John Terry, lifetime achievement award with touching dedication to Gianluca Vialli

John Terry’s moving dedication to Gianluca Vialli

An emotional remembrance to celebrate a well-deserved career award: at the Globe Soccer Awards staged in Dubai on Friday evening, John Terry received a lifetime achievement award that the former Chelsea captain wanted to dedicate to another symbol of soccer and of the Blues themselves, Gianluca Vialli, who passed away just over a year ago, on January 5, 2023, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Speaking to the microphones of 'Sky Sport', Terry in fact stated, without mincing words: " Vialli è was a great friend and è was also my first coach. It was he who gave me the opportunity to play at a high level, allowing me to start a long career. He allowed all this to happen".

In addition to the lifetime achievement award presented to Terry, the Globe Soccer Awards honored the best of soccer in calendar year 2023: dominating the scene was Manchester City, which in addition to being named team of the year boasts the awards for best player (Erling Haaland) and best coach (Pep Guardiola).

Other awardees included Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham (best up-and-coming soccer player), Cristiano Ronaldo ('Maradona Award' destined for best scorer of the year), Jorge Mendes (best agent), and Aitana Bonmatì (best female soccer player). The only Italian awarded was Cristiano Giuntoli (split last calendar year between Napoli and Juventus), chosen as best sports director for 2023.