Vialli leaves the Azzurri: “I have to focus on the illness.”

Italy delegation leader Gianluca Vialli: “I have to suspend my professional commitments.”

Gianluca Vialli has announced his suspension from his role as Italy’s head of delegation to focus on the disease he has long been battling with: “At the end of a long and difficult ‘negotiation’ with my wonderful team of oncologists, I have decided to suspend, I hope temporarily, my present and future professional commitments.”

“The goal is to use all psycho-physical energies to help my body overcome this stage of the disease, so that I will be able as soon as possible to face new adventures and share them with all of you. A hug.”

Vialli’s statement was followed by that of the Figc: “Gianluca is an absolute protagonist of the Italian national team and will be in the future. Thanks to his extraordinary strength of spirit, the Azzurro and the affection of the entire federal family, I am convinced he will be back soon. He can count on each of us, because we are a team, on and off the field.”