Gianluca Vialli

Vialli, who played with Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017.

Mihajlović also played with Mancini at Sampdoria after Vialli left the club for Juventus. You came as a boy, we salute you as a man,” it said. “We have come a long way together, growing and searching, winning and dreaming.

Former Chelsea and Juventus star Gianluca Vialli has died at the age of 58 following a long battle with cancer.

Their Sampdoria team had lost the European Cup final to Barcelona at the same venue 29 years earlier. The memory of him and his example will live forever in our hearts." Vialli scored twice as Sampdoria beat Anderlecht 2-0 in 1990 to lift the European Cup Winners' Cup. The pair 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. Under Vialli, Chelsea won the League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup in 1998 and the FA Cup two years later before he too was dismissed. Vialli left the Genoa-based club in the summer of 1992, moving to Juventus, where after a sluggish start he rediscovered his goal-scoring touch and helped the Turin giants win the Italian league in 1995 and the Champions League the following season.

Italy football great Gianluca Vialli has died aged 58 after what he described as his "journey" with an "unwelcome travel companion" -- pancreatic cancer.

“It can appear strange in this moment (of the pandemic), compared to many others I feel very fortunate.” Vialli retired from professional football in 1999 to focus on his role as a full-time manager. “I am not a warrior. “And then on the pitch, we were very complementary… Another bout with the disease swiftly followed in 2019, before his former team Chelsea announced he’d been ‘given the all-clear’ in 2020. Without him, and without Mancini and the other coaches, this victory would mean nothing.

Former Chelsea and Juventus star Gianluca Vialli has died at the age of 58 following a long battle with cancer.

Their Sampdoria team had lost the European Cup final to Barcelona at the same venue 29 years earlier. The memory of him and his example will live forever in our hearts." Vialli scored twice as Sampdoria beat Anderlecht 2-0 in 1990 to lift the European Cup Winners' Cup. The pair 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. Under Vialli, Chelsea won the League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup in 1998 and the FA Cup two years later before he too was dismissed. Vialli left the Genoa-based club in the summer of 1992, moving to Juventus, where after a sluggish start he rediscovered his goal-scoring touch and helped the Turin giants win the Italian league in 1995 and the Champions League the following season.

ROME: Former Juventus, Chelsea and Italy striker Gianluca Vialli has died aged 58 of pancreatic cancer, his former club Sampdoria announced on Friday....

“We have come a long way together, growing and searching, winning and dreaming. He also guided Chelsea to victory in the 2000 FA Cup final but was sacked in the following season. 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.

The football world is in mourning once more, with former Juventus and Chelsea striker Gianluca Vialli passing away at the age of 58.

At international level, Vialli earned 59 caps for Italy, scoring 16 goals. Vialli guided the Blues to League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup glory and retired from playing in 1999 with 259 club goals to his name from 673 appearances. Another Serie A crown, Italian Cup and UEFA Cup were captured in Turin, but the undoubted highlight of a four-year stint with the Bianconeri came when beating Ajax in the 1996 Champions League final.

The Italian soccer community mourns the death of one of the most iconic sportspersons of his generation.

[Alessandro Del Piero](https://www.instagram.com/p/CnEjEGprDu9/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D), one of the legends featuring in that stellar Juventus squad, paid tribute to his former teammate with an Instagram post whose caption reads, “Our captain. As a Blucerchiato, Vialli formed a memorable offensive partnership with Roberto Mancini and tallied 141 goals in 328 matches before joining Italian soccer giants [Juventus](https://www.forbes.com/sites/danieleproch/2022/11/29/the-reasons-behind-andrea-agnellis-sudden-resignation-as-the-juventus-president/?sh=60c6a8796581). Vialli’s unparalleled charisma earned him the Bianconeri armband, and he perfectly lived up to that responsibility by lifting the much coveted UEFA Champions League trophy in 1996. [UEFA European Football Championship](https://www.forbes.com/sites/danieleproch/2021/06/15/a-look-at-the-uefa-euro-2020-prize-money-as-italy-tries-to-secure-early-round-of-16-spot/?sh=7ebd4e972201), a trophy that they last had hoisted in 1968. Among the many feats of his impressive career, Vialli boasts the record of being the only striker to have won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup (today’s Europa League) and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. [Scudetto](https://www.forbes.com/sites/danieleproch/2023/01/05/napolis-first-loss-of-the-season-enlivens-serie-a-title-race/?sh=6978db2839ca) during the 1990/91 Serie A season.

Dynamic, intelligent forward for Chelsea, Juventus, Sampdoria and Italy who became the first Italian to manage a top-flight English football club.

In Turin he won the 1993 Uefa Cup during his first season and then, under a new manager, Marcello Lippi, captained the side to a double of the 1994-95 Italian championship and the Italian Cup, creating another formidable goalscoring combination with Fabrizio Ravanelli in a side that also boasted Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero and Andreas Möller. That was enough to put him off management for good, and he moved instead into work as a television analyst and commentator, mainly for Sky Italia. He was dropped after missing a penalty in the second match against the USA, but returned for Italy’s semi-final against Argentina, which they lost on penalties. Qualifying for the European Cup, they reached the final at Wembley in 1992, but lost 1-0 to Barcelona in extra time, Vialli uncharacteristically missing three good chances before Ronald Koeman scored the winner. A year followed as manager of Watford, after which he decided to concentrate on other interests, including television work and a backroom job with the Italian national side. Gianluca Vialli, who has died of pancreatic cancer aged 58, became the first Italian to manage a top-flight English football club when he took over at Chelsea in 1998, guiding them to FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup trophies.

Gianluca Vialli's death at the age of 58 has prompted an outpouring of affection and grief. The former Italy, Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea striker was ...

"I try to teach them that happiness depends on the perspective with which you look on life, that you shouldn't put on airs, that you should listen more and speak less. An anecdote that did the rounds after news of Vialli's death related to his first game as a manager against Arsenal. Vialli remained a resident in London after his career, with the family calling England's capital city home. They also won the Cup Winners' Cup that season as Vialli brought Zola off the bench to score a wonderful winner against Stuttgart. He and Gullit did not always see eye-to-eye and when the Dutchman was sacked in February 1998, the Italian No.9 was appointed player-manager. Luca was the type of player you could imagine thriving in a modern game that continued to fascinate and beguile him until his death. Vialli was 32 when he made his Chelsea debut so could be placed in the latter category. In 1990, England's run to the semifinals of the World Cup in Italy revitalised a national game that had begun to wither amid tragedy and neglect. Chelsea symbolised the decay of English football in the 1980s more explicitly than most, but they swiftly became a glamour club in tune with their surroundings on King's Road in west London. Despite being a shade under six foot, he was no-one's idea of easy work in the air. Marcelo Lippi's side also won the Coppa Italia that year and were only denied a treble in the UEFA Cup final by Parma over two legs, but not before Vialli scored a typically blistering goal. Serie A was the best domestic league on the planet, boasting an all-star cast of players, tactical sophistication and kits and stadiums that looked so damn good.

Gianluca Vialli's death on Friday robbed Italian football of an iconic figure of its golden era, a powerful yet studious centre-forward who won almost every ...

Vialli wore his wealthy upbringing with charm and grace and brought a rare sophistication to the English game, as well as his alluring talent.