"You are and you will always be an example": Italy mourns Gianluca Vialli, dead at 58

The announcement this Friday of the death of Gianluca Vialli, aged 58 after pancreatic cancer, aroused a wave of emotion in the world of football and in Italy, especially among his former clubs.

"Goodbye Gianluca, we will always remember you," wrote the Italian national team on its Twitter account.

Ciao Gianluca, non ti dimenticheremo mai 💙 pic.twitter.com/ZnAbs9qDUe

— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) January 6, 2023

“We will remember you as a boy and a hard-working centre-forward,” reacted Sampdoria de Genoa, one of his former clubs, on its website.

“We won't forget your 141 goals (

), your aerial kicks, your cashmere shirts, your earring, your platinum blonde hair, your Ultras bomber jacket.

You gave us so much.

»

E perché, nonostante tutto, la nostra bella stagione è destinata a non finie mai.

Continue to shine in what sky cerchiato di blu su cui tu, Luca, hai firmato per semper.

“Per chi?”.

“Per noi!”.

💙🤍❤🖤🤍💙 pic.twitter.com/ysr1nWDwK1

— UC Sampdoria (@sampdoria) January 6, 2023

The club of its beginnings in 1980, Cremonese also reacted: “You remain an indelible example of our essence.

You are forever one of us”.

Inter Milan assures that Vialli was "a champion on the pitch and in life: Vialli was a noble adversary and an example of courage".

In England, Chelsea, whom Vialli coached, posted these few words: “So many people will miss you.

A legend for us and for all of football”.

You'll be missed by so many.

A legend to us and to all of football.

Rest in peace, Gianluca Vialli.

💙 pic.twitter.com/mNJPDkCSYO

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 6, 2023

The clubs were not the only ones to pay tribute to the Italian champion.

Thus, Massimiliano Allegri, the coach of Juventus Turin, does not forget anyone: "I think it is right to remember the master Castano who died yesterday (Thursday) and Gianluca Vialli: two men who gave so much to football , to Juve.

Vialli was an example for me to follow, as a player and as a man.

He will be missed by all.

".

For his part, Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of Real Madrid, launches a vibrant: “Goodbye my friend.

Every day, life after life, era after era, forever.”

Players are not left out.

Starting with those who rubbed shoulders with him during Euro 2020, won by the Squadra Azzura with Vialli as assistant coach alongside Roberto Mancini.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, the PSG goalkeeper, was: “A great champion, a leader on and off the pitch, an example for all of us.

Thank you for everything.

Rest in peace Gianluca.

“Just like Marco Verratti who emphasizes that” you were an example for all those who had the chance to know you.

We will miss you.

»

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A post shared by GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA (@donnarumma)

Gianluigi Buffon hails “a giant, both on the pitch and in life.

You fought to the end with a unique dignity.

The void you leave is immense.

Former Sampdoria team-mate Gianluca Pagliuca feels “excruciating pain” which supports Alessandro Del Piero's tribute to “our captain, my captain, forever.

Hello Luca.

Manuel Locatelli remembers that “each of your sentences, each of your behaviors and each of your teachings, I will always carry them with me.

For me you were, you are and you will always be an example.

Have a good trip.

“While Lorenzo Insigne will remember “a fantastic moment, a memory forever” of the Euro.

Francesco Acerbi assures that “you were like a teammate, you were just brilliant.

Thank you for the passion that you were able to transmit to me, for the teachings that you gave us and I thank you for having met you.

I could keep remembering you with all your qualities but I keep them in my heart because everyone knows what a man you were and I'm just telling you that we were European champions together.

Goodbye Gianlu.

»

In the rest of Europe, Andreï Chevchenko puts forward “a champion on the ground and in life.

You will always be in our hearts” while Frank Leboeuf, his former teammate at Chelsea, soberly wrote: “Goodbye Luca, I am so sad”.

Clarence Seedorf thinks that "it looks like the god of football is having an important game up there, because he has also brought Vialli to him, another great of our football world.

A gentleman, intelligent, positive and with a big heart.

You also fought with great dignity and now you have the peace you deserve.

Thank you for all the moments spent together.

»

The Italian Federation has announced that a minute's silence will be held in all Italian stadiums this weekend.