Cannavaro and Buffon Worried About ALS

Stefano Borgonovo lays in a wheelchair and speaks through a vocal device, talking about his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. He feels that it's important to raise awareness and funds, in order to search for a cure. “I want to improve the quality of life for those with ASL,” said the former player.

The disease is frightening. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, develop twitches and eventually atrophy. The patient may ultimately lose the ability to initiate and control all voluntary movement except for the eyes. The body is paralysed, but the mind is as awake as ever.

A monster of a man, reduced to the incredible picture of a person paralysed by a terrible illness, unable to breathe on his own. The champion of ASL has organised a game between Milan and Fiorentina, which will benefit his ASL foundation. The story that Borgonovo has to tell has captured the attention of the football world, with Italy's Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro taking notice.

Six people in every 100 000 are affected by ASL, but in Italian football, 39 cases have been recorded amongst 30 000 players. “The statistics - the amount of players affected - is worrying,” said Cannavaro. “We need to ask questions and find out why this happens (to footballers).

Goalkeeper Buffon added: “The fact that many players are affected grabs our attention. Our only hope is to find a cure.”

A staggering amount of players are affected in relation to the average statistics, a worrying reality for professional footballers.