The funeral of Gianluca Vialli will take place these days in London in private form. The date has not yet been announced, and probably will not know. He died at the age of 58, on January 6, 2023, the former footballer following pancreatic cancer, against which he fought for 5 years, the world of sport is in mourning but also fans and non. He left Luca a void, but he did it in his own style, the same one that has distinguished him throughout his life: in privacy. He never cared about being seen and his apparitions were sipped, as were his words. He has never crossed the line that demarcates professionalism from the desire for visibility Gianluca and his family is like that too.
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Vialli’s funeral in private form: here’s the reason
For this reason, in these hours the family, the one of origin and the one that he built with his wife Cathryn White Cooper, with whom he had two daughters Olivia and Sofia, have issued a statement in which they say that the funeral will be private. «We thank the many who have supported him over the years with their affection. The memory of her and her example will live forever in our hearts,” the relatives wrote in a note. As reported by the Gazzetta dello Sport, however, a public ceremony will be organized in Cremona in the coming months, perhaps at the end of the championship.
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Luke’s last will
A decision taken not out of lack of respect for the millions of people who would like to be present at Vialli’s last farewell, but a decision taken with extreme respect for Luca. A measured, discreet and sincere man. In fact, it was he who released, before he died, his will on his funeral. According to what Corriere della Sera reports in these hours his loved ones are gathered in pain in Cremona. To mourn the untimely death of Gianluca are his brothers and his two elderly parents, his father Gianfranco, 92 years old, and his mother Maria Teresa (known as Marioli), 85 years old.
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In London the last farewell
In London, however, there is his wife Cathryn, with their daughters Olivia and Sofia and yesterday their sister and sister-in-law also arrived. The watchword for the Vialli family is only one: confidentiality. The date, again according to the Via Solferino newspaper, has not been set (because London’s bureaucratic procedures take longer than ours), but in any case it will not be communicated. What we do know is that they will take place in London. So Gianluca would have wanted.
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Gianluca Vialli «however, he recommended to the family members who stood by him not to organize a gray farewell – explains Corriere della Sera – Luca wanted a “cheerful funeral”». And all this makes you move even more. Vialli for his farewell just wants a day surrounded by the people who really loved him. «It certainly won’t be easy» concludes the newspaper. But Luca was like this, full of life and radiance.
Mass in Cremona tomorrow
In the meantime, tomorrow in Cremona, his beloved city, a Mass will be celebrated in the parish of Christ the King, in the Po district, right there where Gianluca kicked a ball on the oratory’s pitch for the first time. It seems that some of his family members had initially thought of having Mass celebrated in the Cathedral, but Gianluca’s mother insisted that the farewell be to Christ the King. Where it all began there will be a farewell.
