Maybe it was the anticlimax of a World Cup in which he was hyped as Italy’s superstar yet took a back seat as an unexpected saviour emerged. Or perhaps it was the closeness of a brotherhood that made him feel so comfortable in his surroundings that he could perform at an unparalleled level. Either way, Gianluca Vialli needed little stimulus to ignite Sampdoria’s extraordinary charge to the peak of Serie A in the 1990-1991 season.
Still nursing a thigh injury from Italia 90 and processing the let-down of a tournament that strike rival Salvatore Schillaci stole top billing, the striker missed the opening seven games of the campaign.
In an interview with Italian state broadcaster RAI, he explained:
“I can’t complain, there have been a lot more highs than lows, but the most difficult point coincided with the World Cup. Even though I’ve got through moments like that in a calm, balanced way, things can go better for a player if the World Cup didn’t go so well. A successful World Cup isn’t always helpful for a player; in fact, often a subpar World Cup can give you the motivation to go and play a pivotal role the following season.”
Alongside inseparable goal twin Roberto Mancini, indefatigable full-back Moreno Mannini and four of the club’s staff the high-octane attacker was part of the ‘Seven Dwarves club’ which met for dinner every week in the Edilio restaurant which sits in the shadow of the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Vialli, who was christened pisolo or sleepy as he loved a lie in, rejected Milan earlier in his career and didn’t regret the decision.
He adored life in the Ligurian capital, from the intimate team dinners, nights out with team-mates and karaoke contests in clubs to the magnificent coastline of Quinto, Bogliasco, and Portofino. Club President Paolo Mantovani was determined to prove Samp could win the biggest prize in Italian football without shipping off their prize assets. Vialli shared Mantovani’s vision.
Before the World Cup he wrote a love letter to both the port city and the Blucerchiati:
“Genoa stands for Sampdoria, a team which suits me perfectly with such a great president, with team-mates, coaches and supporters who will never make me feel I’ve had enough of soccer. Genoa implies a way of life besides a professional choice, a team where friendship comes before antagonism. I love a good laugh and my jokes are proverbial but above all I’m a man of feeling. Genoa adds to my good luck in remaining an amateur at heart while being in the riskiest, most frenetic, remunerative professional career of today.”
Everything was already in place for the atypical centre forward to thrive as Doria stunned the calcio elite in what remains one of the greatest achievements in the modern era of Italian football.
Played on the wing early in his Doria career Vialli’s highest goals total was 14, two years before he set a career record which propelled the underdogs to the title. Strike partner Mancini provided artistry and inspiration, goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca performed miracles in defence along with tenacious stopper Pietro Vierchowod and Attilio Lombardo powered up and down the right wing unabated, but this was Vialli’s season.
He didn’t play until the eighth round of fixtures, Mancini bamboozling the entire Pisa defence to provide a tap-in for Luca’s first goal in a thrilling 4-2 home victory. The relief in his celebration showed as he raised both hands and looked skywards as an ecstatic Marassi crowd showed their appreciation. It was the beginning of his most prolific term in Serie A. A stunning 4-1 win at reigning champions Napoli exemplified the many facets of a forward who was something of an anomaly.
Vialli was not a traditional attacker. He wasn’t a poacher, penalty kick expert or target man – although he could fulfil any role – and played with a selflessness unusual for strikers. His industrious approach meant he was equally effective defending close to his own penalty area, linking play on the channels and distracting defences with forceful runs to free up room for others to thrive. He also possessed exceptional technique and a proclivity for the spectacular which elevated him to hero status for club and country.
Amid the persistent whistles and boos at Stadio San Paolo, Samp recovered from a goal down; Vialli rifled in an unstoppable volley to equalise before winning the ball near the right corner flag and sending in a cross which Mancini headed home. His second was stunning. A left-footed volley flawless in its precision and execution which rocketed into the top corner as Doria prevailed over Diego Maradona’s Partenopei in an incredible 4-1 triumph.
Although he confidently struck a panenka from the spot as Samp fell to Genoa in a ferocious Derby della Lanterna the all action attacker reserved his best performances for the biggest games. In the full glare of the blinding spotlight, he stepped unflinchingly onto center stage and delivered when it mattered most.
Inter, with the fearsome German triumvirate of Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus and Jürgen Klinsmann were one of the Scudetto favourites. They travelled to Genoa in the 14th set of fixtures intent on halting Samp’s gathering momentum. Yet the game had barely begun before Vialli shrugged off Nerazzurri World Cup winning captain Giuseppe Bergomi to slam low into the net. Another coolly converted penalty late on ensured Doria kept their place at the top of the standings.
Serie A was at its apex with a staggering depth of quality spread across the league. Samp locked horns with some of the finest teams ever assembled at the top level of Italian football. Nothing was handed to them. Through it all Vialli was an irrepressible force.
An expanding catalogue highlighted goals of all kinds; a diving near post header against Lazio, a fierce half-volley from an angle which downed Roma and a close-range finish on a snow-cleared cut up pitch at Bologna.
Giants were slain as the 26-year-old held his nerve to lash home from the spot to see off Roberto Baggio’s Juventus. While a side-footed penalty sent Samp ahead before Mancini clinched a scintillating victory over a Milan team which contained the great Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini and the brilliant Dutch trio of Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten.
Another remarkable 4-1 drubbing sent Maradona’s Napoli down to 11th in the table as Vialli struck twice in front of a frenzied Marassi with eight games of the campaign left.
Intricate flicks and somersault celebrations punctuated a 2-2 draw with Cagliari as Samp held off Inter in first place. Led by veteran coach Vujadin Boškov there was a unity and resoluteness about the Blucerchiati unseen in previous campaigns.
An intense championship decider on the 31st matchday at a hostile San Siro was all that stood between Doria and a historic first title. In a breathless contest the Nerazzurri absolutely pummelled the Blucerchiati. Pagliuca stretched his frame as if made of Play-Doh to thwart Matthäus from the spot, while Bergomi and Mancini were both dismissed as objects rained down from disgruntled tifosi. The exuberant striker in blue, white, red, and black somehow managed to stay composed to play a decisive role. Left to do all the running alone up front he sped down the left and cut back for Giuseppe Dossena to put Samp ahead. Vialli still has enough energy to run onto Mannini’s incredible long ball, skip beyond the flailing Zenga and fire in the winner.
The Scudetto was sealed in the process.
A trademark volley of power and accuracy in the penultimate round of fixtures took his tally to 19 as Doria thumped Lecce 3-0 to spark the mother of all parties at Marassi. Along with Toninho Cerezo and Ivano Bonetti he dyed his hair blonde for the final game, a six-goal stalemate at Lazio, amid long celebrations.
Speaking to journalist and podcast host Graham Hunter in 2016 Vialli reflected on an unforgettable campaign. He said:
“Everyone conspired against us because we were a small club. I don’t know whether we were right or wrong to feel as if it was twice as difficult for a club like Sampdoria to win the title – but it gave us extra motivation. We used it to our advantage. When we won the title we had penalties against the likes of Milan, Juventus, and Inter. I took and scored them all, that season I was blessed by God.”
Translation by James Stuart
Find Stephen on Twitter: @SKasiewicz