Gianluca Vialli, a former Chelsea player-manager who also played for Sampdoria and Juventus and won Serie A and European titles during his career, has passed away. He was 58.
On Friday, Valli’s death was officially announced by the Italian soccer federation.
In 2018, Vialli stated that he had won his year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, but by December 2021, he stated that cancer had returned.
Midway through December, Vialli announced that he was temporarily stepping down from his role as the delegation chief for Italy’s national team due to his deteriorating health.
Roberto Mancini, the head coach of the Azzurri and a close friend of Valli’s, gave him the role of delegation chief.
When they were on the same team at Sampdoria, “goal twins” Vialli and Mancini led the Genoa-based club to its first Serie A championship in 1991 and its sole European triumph in 1990 with the Cup Winners’ Cup, in addition to four Italian Cup trophies.
Additionally, Sampdoria was guided by Vialli and Mancini to the 1992 European Cup final, where they lost to Barcelona at Wembley Stadium.
When Vialli was named the head of the Italian delegation, he reconnected with Mancini, and the two helped Italy win the European Championship last year by defeating England in a penalty shootout at Wembley.
“Our bond goes well beyond friendship,” Mancini remarked of the two at the Euros. I can talk to him like a real brother would.
The death of Sinia Mihajlovi, another Serie A great, after a long battle with leukemia, occurred just three weeks before that of Gianluca Vialli. After Vialli moved to Juventus, Mihajlovi also joined Mancini’s Sampdoria squad.
Vialli led Juventus to three consecutive Serie A championships, as well as the Champions League and UEFA Cup.
From 1985 to 1992, Vialli was a member of Italy’s national team. In 59 games, he scored 16 goals.
During his final years as a player, Vialli also managed Chelsea to three consecutive cup victories (the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Cup Winners’ Cup). After he left Chelsea to do TV commentary and other things, he kept his London residence.
