"The Magician", genius and recklessness: Cagliari mourns Fabian O'Neill, who died at the age of 49

They called him "The Magician". Genius and recklessness: out of the ordinary technical skills (so much so that a certain Zinedine Zidane called him «the most talented footballer I have ever seen play» ), not a great perseverance and not always his head on his shoulders.

He did his best numbers right in Cagliari, his arrival in 1995 was one of Massimo Cellino's many intuitions . Those were the years in which the Italian championship was still the best in the world, in which the champions also went to the provinces.

136 appearances for the rossoblù and 16 goals between the league and the Italian Cup , two goals in 19 appearances for the Uruguayan national team.

Fabian O'Neill died yesterday , Christmas day, in Montevideo. He was only 49 years old: he had been hospitalized the day before due to the worsening of a liver disease he had been battling for some time .

It is known that he abused alcohol, he had already risked big in the past. In 2020 for example, when he was hospitalized for severe liver failure. Yesterday he lost his battle.

To the great regret of the rossoblù fans, in which he had left wonderful memories. Cagliari remembered him with a tweet: « Proud to have been able to admire your genius up close: pure, crystalline, like the most precious diamonds. You made us fall in love with your class, Cagliari has never stopped loving its Wizard with the 10 on his shoulders. Rest in peace Fabian. Forever one of us." Today the team will play with mourning on the arm against Cosenza.

Even Juve, another Italian team in which he played, remembered him with a tweet.

Great pain also for Roberto Muzzi , rossoblù club manager today on the bench for the match against Cosenza. For many of his goals in rossoblù he has to thank the assists of the Montevideo champion.

And he did it with a post on social media. « How many tunnels have I seen you make. How many of your throws per millimeter have I chased in depth. How many dribbles, touches and unthinkable inventions have you given us. You left at Christmas, yet another unsettling play of yours. We met you as a kid, with us you grew up, with you and thanks to you we were able to write indelible pages. We have always hoped to hug you again and experience other special moments together, today we cry in your memory. Thank you for what you have been. Bye Fabian."

(Unioneonline/L)