Chelsea and Italy legend, Gianluca Vialli has died at the age of 58 after battling cancer.
NewsClick Nigeria reports that Vialli’s death comes five years after he was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina, said, “Gianluca was a splendid person and he leaves a void that cannot be filled.
“I hoped until the end that he would be able to perform another miracle. Yet I am comforted by the certainty that what he did for Italian football and the blue shirt will never be forgotten.”
The FIGC confirmed that a minute’s silence in memory of Vialli will be held before all Italian matches this weekend.
Vialli scored 40 goals in 88 appearances for the Blues between 1996 and 1999 and won three major trophies when he managed Chelsea.
He won 59 caps for Italy and after he was initially given the all-clear on his health in 2020, he worked with Roberto Mancini’s staff in the Italian national team, who won the European Championships in England the following summer.
He stepped down from the role in December when he returned to the Royal Marsden hospital to undergo further treatment on cancer, which he called “an unwanted guest”.
Vialli is survived by his wife, Cathryne White Cooper, and their two daughters, Olivia and Sofia.
