Around 2,000 fans gathered outside Rome's Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri Basilica to pay tribute to Sinisa Mihajlovic on Monday, when the former soccer player and coach's funeral was held.
Serbian Mihajlovic was based in Italy and died at the age of 53 last week after a long battle with leukemia.
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) President Giovanni Malagó and Italian Soccer Federation President Gabriele Gravina were among the mourners, along with many of Mihajlovic's friends, such as former AS Roma and Italy players Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi.
During his homily, Matteo Maria Zuppi, the archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, paid tribute to how Mihajlovic fought his cancer.
"He never ran from it," Zuppi said.
"He faced it with courage, giving courage to others too.
"He did so by showing the fragile sweetness of a warrior, who knows how to get back up and try again.
"Vulnerability is a door, not a wall".
A tough defender and midfielder with a thunderous free-kick, he made 63 appearances and scored 10 goals for Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro between 1991 and 2003.
After playing for Vojvodina and Red Star Belgrade, he spent the rest of his career in Italy, with stints at Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter.
After hanging up his boots, he went into coaching first as Roberto Mancini's assistant at Inter.
He had spells at many Serie A clubs and stint in charge of Serbia between 2012 and 2013.
He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 and faced the illness with remarkable courage, continuing as Bologna head coach as he battled the cancer until he was dismissed in September.
