No special event, no grand ceremony: today Sardinia – but not only the Island – remembers, one year later, the death of Gigi Riva , the footballer who scored the most goals (35) in the history of the national team, the driving force and top scorer of Cagliari in the 1970 championship . And it does so as he would have wanted, and as requested by the family : to celebrate the anniversary , no special events, but a simple mass , scheduled for 6 pm in the Basilica of Bonaria . That same place that, twelve months ago, was the scene of the last and moving farewell to Rombo di Tuono by thousands of people who attended, and thousands more glued to the screen of the long live broadcast by Videolina.
" A year that has really flown by - the words of Nicola Riva , Gigi's eldest son - I still, thanks to all the affection, the love of the people, sometimes I feel that he is still here ". A public mass, the one in the afternoon, "because in the end it's the same when it comes to dad - adds Riva - it is in some way a private mass open to everyone because dad was not only ours but belonged to many Sardinians and so we decided to make it public for this reason. A private mass, but at the same time public: whoever wants to come comes. It is certainly not a mass by invitation. A choice of simplicity, in line with what dad has always been".
There will be a delegation from Cagliari Calcio : President Tommaso Giulini attended the post-match press conference on Sunday afternoon also to remember Riva. A memory that never fades, that of the striker born in Leggiuno but Sardinian by adoption: also during the match against Lecce, in the 11th minute, 11 like the number on his shirt, a long round of applause started from the stands. Then the chorus: "There is only one Gigi Riva".
And L'Unione Sarda today celebrates the great Gigi with a special 80-page edition of L'Informatore , with the story of the champion through the pages of the newspaper.
THE APPOINTMENTS – The day of remembrance begins early: it starts at 8.30 on Radiolina, with "Caffè corretto" by Paola Pilia, with various guests including journalists, writers, athletes. The radio will continue with Mariangela Lampis, who at 12.30 dedicates the episode of "La Strambata" to the champion who passed away on January 22, 2024. Always live, but from 9 pm - and live on Radiolina - the long special "Senza Gigi" is scheduled. Andrea Sechi and Luca Neri coordinate a studio in which former Cagliari teammates Tomasini, Reginato and Copparoni and journalists from the L'Unione Sarda Group will be guests, from director Emanuele Dessì to the head of the sports pages Enrico Pilia, from Dionisio Mascia to radio commentator Lele Casini.
And then the live connections with Alberto Masu and Fabiano Gaggini and the interviews with Nicola Riva, Tommaso Giulini, Franco Selvaggi, Gigi Piras and Leonardo Pavoletti.
And on Friday, always as a gift with L'Unione Sarda, the unmissable special insert "A year without Gigi" with memories, exclusive interviews and images.
(Online Union)
