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Former Italian footballer and sports director Igor Proti has passed away at the age of 58, after a long battle with cancer. The sad news was announced by his family in the early hours of June 19, via a message on social media.
The family's announcement also published the last greeting that Proti himself had left for his relatives, friends and fans:
“ This wonderful journey, like every match, has come to the final whistle. It is difficult to find the right words, but the only thing I can do is thank my big and wonderful family, whom I have loved immensely. I thank everyone who has stood by me and the fans of the teams I have played for, for the love and affection they have always shown me. I hope this is just a temporary meeting and not a goodbye .”
Tributes in his honor will take place today at 3:00 PM at the Frongillo mortuary, in the Cecina cemetery. Meanwhile, on Saturday at 6:00 PM, Proti's body will be placed at the "Armando Picchi" stadium in Livorno, the place where he wrote the most important pages of his sporting career.
Livorno's mayor, Luca Salvetti, announced that the city will declare a day of mourning in honor of the former striker, who became a symbol of the club thanks to goals scored in Serie A, Serie B and Serie C.
A few weeks before his death, Proti had thrilled the public by accompanying his daughter Noemi to the altar, despite his poor health. On that occasion, he had conveyed a simple but significant message: everyone should "cultivate love every day."
Known by the nickname "Cari", Proti remains a special figure in Italian football. He was, along with Dario Hübner, one of the few footballers to be named top scorer in Serie A with Bari and in Serie B and Serie C with Livorno. He also remains the only player to be named top scorer in Serie A with a team that was relegated at the end of the season.
He began his career with the youth team of Rimini and then wore the jerseys of several Italian clubs, including Rimini, Messina, Bari, Lazio, Napoli, Reggiana and Livorno. It was at Livorno that he became an icon of the club, later holding leadership roles.
In 2025, Proti had made his illness public through an Instagram post, where he wrote that he was facing an "unwanted opponent" and that he would fight with the same dedication that he had shown throughout his sports career.
Among the first to react to the news of Proti's passing was former footballer Cristiano Lucarelli, a close friend of his. He recalled his last meeting with him just a week ago and praised the strength with which he faced the illness.
" He was undoubtedly an example for all of us. The way he faced his illness was a great lesson. When he walked his daughter down the aisle a few weeks ago, it was as if he was showing us that life should be lived to the fullest until the last day ," said Lucarelli./"Corriere della Sera "
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