Gianluca Vialli: The former Chelsea, Juventus and Italy striker has died at the age of 58

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Gianluca Vialli was Chelsea’s player and manager when they won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998

Former Chelsea striker and coach Gianluca Vialli, who played 59 times for Italy, has died at the age of 58.

Vialli was re-diagnosed in 2021 and in December 2022 he left a role with the Italian national team to focus on his health.

“Gianluca was a wonderful person and left a void that cannot be filled,” said Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation.

“I hoped until the very end that he could perform another miracle. But I take comfort in the certainty that what he did for Italian football and the blue shirt will never be forgotten”.

FIFA confirmed that a minute of silence in Vialli’s memory will be held before all Italian matches this weekend.

Vialli made his debut for Italy in 1985, a year after joining Sampdoria where he won the Serie A title and the European Cup Winners’ Cup during eight seasons with the club.

“We will not forget your 141 goals, your overhead kicks, your cashmere shirts, your earring, your platinum blonde hair and your ultras bomber jacket,” Sampdoria said in a statement. “You gave us so much, we gave you so much: yes, it was love, mutual, infinite.” A love that will never die with you today.”

Vialli helped Sampdoria reach the European Cup Final in 1992 but, after losing to Barcelona, ​​he moved to Juventus for a then world record fee of £12m. Vialli spent four seasons with Juventus, winning the Champions League, UEFA Cup and Serie A.

Juventus’ statement said: “We loved everything about you, absolutely everything – your smile, being a star and captain at the same time, on the pitch and in the dressing room, your incredible ways, your culture, your class, which you displayed until the last day in the black and white stripes.”

Vialli joined Chelsea on a free transfer in 1996 and became player-manager in 1998 – the first Italian to manage a Premier League club, taking over from the sacked Ruud Gullit late in the season – and went on to lead the Blues to victory in the Premier League. League Cup, European Cup Winners’ Cup and European Super Cup.

He also captained Chelsea to victory in the 2000 FA Cup Final and the Charity Shield but was sacked early in the following season after a poor start.

A Blues statement read: “A brilliant striker, a trophy-winning coach and a fantastic man, Luca’s place in Chelsea’s pantheon of greats is a sure thing. He will be sorely missed.”

Vialli then had a short stint as coach of Watford, then in the Second Division, during the 2001-02 season, but was fired after the Hornets finished only 14th.

In October 2019, he was appointed to the support room in Italy by manager and former Sampdoria teammate Roberto Mancini. He helped the Azzurri win Euro 2020 by defeating England at Wembley in July 2021.

And the FIFA statement said: “That picture in Wembley Park, that picture embracing coach Roberto Mancini after Federico Chiesa’s goal against Austria in the round of 16 of the European Championship 2021, will be one of the pictures of Gianluca Vialli that we will carry in our hearts forever.”

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