The President of ACF Fiorentina, Giuseppe B. Commisso, wishes to share a message with the entire Viola family ahead of his upcoming arrival in Florence and, in particular, ahead of the celebrations for Fiorentina’s 100th anniversary.

“We will soon be in Florence with deep joy, together with my mother Catherine, our hearts full of emotion and with a great sense of responsibility for the year of Fiorentina’s 100th anniversary. Reuniting with the Viola people and experiencing together such an important moment in the history of the Club means so much to us. And if, at times, you see tears in our eyes, between an embrace, a round of applause or a walk through the city, you will understand that in that moment we will feel, more than ever, the memory of my father, Rocco B. Commisso, close to us.

There will be many initiatives dedicated to Fiorentina’s history, and the event on August 29 will not simply be a celebration: it is intended to be a collective embrace. It will be the moment when a city, a team and generations of supporters come together within the same feeling. One hundred years of Fiorentina are not just one hundred years of football: they are one hundred years of passion, belonging, pride, sacrifice, victories, tears, hopes and love.

My mother Catherine and I feel all the responsibility and all the beauty of this moment. We know how deeply Fiorentina is part of the life of Florence and of so many families, of fans who follow us from afar, and of everyone who has fallen in love with the color purple. We know how these colors enter your heart and never leave it. That is why we will experience the Club’s 100th anniversary with gratitude, respect and love for all those who have built Viola history and for all those who will continue to write it.

In this history, there is one name that belongs to all of us: Giancarlo Antognoni.

Giancarlo is not simply a great Fiorentina champion. Giancarlo is Fiorentina. He is Florence. He is the Viola jersey. He is the most iconic player ever to wear Fiorentina’s number 10 jersey.  He is talent, elegance and loyalty to one color alone. He is the love of a man who gave Fiorentina something that cannot be measured only in appearances, goals or trophies. A World Cup winner who carried Fiorentina in his heart wherever he went.

That is why I want him with all of us. We want him with all of us. Giancarlo is part of all of us. On August 29, as part of the Club’s 100th Anniversary celebration, there will be many emotional and spectacular moments honoring Fiorentina’s history, but there is one moment we wanted to place at the center of the evening: in honor of Giancarlo Antognoni and his unique place in Fiorentina’s history, we will retire the number 10 jersey during Fiorentina’s 2026/27 100th Anniversary season only.

Finally, I would like to underline that the 100th Anniversary evening will be dedicated to our history, but also to our future. Because remembering who we have been helps us understand who we want to be: a united and proud Fiorentina, capable of honoring its identity every single day.

I cannot wait to be in Florence, to embrace our people and to experience an unforgettable night together. Forza Viola.”

Giuseppe B. Commisso
President, ACF Fiorentina