Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini remembers friend: “We were like brothers.”

Italy’s national team coach remembers Gianluca Vialli

A day after Gianluca Vialli’s death, Italian national team coach Roberto Mancini remembered his fraternal friend in an interview with the FIGC

“It’s a great loss for me, for his family and for all of Italian soccer. It’s a difficult moment. We lived almost all our lives together: there was a close bond, like that between two brothers. Then at a certain point football-wise we split up, but when you are friends you are friends forever: Luca for me was this. Our relationship has always been one of great respect, love and friendship.

“I hoped something would happen, I hoped for a miracle. We saw each other, we talked, we joked: he was always in a good mood as usual. I was glad to see him like that at that moment,” said the former Inter and Manchester City coach among others, recalling his last meeting with Vialli.

“Luca was a joyful guy, always cheerful, few times I saw him angry. He would like to be remembered like that, as well as for being a great footballer and a great professional,” the Azzurri coach continued.

Mancinì then concluded by stressing the importance of Vialli in the role of head of the national team: “Luca was good, he made the boys, especially the younger ones, understand the value of the national team jersey and where they could go. He was a very valuable person for us: he talked to the boys and they liked to listen to him. Those were good and important moments.”