Happy birthday, dear Gigi. It would have been eighty-one, and you would have been pleasantly disturbed by a phone ringing constantly. The memory is strong, for the champion who is no longer with us but is always decisively present. We know it well, and so do his friends—millions, from all over the world—who continue to feel his presence. In 2024, the name Gigi Riva was among the most searched for on the search engine that has now become part of our lives, Google. And this year, which is drawing to a close, promises to be a great one. Riva is on the walls, in images, in newspapers, on the web, not just in memories. And the stadium continues—at the stroke of the 11th minute, in every home game—to celebrate Riva, "just one Gigi Riva," as the North Curve chants at the top of their lungs, to the applause of the Domus stadium in the background. Often, even the away fans' section shares the memory, because Riva is transversal; he was the Azzurri hero of an entire country.
A few days ago—you can see it in the photo on this page—many people stopped at the grave. The Bonaria cemetery, monumental and austere, has become a firm fixture in the collective memory of young people, partly because of the presence of the tomb of Sardinia's most beloved athlete. Another of the "miracles" of this secular patron saint.
Cinema is no exception: in the final moments of the highly successful film "Life Goes This Way," director Riccardo Milani left a dedication, "to Gigi," to celebrate their friendship and the director's boundless affection for Gigi, celebrated above all in the film "Nel nostro cielo un Rombo di Tuono," a must-see for those who love the story and exploits of the champion from Leggiuno.
In Sardinia
The number of murals is growing, those heartfelt and colorful stories that cover the walls of cities and towns, not just in Sardinia. One, beautiful and touching, stands in front of the stadium, on the south side of the stadium: Gigi in his uniform holding a child's hand, inside a stadium. At the unveiling of the work by artist Nicholas Bembo, Nicola, one of Gigi's two sons, blessed the work. The passing of the reins to the younger generations is so beautifully told, it's touching, and its placement is apt, almost like a gateway to the stadium. Present and future.
They're popping up everywhere, because the emotional impact of Riva's transition from sporting history to legend is still strong and deeply felt. In San Gavino, Muravera, Ussaramanna, Mandas, and even Leggiuno, the exploits of Rombo di Tuono continue to resonate, fueling popular tales. And who knows, perhaps in the coming years, each of the island's 377 municipalities will be able to boast its own mural.
Cagliari
"You were our pride and joy. A banner to wave, the rock to hold on to when the winds blew. Our beacon, our certainty." The memory of the club of which he was honorary president is a caress he would have appreciated. Best wishes, forever.
