Gianluca Vialli, a former striker for Juventus, Chelsea, and Italy, passed away on Friday at the age of 58 from pancreatic cancer, according to his previous teams.
Despite receiving a cancer diagnosis in 2017, Vialli was still able to contribute significantly to Italy’s successful 2021 campaign at the European Championship, helping longtime Sampdoria strike partner and national coach Roberto Mancini.
When he revealed in December that he would be taking a short break from his responsibilities with the national team to focus on his health, things did not seem good.
Before joining Juventus in 1992 for an amount that was then a world record 16.5 million euros, Vialli played for Sampdoria in Genoa for eight seasons.
He won the Champions League with Juventus before joining Chelsea in 1996 and becoming player-manager in 1998.
Vialli took over from the sacked Ruud Gullit late in the season, and went on to lead Chelsea to victory in the League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
He also guided Chelsea to victory in the 2000 FA Cup final but was sacked in the following season.
Chelsea’s current co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said in a statement: “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.”
Sampdoria, where Vialli won the Serie A title and European Cup Winners’ Cup, said in their statement: “We have come a long way together, growing and searching, winning and dreaming. You came as a boy, we salute you as a man.”
Vialli played 59 times for Italy, scoring 16 goals.
The Italian football federation (FIGC) said a minute’s silence would be held before all matches in the country this weekend.
“Gianluca was a wonderful person and leaves an unbridgeable void, in the national team and in all those who appreciated his extraordinary human qualities,” it said.
