Gentleman: Gianluca Vialli and How He Changed English Football Forever

''I loved Gianluca. As a person and as a player. All Chelsea fans do and we always will. If you want to understand why or just bask in his glory, read this book'' – Daniel Finkelstein

''Reading these pages helps us understand why we loved Gianluca Vialli, and why we continue to love him today'' – Nino Vialli

A vivid, incredibly heartfelt account of Gianluca Vialli’s time in London

Gianluca Vialli signed for Chelsea in May 1996 as a European champion, just days after lifting the Champions League with Juventus. At his peak, he chose to leave Italy’s glittering Serie A for a mid-table
club in a fledgling Premier League, and thus helped ignite a transformation that reshaped Chelsea and changed English football forever. With elegance and intelligence, Vialli brought a new style and ambition to Stamford Bridge.

Written by his close childhood friend Luca Dal Monte, this is an intimate portrait of the man behind the legend, filled with evocative photographs. Drawing on exclusive interviews with Antonio Cabrini, Tim Shaw and Ciso Pezzotti, and featuring a cast of characters including Gianluigi Buffon, Dennis Wise and Ruud Gullit, the book reveals Vialli’s character, leadership and vision, on and off the pitch.

From Chelsea glory to a brief spell at Watford and his courageous battle with cancer, this is the definitive account of Vialli’s English journey, told by someone who knew him best.

• Publication date: 13 August 2026
• Page count: 272
• Dimensions: Height 224 mm; Width 145 mm; Thickness 27 mm
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Format: Hardback
• ISBN-13: 9781399431828