By Bernd Fisa
March 13 – The world’s football community will pay a further tribute on the next few days days to former Italian striker Stefano Borgonovo who in 2013 passed away at the age of 49 following a long battle with motor neurone disease also known as Lou Gehrig disease.
His home club Como will dedicate the former AC Milan, Fiorentina and Udinese forward a square in town in his name. The ceremony, where high ranking officials and players are expected, will take place in front of the Sinigaglia stadium in Como this Thursday, the day Stefano Borgonovo would have turned 52 years old.
A month later the city of Florence will follow by dedicating Borgonovo a street in front of the stadio Artemio Franchi. Other towns like Pescare and Milan want to follow with similar gestures.
Following his eight year courageous battle against the fatal nerval disease MND, Borgonovo has become a role model and an icon for many people, not just those suffering MND. In the meantime the screen documentary of his autobiography ‘Attacante nato’ (‘Born striker’) which he wrote from his bed using his computer which he could only control with his eyes is being screened in theaters all over Italy.
Borgonovo was not just a football lover. He was a life lover. The football world remembers him saying: “I like to laugh, even with a disease that shouldn’t let me. I’ve learned to appreciate what I have left: from my friends, positive feelings, the very occasional ability to move my limbs. I take what good life throws my way, and I still feel privliged, I even realise there are those who have been given less than me. So I continue to laugh”.
Arrigo Sacchi, who guided the Rossoneri to one Serie A title and two European Cups with Borgonovo in his squad said: “Stefano fought with an incredible strength and an extraordinary dignity against a disease as ugly as MND. He is a hero.”
When Borgonovo succumbed to the disease in 2013, Roberto Baggio his teammate at Fiorentina, wrote an open letter to Stefano: “Dear Stefano, Your most beautiful victory that you’ve managed to build over the years has been to turn the poison of the disease into medicine for others. Goodbye my friend, I will honor your personality forever. I was unprepared for this news but I realize that is the mystery of life.”
The father-of-four was diagnosed with ALS in 2006 – an affliction which he later described as “the monster”- after it left him completely paralysed. In 2008 he started his own foundation (www.fondazionestefanoborgonovo.it) to raise funds and awareness of the disease and a testimonial match was organized by his former clubs Fiorentina and Milan.
Besides Roberto Baggio, the future Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti was Stefano’s closest friend. In 2010, and at the time Chelsea manager, Ancelotti dedicated his autobiography ‘The Beautiful Games of an Ordinary Genius: The Life, Games, and Miracles of an Ordinary Genius” to his former team-mate: “Stefano was my mate, and he has a problem. We need everyone to help him because maybe there is a solution for this illness, but we have to be fast because his condition is not good. He cannot move, he can just speak with his eyes. He scored in the semi-final of the European Cup in 1990 against Bayern, and was a good striker inside the box. He was not so quick but very clever. He is a good guy, very funny, likes to joke, even now, but he has a very dangerous illness.”
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was very close to Borgonovo. They played together at Pescara Calcio and Allegri was the first to offer his condolences in 2013.
It might be fate or simply accident but on Wednesday, the day before the ceremony in Como, Bayern Munich is playing Juventus in Munich. Munich is where Stefano became worldwide famous kicking Bayern Munich out of the European Cup. In the home game he won a penalty for Marco Van Basten, and in Munich he scored the crucial goal himself in the semi-finals. 26 years ago, on April 18 1990, Borgonovo scored the most decisive goal of his career, a delicious looping shot over Aumann. This goal allowed Milan to reach the final against Benfica and to win it (1:0 with a goal from Frank Rijkaard).
For this and for many other reason’s Mario Balotelli in 2013 had the last word on Stefano, writing on his Twitter account: “Your show of strength was a life lesson for all. Goodbye Stefano, you will always be with me. And with us!”
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