Italy will wear special shirts in honour of Gianluca Vialli

With the insistence of Roberto Mancini Italy will go out with a special home kit honouring former striker and manager Gianluca Vialli, who passed away at the age of 58 in January this year.

The clash against England will be Italy’s first outing since Vialli’s death.

The charismatic Italian played 59 times for his country and worked as an assistant under head-coach Roberto Mancini, with whom he famously lifted the the Euro 2020 trophy.

The team will wear one-off shirts conveying a special message in honour of Vialli on Mancini’s behalf.

“It is very emotional obviously,” Mancini said.

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“It is the first time we have played a game since Luca’s passing.”

“We were very fortunate to have him, me as a team-mate and to work alongside him, you were lucky enough to have him in London and he had almost become an honorary Londoner, so you saw what he was all about.”

“It is with a great sadness but people like him will always be close to us, he is immortal and will stay close to us.”

Italy and England face each other for the fourth time in the last two years, most notably that memorable final at Wembley for the Euro 2020, which saw the Azzuri team clinch the title in dramatic fashion on penalties.