Former Italy striker Gianluca Vialli, 58, handed away on Friday, on the age of 58. He had been present process therapy for pancreatic most cancers.
Vialli, who loved a stellar profession with Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea and earned 59 caps for Italy, was identified with pancreatic most cancers in 2017. He was given the all-clear a 12 months later just for the sickness to return.
“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 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 nonetheless compelled to step apart from his function as head of a delegation with the Italian nationwide workforce final month, saying he wanted to deal with overcoming a brand new part of his illness.
Working with the Italy squad, Vialli had been reunited with nationwide coach Roberto Mancini, a lifelong good friend and strike associate after they each performed for Sampdoria, the place they had been referred to as “the goal twins.”
Vialli and Mancini led the Italians to the Euro 2020 event in 2021, lifting the trophy in Wembley Stadium the place, 29 years earlier, their Sampdoria workforce had misplaced the European Cup ultimate to Barcelona.
They celebrated final 12 months 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.