Overview

• In the broadcast, Gascoigne said he drank nine brandies at halftime of the 1996 Scottish League Cup final against Hearts before scoring twice and being named man of the match.
• He recounted a childhood trauma in which a friend's younger brother was struck by a car and died in his arms.
• He said his father once had him committed for 11 days, an intervention he credits with saving his life.
• He claimed Pope John Paul II phoned him during his Lazio years and that coach Dino Zoff halted training so he could take the call, adding he later missed a chance to meet the pontiff.
• Italian sports outlets amplified the emotional interview and reported widespread sympathy and concern on social media, noting the accounts are his recollections shared in a promotional context.