The FAI's International Football Awards kicked off earlier this evening, with Robbie Brady and Big Jon Walters taking home the coveted Young International Player and Senior International Player awards respectively.
There were big wins, too, for QPR's Ryan Manning and Denise O'Sullivan, but when the dust settled in Dublin there was but one name on everyone's lips.
Weirdly enough, that name was Gianluca Vialli.
The former Juve and Chelsea midfielder picked up the FAI's International Personality award seemingly for no reason at all, and also was not in attendance at the awards, much to the confusion and amusement of those who tuned in.
@DamienByrne92 what did vialli get?? Surely he can't pretend to be Irish???
— Daniel North (@DannyNorth7) March 20, 2016
Vialli?? WTF? #faiinternationalawards
— Rob (@Ocean_handrail) March 20, 2016
Do the FAI & RTE just Google a random name for that International award. Vialli isn't even over to collect it!! #JokeShop
— 🟢⚪ Derek Kelly 🟢⚪ (@delthehoop) March 20, 2016
Vialli not even turning up for the award 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— David Anthony Bourke (@dabourke1) March 20, 2016
Ha ha. Vialli gets the award because he's available and then doesn't turn up. Brilliant
— Dodge (@seidodge) March 20, 2016
Vialli? Is this a joke?
— Wayne (@1FCKobe) March 20, 2016
The only thing less relevant than the FAI hall of fame award is the winner not turning up. What is the point?
— david kelly (@dk3lly) March 20, 2016
What is the craic with the International Personality?! Vialli?? #faiawards
— David Sheehan (@DavidSSport) March 20, 2016
Gianluca Vialli failed to fulfil main criteria for getting FAI International Personality of the Year award. Turning up.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) March 20, 2016
I'm assuming Vialli was selected because of his 2 goals in the semi-finals of the 1996 Champions League? #FAIAwards
— Frɑncesco Creɑvani (@FCr_91) March 20, 2016
@oharaa I always believed the main criteria was: Can you turn up on the night? Vialli's odds, in this case, would have been even longer
— Mark McCadden (@markmccadden) March 20, 2016
Was there no Swiss or Slovak retirees hanging around Dublin to give the foreigner award to? #FAIAwards
— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) March 20, 2016
The news came as a real shock to those who were backing the also inexplicably nominated Allesandro Del Piero to pick up the famed prize, but despite Vialli's absence, his pre-recorded speech did indicate he was quite chuffed to win an award in a country where he has literally no involvement at either a footballing or societal level whatsoever.
Well, this barring his name turning up at the end of your mother's washing machine having been boiled off the back of a ragged Chelsea jersey from the '90s.
What a moment for the Italian, and we're already looking forward to Fabrizzio Ravanelli's acceptance speech from a yacht in Corsica next year.
