsea. With the Blues, he also won the FA Cup in 1997.
A coaching career that is not to be outdone
In 1999, while still playing at Chelsea, he also took over as manager of the club, becoming a player-manager in the process. The footballer had ended his playing career at the end of the season, remaining at Chelsea as a manager. He won four titles as Blues manager, including a League Cup, a Cup Winners’ Cup and a European Super Cup. Still in the United Kingdom, he then coached the British club for the 2001-2002 season.
His legend was consecrated in 2015, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Italian football, as recalled RMC Sports. The former striker joined the Italian Football Federation in 2019, becoming head of delegation. He had thus joined coach Roberto Mancini, with whom he shook the defenses of Italian clubs during his years at Sampdoria. It is together that the two former footballers led Italy to victory at the Euro in 2021. The Nazionale then won on penalties against England.