Ex-Chelsea forward Gianluca Vialli dies at 58 after battling cancer

Gianluca Vialli, former Chelsea striker and manager, has died at the age of 58.

The former Italian national team forward was confirmed dead in a statement by the country’s football federation on Friday.

Vialli passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was, however, re-diagnosed in 2021 and in December 2022 was forced to leave his role as the head of delegation for Italy’s national team to focus on his health.

The Italian football federation added that a minute’s silence in memory of Vialli would be held before all Italian matches this weekend.

Vialli was born in Cremona on July 9, 1964. He began his professional career with Cremonese, the city’s local team.

He moved to Sampdoria in 1984, where he won a Serie A title, three Italian Cups, an Italian Super Cup and a Cup Winners’ Cup through his eight-season spell at the club.

Sampdoria wrote in a statement: “You gave us so much, we gave you so much: yes, it was love, reciprocal, infinite. A love that will not die today with you. We will continue to love and adore you because – as you well know – you are better than Pelé.

“We won’t forget your 141 goals, your overhead kicks, your cashmere shirts, your earring, your platinum blonde hair, your Ultras bomber jacket. You gave us so much, we gave you so much: yes, it was love, reciprocal, infinite. A love that will not die today with you.”

He then joined Juventus and added another five trophies: a Serie A title, an Italian Cup, an Italian Super Cup, a UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League in 1996.

“We loved everything about you, absolutely everything – your smile, your being a star and leader at the same time, on the pitch and in the dressing room, your adorable swashbuckling ways, your culture, your class, which you showed until the last day in the black and white stripes,” Juventus wrote in a statement.

After three years in England with Chelsea, Vialli ended his career in 1999 bagging an FA Cup, a League Cup, a Cup Winners’ Cup and a European Super Cup.

During his stay at Stamford Bridge, he became player-manager in 1998 and led the team to silverware.

He made 59 appearances for the Azzurri and scored 16 goals. He was part of the technical crew of the Italian side that won the 2020 European Championship.