Ex-Juventus and Italy striker Gianluca Vialli assures ‘physically I feel good’ after beating cancer but admits he is still ‘very scared’ about the illness coming back.
Vialli was given the all-clear last month after two years battling the disease, and the 55-year-old spoke to The Times ahead of his new book’s release on Thursday, entitled ‘Goals: Inspirational Stories to Help Tackle Life’s Challenges’.
“You never know until it’s been a few years with no problems,” he told the newspaper.
Ex-Juventus and Italy striker Gianluca Vialli assures ‘physically I feel good’ after beating cancer but admits he is still ‘very scared’ about the illness coming back.
Vialli was given the all-clear last month after two years battling the disease, and the 55-year-old spoke to The Times ahead of his new book’s release on Thursday, entitled ‘Goals: Inspirational Stories to Help Tackle Life’s Challenges’.
“You never know until it’s been a few years with no problems,” he told the newspaper.
“Physically I feel good. I think I’ve got my muscles back. I’ve been working out every other day with my wife. But I am still very scared and very preoccupied.
“One thing that will take a long time to get rid of is that feeling, whenever you wake up or go to sleep with a little tummy ache or headache or a bit of temperature, to think, ‘Oh my God, it’s back.’ You are fragile.
“I never thought that being a footballer I was invincible, I knew I was human. Nobody wants something like this but when it does [happen], you have to look at it as an opportunity to get to know yourself better — the way you were, the way you are and how you want to be in the future.
“It’s inevitable that you find out about your true self. There was so much I realised I had to work on, to try to improve.
The former Chelsea player-coach lost all his hair during his cancer treatment, including his beard and eyebrows, but says meditating helped him on his ‘journey’.
“Then my daughters helped, and I got my wife advising which [make-up] looks better. We laughed. You have to laugh. You need to find the funny side if you can.”
“I never meditated before. I wish I’d started when I was a footballer or more importantly when I was a manager. It might have saved me from insanity.
“Of course we are all human. I can still get upset over something trivial. But I am more mindful, more aware that it’s trivial. Mindfulness is very important. It was tough in the beginning. Now I love it.
“I hear people say ‘fight with cancer’. It’s not a battle for me. It’s more like a journey. I see it as a journey with an unwanted travel companion and I want to outlast it.”
Vialli is currently the Italian national team’s head of delegation, which sees him work alongside ex-Sampdoria strike partner Roberto Mancini.
“Being on the bus, the music pumping, hugging the players before the match, the national anthem, the joy afterwards…
“I was missing football and I didn’t realise how much. What I would say to players [now] is this is a time when you can know more about yourself than ever before.
“You should look at this with curiosity. Playing behind closed doors: is this going to affect me? What are the mental challenges?
“A crisis is an opportunity to grow. It’s a time to look at their emotions, to share them. They shouldn’t be ashamed of being scared.”
Italian footballer @LucaVialli speaks on #BBCBreakfast about his journey with cancer and his outlook having survived the disease. pic.twitter.com/L9LyQMec1h
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) May 13, 2020