The Important Things

“There are a few more things I want to tell you. Important things, for me, that I want you to hear and remember. They mean a lot to me.”

The important things Gianluca Vialli wanted to share during the recording of the documentary La bella stagione are all captured in this book. They are important because they are his own words, radiating the magical energy of definitive expression. After a remarkable and victorious career as a professional footballer, Vialli reinvented himself many times: first as a television commentator, then as a public speaker, and later as the team manager of the Italian national football team that lifted the trophy in 2021. His latest reinvention was the public sharing of his deeply personal journey of resilience in the face of an incurable illness.

• In this book, Vialli talks about himself, the people he has met, the experiences that shaped him, the values he embodied, his awareness of his own fragility, the power of genuine relationships, the discipline in doing things well, and the dedication and seriousness with which one should engage with the world.
• A legacy of reflections, now collected and put into writing by editors Baccalario and Ponti, ready to be read and passed down for generations to come.