The iconic former soccer striker Gianluca Vialli, whose 59 caps for Italy, illustrious membership profession with Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea and numerous achievements have made him a legend, has succumbed to most cancers on the age of 58.
Vialli was recognized with pancreatic most cancers in 2017. He was given the all-clear a yr later just for the sickness to return.
Sampdoria confirmed on Friday that he had died.
“I know that I probably will not die of old age, I hope to live as long as possible, but I feel much more fragile than before,” Vialli had mentioned in a Netflix documentary aired in March 2022.
He described most cancers as “a travel companion” that he hoped would ultimately go away him in peace, after testing his mettle. “Illness can teach a lot about who you are, and can push you to go beyond the superficial way in which we live,” he mentioned.
Vialli was nevertheless compelled to step except for his function as head of a delegation with the Italian nationwide crew final month, saying he wanted to give attention to overcoming a brand new section of his illness.
Working with the Italy squad, Vialli had been reunited with nationwide coach Roberto Mancini, a lifelong good friend and strike companion after they each performed for Sampdoria, the place they had been often called “the goal twins.”
Mancini and Vialli led the Italians to the Euro 2020 match, which was delayed till 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, lifting the trophy in Wembley Stadium.
They celebrated with a tearful embrace that “was more beautiful than the hugs we used to give each other when I passed him the ball and he scored goals,” Vialli mentioned in a TV interview with Italy’s RAI in November.
Their Sampdoria crew had misplaced the European Cup ultimate to Barcelona on the similar venue 29 years earlier.
Success at Sampdoria
The son of a rich industrialist, Vialli first emerged as a younger participant together with his native crew Cremonese in Italy’s third and second tiers.
He moved to Sampdoria in 1984 and helped the membership take pleasure in essentially the most profitable interval in its historical past, profitable the Italian Cup 3 times. Vialli scored twice as Sampdoria beat Anderlecht 2-0 in 1990 to elevate the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
He additionally performed a serious function when Sampdoria claimed the Serie A league title in 1991 for the primary and solely time, scoring 19 objectives.
Vialli left the Genoa-based membership in the summertime of 1992, shifting to Juventus, the place after a sluggish begin he rediscovered his goalscoring contact and helped the Turin giants win the Italian league in 1995 and the Champions League the next season.
He joined London membership Chelsea on a free switch in 1996 and have become participant supervisor two years later when Dutchman Ruud Gullit was sacked.
Under Vialli, Chelsea gained the League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998 and the FA Cup two years later earlier than he too was dismissed.
His final managerial function was accountable for Watford within the English second tier in 2001-2002.
After leaving crew administration, Vialli co-founded sports activities funding agency Tifosy Capital.
Vialli leaves a spouse and two daughters.
