Former Fiorentina and Sampdoria defender Giancarlo Galdiolo has died at the age of 69 after a long illness.
He was nicknamed ‘The Gentle Giant’ and played as a right-back, wearing the Viola jersey from 1970-80 and spending another two years at Sampdoria.
Galdiolo had been suffering from a serious injury since 2010, a frontal temporal lobe dementia.
His son suggested that the illness may have been linked with ALS, a debilitating condition that above all is found among former athletes.
Former Fiorentina and Sampdoria defender Giancarlo Galdiolo has died at the age of 69 after a long illness.
He was nicknamed ‘The Gentle Giant’ and played as a right-back, wearing the Viola jersey from 1970-80 and spending another two years at Sampdoria.
Galdiolo had been suffering from a serious injury since 2010, a frontal temporal lobe dementia.
His son suggested that the illness may have been linked with ALS, a debilitating condition that above all is found among former athletes.
He put together 223 Serie A appearances and retired in 1984.