The Materazzi family suddenly finds itself on a battlefield far tougher than those Marco faced during the Treble or the 2006 World Cup triumph. Matteo Materazzi, the former Italy defender's younger brother, is battling a rare and aggressive form of ALS, diagnosed in September 2024.
Maura Soldati, Matteo's wife, has publicly shared the dramatic situation. She launched a heartfelt GoFundMe appeal to cover the costs of an experimental treatment developed in the United States. The disease, she explains, has already severely compromised her husband's mobility, leaving him unable to walk and having difficulty breathing.
"ALS offers little hope ," Maura writes, " but there is a small glimmer of hope on the horizon. A customized therapy, expensive and still experimental, could save his life and open new avenues for other patients with the same genetic mutation. We're doing everything we can, but we need help."
It's sad to hear this. Diseases like ALS are very complicated and scary. I hope Matteo can receive the support he needs to face this difficult situation and find an effective treatment. It's important that people come together to help.