Gianluca Vialli has died, Gabriele Gravina: “He leaves an unbridgeable void.”

President Gravina’s cordial message

Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation (Federcalcio), has expressed his personal condolences and those of the Federation itself for the passing at the age of 58 of Gianluca Vialli, a protagonist in the Azzurri as a player in Italia ’90 (third place finish) and as an executive as head of delegation in the victorious Euro 2020 adventure.

“I am deeply saddened,” Gravina told official FIGC channels. “I hoped until the last that he would be able to perform another miracle, yet I am comforted by the certainty that what he did for Italian soccer and the Azzurri jersey will never be forgotten. Without mincing words: Gianluca was a wonderful person and leaves an unbridgeable void, in the national team and in all those who appreciated his extraordinary human qualities.”

A few weeks ago, Vialli had announced the need to suspend his commitments with the national team, coached by his lifelong friend Roberto Mancini, to “use all the psycho-physical energies to help my body overcome this phase of the disease.”