Gianluca Vialli will take a temporary leave of absence from his position as the delegation leader for the Italian national team in order to concentrate on his fight against pancreatic cancer.

Vialli revealed in November 2018 that he had received radiotherapy and chemotherapy after being given the diagnosis a year earlier.

The 58-year-old forward, a former player for Chelsea and Juventus, received the all-clear in April 2020 but revealed in December 2021 that he was once again battling the illness.

Vialli was present in the dugout with Roberto Mancini as Italy won Euro 2020 the previous year, but he is currently taking a break from his responsibilities with the Azzurri.

"At the end of a long and difficult 'negotiation' with my wonderful team of oncologists, I have decided to suspend, hopefully temporarily, my present and future professional commitments," Vialli said in a statement released by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

"The goal is to use all my psycho-physical energies to help my body overcome this phase of the disease, in order to be able to face new adventures as soon as possible and share them with all of you."

FIGC president Gabriele Gravina said: "Gianluca is an absolute protagonist of the Italian national team and will be in the future as well.

"Thanks to his extraordinary fortitude, to the Azzurro and to the affection of the whole federal family, I am convinced he will be back soon.

"He can count on each of us, because we are a team, on and off the pitch."

#Vialli: “Ho deciso di sospendere temporaneamente i miei impegni”

Il capo delegazione degli Azzurri ha comunicato alla FIGC di volersi dedicare a superare “questa fase della malattia”#Gravina: “Protagonista della Nazionale, tornerà presto”

— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) December 14, 2022