Davide Astori’s brother, Bruno, sent a message to the Italy players after the EURO 2020 success. ‘I think Davide ran alongside Giorgio and the lads during every step of this European Championship’.
Captain Giorgio Chiellini dedicated the triumph to Davide Astori, who tragically died at the age of 31 on March 4, 2018.
The former Italy international, capped 14 times by the Azzurri, was the captain of Fiorentina when he died in his sleep at the La di Moret hotel in Udine, ahead of a match against Udinese.
Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic, also mentioned Astori in his speech at the Quirinale Palace yesterday.
His brother, Bruno, sent a message of affection and to thank the Azzurri players for the ‘dedication’.
“I think Davide ran alongside Giorgio and the lads during every step of this European Championship,” Bruno wrote on Instagram.
“Their dedication goes beyond all circumstances and Giorgio’s tears are those of a group of young people who shared joys, pains, difficulties, emotions.
“They spent years together in the retreats, the rooms, in the blue jersey, since their youth days: those retreats pursued with all their energy, between missed calls and qualifications, but without ever giving up!
“We often think of these guys as otherworldly heroes, because from the outside we see them so perfect and unapproachable.
“There are also those families who have supported them with all their strength, accompanied and followed them during each step towards a dream.
“In reality they are boys, fathers, teammates, sons and brothers like all of us. Except that sometimes they have the gift of being able to make us dream and leave memories that will remain forever!
“These guys did it: they made us dream, suffer, move and cry… and their enormous undertaking will remain forever indelible in the hearts of all of us!!! On behalf of all our family… thanks guys… with all our hearts!!”