Another dead footballer you may say, nu? Gianluca Vialli was certainly a great success in Italy, helping Sampdoria to win its first ever Scudetto, and after a then record transfer fee to move to Juventus, being part of their Serie A winning team as well. Despite his strong link to The Team That Must Not Be Named, he was a speedy and acrobatic player who scored some fantastic goals. So he is, and will always be, part of national and international football history.
Having just watched some of the tributes to Vialli on Italian TV today, I would also say that he was a great communicator off the field throughout his football career, a talent that he was able to transfer to management, and ultimately commentary and punditry.
Vialli's hope, however, was that his fight against the pancreatic cancer that ultimately killed him would inspire others in their own struggles, and give them hope. And this is why I'm writing about him today. His book "Goals: Inspirational Stories to Help Tackle Life's Challenges", co-written with Gabriele Marcotti & published in 2020, might be of interest to you or a friend.
And if you would like to make a donation for further research into pancreatic cancer:
Pancreatic Cancer UK, Lustgarten Foundation, National Pancreas Foundation (US)
Here are some of his goals for you to watch.
His career details
May he rest in peace & may his memory be a blessing.
