Roberto Mancini pays tribute to his friend Gianluca Vialli

• Italy head coach Roberto Mancini has paid tribute to his friend, ‘little brother’ and former teammate Gianluca Vialli.
• Gianluca Vialli was part of Roberto Mancini’s coaching staff that led Italy to win the Euro 2020 tournament in England. 

Italy head coach Roberto Mancini has paid tribute to his friend, ‘little brother’ and former teammate Gianluca Vialli. 

Gianluca Vialli’s death was revealed on Friday by his family, and tributes have since been flowing.

Gianluca Vialli. Photo/ Planet Radio.

The former footballer played with Roberto Mancini at Sampdoria and the Italian national team. They met at the age of 16 and never left each other’s side, according to Roberto Mancini. 

Gianluca Vialli was part of Roberto Mancini’s coaching staff that led Italy to win the Euro 2020 tournament in England. 

“We met at 16 years old and never left each other’s side. Italy’s youth and senior teams, Samp, the highs, the lows, the victories and the defeats. Those two nights at Wembley – many years ago, we cried with pain and bitterness, and then we cried with joy as though we were united by destiny before he passed away. He played a key role in us winning the European Championship. The players loved him.” Roberto Mancini told Corriere dello Sport, as per BBC Sports. 

Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli were prolific goalscorers who formed a lethal partnership while playing for Sampdoria. 

Nicknamed ‘the goat twins’, Mancini and Vialli spent eight years together at Sampdoria, winning the club’s only Serie A title. 

They also won three Coppa Italia trophies and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1990. Mancini and Vialli were part of Sampdoria’s team that lost the 1992 European Cup final to FC Barcelona. 

Roberto Mancini appointed Gianluca Vialli to Italy’s coaching staff in October 2019. The players loved Vialli, and he played a massive role in Italy winning the European Championship. 

Mancini visited Vialli in the hospital barely a week before his death and noticed how he was powerless with little voice. However, the Italy boss noticed how Vialli remained “very lucid”. 

Vialli and Mancini had a discussion at the hospital as the former inquired about the get-together with the youths in December. 

According to Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli was a perfect and courageous man. He is privileged to have been his friend in this life. 

“Gianluca was the best of us, a perfect, courageous man. It was a privilege to be his friend, his teammate in football and life.” Roberto Mancini said, as per BBC Sports. 

Roberto Mancini finished his tribute to Gianluca Vialli by saying he would dedicate something relevant to him.

Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli react on the touchline during a past match. Photo/ talkSPORT.

Gianluca Vialli passed away on Thursday at the age of 58. He was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 but was given the all-clear in April 2020 following a 17-month struggle. 

The Italian legend was diagnosed with the same condition in 2021 and fought strongly until his demise last week. 

Gianluca Vialli will be remembered as one of the greatest Italian forwards of all time.