Born in the northern city of Cremona in 1964, Vialli enjoyed a stellar career with Italian clubs Sampdoria and Juventus, as well as English side Chelsea, and earned 59 caps for Italy.
He was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 but
was given the all-clear a year later – only for the illness to return.
In a Netflix documentary aired in March, Vialli described
cancer as “a travel companion” that he hoped would eventually leave 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 said.
Despite the disease, he was still able to play a significant
role in Italy’s Euro 2020 title-winning campaign assisting longtime Sampdoria
strike partner and national coach Roberto Mancini.
Vialli and Mancini led the Italians to the tournament in
2021, lifting the trophy in Wembley Stadium where, 29 years earlier, their
Sampdoria team had lost the European Cup final to Barcelona.
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 said in a TV interview with Italy’s RAI in
November.
Last month, Vialli was forced to step aside from his role as
head of a delegation with the Italian national team, saying he needed to focus
on overcoming a new phase of his disease.
“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,” he said in
the documentary.
Vialli made his name in eight seasons at Sampdoria, winning
the Serie A title and European Cup Winners’ Cup before joining Juventus in 1992
for a then-world record 16.5 million euros.
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.
The Genoa-based Sampdoria gave the football star a last
farewell in a 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,” it said.
Vialli’s death comes days after the passing of 82-year-old
Brazilian football legend Pele, who had a tumour removed from his colon last
year.
Another Serie A great, Siniša Mihajlović, died last month
after a long battle with leukaemia. Mihajlović also played with Mancini at
Sampdoria after Vialli left the club for Juventus.
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