A particular backstory has emerged in recent hours about Gianluca Vialli, the late Italian striker who passed away in 2023
Remembering a legend of Italian and international football like Gianluca Vialli is always very moving. The former Azzurri striker left us at the beginning of 2023, after having fought for a long time against an incurable illness.
Vialli had been sick for some time, but despite that, he showed great strength of character and fighting spirit, battling pancreatic cancer while continuing to do what he loved most: working in the world of football, also becoming an executive with the Italian National Team during their victorious campaign at Euro 2020.
The former striker for Juventus and Sampdoria had a truly exhilarating career. He scored countless goals and won iconic trophies such as the Scudetto with the Blucerchiati and the Champions League with the Bianconeri. He also ended up playing at Chelsea, in the Premier League, demonstrating all his quality and leadership skills, later becoming player-manager of the Blues.
Vialli and Zola, the memory of an unforgettable anecdote
Regarding his experience in London, a city that welcomed him until his untimely passing, a really funny and charming backstory about Luca Vialli has emerged. It is retold by another Italian who achieved extraordinary things in the Chelsea jersey, namely Gianfranco Zola.
In a recent interview with ‘Il Riformista’, Zola, who was voted the best player of the ‘90s at Chelsea, recalled his relationship with Vialli once he was signed by the London team. In particular, a very amusing anecdote emerged: “Sometimes we had different views, but we confronted each other with respect. Gianluca had important values. I was looking for a place to live, I didn’t know where to go for dinner. Gianluca took me to a Japanese restaurant and let me try wasabi. I put so much on the bread that I almost ended up in the hospital!”
A humorous exchange that highlights how Vialli was a fun, special, and very inclusive character, especially during his time in the Premier League. His and Zola’s arrival at Chelsea opened the season for Italians in the Blues’ jersey, followed by other Italian stars such as Di Matteo, Casiraghi, and Panucci.
Vialli’s passing, which occurred in London on January 6, 2023, left a great void among football fans. But especially among all those players and coaches who crossed paths with him during his career, given the human and sporting quality of the former Juventus player.