Gianluca Vialli was one of the finest centre forwards of his generation, he won almost every trophy on offer during a glittering playing career. Those footballing accolades are only surpassed by the testimonies of those who knew him as a kind, amiable and intelligent man.
We take a look back at the defining images of Luca’s career
Luca first made a name for himself with his home town club, Cremonese, in the early 1980s
Italy U21 at Swindon in 1986, front row, centre alongside his Goal Twin Roberto Mancini
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Luca went to the FIFA World Cup in 1986 and 1990 and was named in the team of the tournament for Euro 88
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Whilst on National Service, Vialli won the Military World Cup with Italy in 1987
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Luca scored twice in extra time against Anderlecht to win the 1990 Cup Winners Cup for Sampdoria
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The bond forged with Mancini would last a lifetime
Sampdoria hearts were broken at Wembley in the 1992 European Cup Final, but it wouldn’t be Luca’s last word in the competition
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A transfer to Juventus followed, where he won the UEFA Cup in his first season
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After winning the Scudetto and Coppa Italia in Turin, he rounded off his four-year stay by completing the set of European trophies. Luca lifted the 1996 European Cup as captain.
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Luca became one of the first big names to arrive in the Premier League with Chelsea…and the silverware continued to flow
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The League Cup and another Cup Winners Cup soon followed, with Luca taking his first steps in coaching as player-manager of Chelsea in 1998
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A brief spell as Watford manager followed
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In the ensuing years, Luca became a familiar sight on the charity golf…
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