Italy World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro struggled to fight back the tears while remembering legendary striker Gigi Riva, but many other current and former players, as well as Serie A clubs, have been paying tribute to the late ‘Rombo di Tuono.’
Riva died on Monday, January 22, 2024, at a hospital in Cagliari. He had been hospitalised on the same day after a stroke, but he had refused to undergo coronary angioplasty, doctors said.
They added that “nothing” suggested such a sudden worsening, causing Riva’s death.
The news broke on Monday night in Italy seconds before the Supercoppa Italiana Final kick-off between Napoli and Inter. A minute’s silence was held after the halftime break, but fans at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, booed because, as explained by Lega Calcio, ‘silence’ is not a way to honour a dead person in the Arab culture.
Many players and staff members learned about Riva’s passing before the second-half kick-off. Among them, Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri and Inter star Nicolò Barella, who had played in a Youth Sector founded by Riva in Sardinia, before joining Cagliari’s Academy as a kid.
The Italy international was among those paying tribute to the legendary Italian striker on social media, after Inter’s win over Napoli on Monday.
“Goodbye Gigi, immensely thank you. You will forever be our myth.”
Riva was Cagliari’s honorary President and the highest goal scorer in the club’s history. He contributed to their first and only Serie A title in 1970 and snubbed offers to bigger clubs so as not to betray his region, Sardinia. He spent his entire career with the Rossoblu.
Riva, Italy’s highest scorer, had also served as the Azzurri’s team manager from 1990 until 2013 so he was part of Marcello Lippi’s staff at the World Cup in 2006.
Many members of that team have also honoured Riva, including Francesco Totti and Fabio Cannavaro. The ex-defender struggled to fight back the tears during an interview with Sport Mediaset on Monday night.
“I always told him, that he was the myth of myths,” said Cannavaro, Italy’s captain in 2006.
“He was an extraordinary person, who passed so many values on to us. Surely, many will remember him because he was a great footballer and a special human.”
Totti posted a picture on Instagram from the 2006 World Cup Final in Berlin, showing the trophy and a smiling Riva.
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti said (as quoted by Gazzetta): “Riva has always worked to make the others feel comfortable, before himself. He was a silent leader. There couldn’t be a better nickname for such a quiet person. Rombo di Tuono! His football and moral strength could communicate more than a thousand words.”
Several Serie A clubs honoured Riva on social media. Cagliari, changed the colours of the club’s crest on X, formerly Twitter, to black.
Per sempre GIGI RIVA 🖤 pic.twitter.com/ws8CePoGJ4
— Cagliari Calcio (@CagliariCalcio) January 22, 2024
“From today, we are all more alone, with our roots torn,” wrote the Sardinians.
“As if a piece of ourselves had gone. As if we had awakened from a long, intense, wonderful dream We never wanted to wake up from.”
Da oggi siamo tutti più soli.
Con le radici strappate.
Come se ne fosse andato anche un pezzo di noi stessi.
Come se ci fossimo destati da un sogno lungo, intenso, meraviglioso．
Dal quale non avremmo mai voluto svegliarci. pic.twitter.com/RrIVAtNmMx
— Cagliari Calcio (@CagliariCalcio) January 22, 2024
AC Milan piange la scomparsa di Gigi Riva, grande simbolo del nostro calcio. In questo momento di dolore il nostro pensiero va alla sua famiglia.
Addio, Rombo di Tuono. pic.twitter.com/oTcFCIip7J
— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 22, 2024
Prima dell'inizio del secondo tempo di #NapoliInter, un minuto di silenzio in memoria di Gigi Riva#FCIM pic.twitter.com/KETcBHNFCc
— Inter (@Inter) January 22, 2024
President Commisso, the board, the team and everyone involved with Fiorentina join the football world in mourning the passing of Gigi Riva, legend of Italian and international football. He inspired entire generations of football fans.
— ACF Fiorentina English (@ACFFiorentinaEN) January 22, 2024
L'AS Roma si unisce al dolore per la scomparsa di Gigi Riva, un mito del calcio. Tutto il Club si stringe attorno alla sua famiglia.#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/gqYhwYUzAl
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) January 22, 2024
Il Presidente Maurizio #Setti e tutto l’Hellas Verona FC sono vicini alla famiglia #Riva e a tutto il popolo del @CagliariCalcio in questo momento di lutto e dolore per la perdita dell’indimenticabile Gigi, leggenda rossoblù e degli @Azzurri.#HVFC
— Hellas Verona FC (@HellasVeronaFC) January 22, 2024
LEGEND !
The left foot bomber! RIP Mr. Riva!