2006 World Cup winner and longtime Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero has been credited with waking a young girl from a coma.

Giada Scalise, 12, suffered a brain hemorrhage while watching a Juventus match on television last month. After two weeks without a change to her condition, the Scalise family turned to Del Piero, who left a message for her: "Hello Giada, I'm Alessandro Del Piero. I hope you can wake up as soon as possible to watch lots of our and my games, to come and see us and, above all, get to know each other."

Her father, Francesco, told Italy's ANSA news agency, "That night (after listening to the message) something special happened. First she moved her hand and then after a few hours she called out 'mamma.' Then after about 24 hours she talked and asked for an ice cream."

The girl's parents appealed for Del Piero's help via a charity after she fell ill and slipped on January 22.