Gianluca Vialli was an Italian football or soccer player and manager who played as a striker.

Gianluca Vialli started his club career at Cremonese in 1980 in his native Italy where he made 105 league appearances scoring 23 goals. His performances impressed Sampdoria who signed him in 1984, during which time he scored 85 league goals and won three Italian cups.

In 1992, he transferred to Juventus for a world record £12.5 million, and during this time he won the Italian Cup.

In 1996, Gianluca Vialli joined Chelsea and became Chelsea player manager the following season. In England he won the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners Cup, and UEFA Super Cup. He is one of nine footballers to have won the three main European club competitions, and the only forward to have done so; he is also the only player in European footballing history to have both winners' and runners-up medals in all three main European club competitions, including two winner medals for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

At the international level, he represented Italy’s national team in two FIFA World Cups. The first in Italy in 1986 and the one in 1990. He also took part at UEFA Euro 1988, helping his nation to a semi-final finish, and was elected to the team of the tournament.

During his twenty-year-long career as a professional footballer, he scored 259 goals at club level, 16 goals with the national team, and 11 goals with the Italy national under-21 football team, for a total of 286 goals in more than 500 appearances, making him the tenth-highest scoring Italian player in all competitions.

On retirement from playing, he went into management, punditry, and worked as a commentator for Sky Italia. He was part of the Italy national team non-playing staff as a delegation chief; however, he stepped down from this role due to his battle with cancer.

The Genoa-based Sampdoria gave the football star a last farewell in a statement. “We have come a long way together, growing and searching, winning and dreaming. You came as a boy, we salute you as a man,” it said.

Even though his life was shortened, it was still full and rewarding, and he will be missed. Gianluca Vialli now is part of In Heaven with the Stars.