Gianluca Vialli: Tributes pour in for Chelsea, Serie A and national team legend after his death aged 58
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Published 06/01/2023 at 10:58 GMT
Gianluca Vialli has passed away aged 58 after a second battle with pancreatic cancer. Vialli was an icon of British and Italian football, winning domestic and continental titles in both countries as a player and won five trophies with Chelsea, a club he also played for, as a manager. Tributes have poured in from around the world for the Italian following his passing.
Gianluca Vialli
Image credit: Getty Images
The world of football and beyond has paid tribute to Gianluca Vialli, who passed away aged 58 with pancreatic cancer on Friday morning.
The former Chelsea striker and manager played 59 times for Italy and left his role as delegation chief with the national team in December to focus on his health.
Vialli said he had been given the all-clear from pancreatic cancer in April 2020, but he was re-diagnosed in 2021 and passed away on Friday.
Vialli won the Serie A title and the Champions League with Juventus. He also won the European Cup Winners' Cup during eight seasons with Sampdoria as player where he formed a brilliant strike partnership with Roberto Mancini. He scored 275 goals in 733 games for club and country in his decorated career.
As a manager, he was the first Italian to manage a Premier League manager and led Chelsea to League Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and Super Cup titles, as well as leading the Blues to FA Cup glory in 2000.
Vialli was a highly-respected figure in English and Italian football. The football community and wider sportsmen and women have united in paying their respects.
Chelsea wrote on their official Twitter account: "You'll be missed by so many. A legend to us and to all of football. Rest in peace, Gianluca Vialli."
Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali added: "This is truly an awful day for Chelsea Football Club. Gianluca’s legend will live on at Stamford Bridge.
"His impact as a player, a coach and most importantly as a person, will be forever written across our club’s history. We send our heartfelt and deepest condolences to his family and friends."
Juventus simply wrote "Ciao Gianluca." with a picture of Vialli holding up the Champions League trophy.
Sampdoria wrote in an emotional article: “You gave us so much, we gave you so much: yes, it was love, reciprocal, infinite. A love that will not die today with you.
"We will continue to love and adore you because – as you well know – you are better than Pele. And because, despite everything, our beautiful season is destined to never end.”
Watford, who Vialli managed in the 2001-02 season, wrote: "All at Watford FC are saddened to learn of the passing of our former manager Gianluca Vialli. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."
Udinese tweeted: A great man, a winner and a fighter on and off the pitch. You left us way too soon but we will never forget your example and your class. Ciao Gianluca.”
Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation, said: "I am deeply saddened.
"I hoped until the end that he would be able to perform another miracle, yet I am comforted by the certainty that what he did for Italian football and the blue shirt will never be forgotten.
"Without beating about the bush: Gianluca was a splendid person and he leaves a void that cannot be filled, in the national team and in all those who have appreciated his extraordinary human qualities."
Scan me
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement