Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti is mourning the death of his mother, Ilva, who has passed away at the age of 93. The Italian tactician will not attend the club’s pre-season training sessions as he grieves the loss of the woman he has often credited as a formative influence on his career in football.
A childhood memento on the international stage
Spalletti has frequently spoken of his mother’s role in nurturing his passion for the sport. When appointed head coach of the Italy national team in September 2023, he revealed that he carried a treasured childhood keepsake to the dugout. At age 11, I asked my mother to sew a giant Italian flag for him during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, he recalled. The tournament was being played in Mexico, and he wanted to celebrate Italy’s famous 4-3 semi-final victory over West Germany.
He explained that the World Cup was on in Mexico at that time, and mothers would sew at home. The flag was meant to honour that fantastic 4-3 win over Germany. He stated that he now carries that banner onto the bench hoping to revive the dream for future generations, describing the experience as my fairy tale come true.
Previous defence against abuse
The bond between mother and son was also evident in 2022 when Spalletti was managing Napoli. Following a Serie A match away to Fiorentina, he angrily defended Ilva against sustained verbal abuse from supporters stationed behind the dugout.
They are professionally rude, staying behind the bench, Spalletti stated at the time. He added that the abuse continued throughout the match, with chants referencing his mother occurring even with children nearby. He noted that the perpetrators love to insult you and cross the line, and that such behaviour was unfortunately common in Florence.
Club support
Juventus have confirmed that Spalletti will be absent from pre-season preparations while he spends time with his family. Tributes have poured in from across Italian football following the announcement of Ilva’s passing.
Spalletti grew up near Empoli, where his mother lived, and has consistently referenced her influence throughout his playing days and managerial career, which has included spells at Napoli, Inter Milan and Roma before his current role in Turin.