:Claude Callegari

{{Infobox person

| name = Claude Callegari

| image = Claude Callegari on Blues Fans TV Dec 2019.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Callegari in 2019

| birth_name = Claudio Luciano Ricardo Callegari{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP2GHeRN4LA|title=Gooner Claudes Funeral Service|date=22 May 2021|via=YouTube}}

| birth_place = Islington, London, England{{cite web |url=https://talksport.com/football/870889/arsenal-aftv-claude-callegari-programme/ |title=Arsenal pay classy tribute to AFTV legend Claude Callegari in club programme following his death last month |publisher=TalkSport |date=23 April 2021 |accessdate=24 April 2021}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1962|10|19|df=yes}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|3|29|1962|10|19|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| nationality =

| other_names =

| occupation = Taxi driver

| years_active = 2012–2020 (on AFTV)

| known_for = YouTube videos on AFTV

| notable_works =

}}

Claudio Luciano Ricardo Callegari (19 October 1962{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbIriOwW6KE&ab_channel=AFTV&t=16m59s |title=Tierney Is Better Than Robertson & Claude Lives On! |time=16:59 |website=AFTV |via=YouTube |date=2 April 2021 }} – 29 March 2021) was an English Arsenal supporter and a contributor to the football YouTube channel AFTV.{{Cite web|title=Football rocked by sudden death of Arsenal Fan TV cult hero at 58|url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/claude-callegari-football-rocked-death-cult-hero-fan-203752536.html|access-date=31 March 2021|website=au.sports.yahoo.com|date=30 March 2021 |language=en-AU}} He made his first appearance in 2012 before becoming a regular until 2020. He died on 29 March 2021.

AFTV

Callegari was a contributor to AFTV (originally called ArsenalFanTV), a football fan YouTube channel made by Arsenal supporters.{{Cite news|date=30 March 2021|title=Claudio Callegari: Former Arsenal Fan TV star dies aged 58|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-56580878|access-date=31 March 2021}} He made his first appearance on the channel in 2012.{{cite web |first=Josh |last=Lawless |url=https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-claudes-emotional-speech-thanking-aftv-founder-robbie-lyle-has-resurf-20210330 |title=Claude's Emotional Speech Thanking AFTV Founder Robbie Lyle Has Resurfaced |publisher=SportBible |date=30 March 2021 |accessdate=2 April 2021}} A critic of the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, he was known for the phrase "it's time to go" (referring to Wenger and later Unai Emery) that he used in his interview videos.{{Cite web|last=|date=30 March 2021|title=Ian Wright leads tributes as former AFTV favourite Claude dies|url=https://talksport.com/football/857425/aftv-claude-dies-ian-wright-yannick-bolasie-arsenal/|url-status=live|access-date=31 March 2021|website=talkSPORT|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330130551/https://talksport.com/football/857425/aftv-claude-dies-ian-wright-yannick-bolasie-arsenal/ |archive-date=30 March 2021 }} He then became a regular on the channel, offering his opinions. Robbie Lyle, the creator of AFTV, spoke highly of Callegari as someone who "cares deeply about the club", also stating that "he's had some issues, but [that he's] a real character".{{cite web |url=https://cf-particle-html.eip.telegraph.co.uk/17475f93-a0ee-4edf-80d1-97a3055a7103.html |title=The ArsenalFanTV cast list; In the words of Robbie, the channel's founder |work=The Telegraph |date=13 October 2016 |accessdate=2 April 2021}} He was regarded as a cult hero in English football by football fans for speeches he gave in support of Arsenal.{{cite web |url=https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/claude-callegari-football-rocked-death-cult-hero-fan-203752536.html |title=Football rocked by sudden death of Arsenal Fan TV cult hero at 58 |publisher=Yahoo! Finance |date=30 March 2021 |accessdate=2 April 2021}}

In 2016, he went missing from his home in Essex.{{cite news |first=Jack |last=de Menezes |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/claude-missing-police-appeal-for-help-in-finding-arsenal-fan-claudio-callegari-a7113016.html |title=Claude missing: Police appeal for help to find Arsenal fan Claudio Callegari |work=The Independent |date=1 July 2016 |accessdate=2 April 2021}} However, a few days later he contacted his wife, resulting in Essex Police no longer considering him a missing person.{{cite news |first=Sebastian |last=Mann |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/relief-as-missing-arsenal-internet-star-claudio-callegari-contacts-family-a3286756.html |title=Missing Arsenal internet star Claudio Callegari contacts family |work=Evening Standard |date=3 July 2016 |accessdate=2 April 2021}} Callegari later explained that mental health issues led to his disappearance.{{cite news |first=Charlie |last=Eccleshare |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/10/13/inside-the-football-youtube-revolution-how-arsenalfantv-the-redm/ |title=Inside the football YouTube revolution |work=The Telegraph |url-access=subscription |date=13 October 2016 |accessdate=2 April 2021}}

In July 2020, Callegari was indefinitely removed from AFTV after an appearance on a North London derby "watch-along" stream, where he appeared to refer to Tottenham Hotspur player Son Heung-min as "DVD", a racial slur against East Asians.{{Cite web|date=15 July 2020|title=AFTV remove Claude for racist remark about Tottenham player and apologise for response video|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/aftv-claude-racist-heung-min-son-video-tottenham-apology-robbie-a9619526.html|access-date=31 March 2021|website=The Independent|language=en}} Callegari responded by claiming he had actually said "another DVD is coming out", referring to a long-running joke that Tottenham make many commemorative DVDs for every big victory, but Lyle removed him from AFTV and apologised for AFTV not acting upon it.{{cite web |first=Billy |last=Hawkins |url=https://talksport.com/football/732500/aftv-claude-arsenal-tottenham-heung-min-son-dvd-north-london-derby/ |title=AFTV's Claude removed from Arsenal fan channel after calling Tottenham forward Heung-min Son 'DVD' during north London derby |publisher=TalkSport |date=15 July 2020 |accessdate=2 April 2021}} Callegari agreed to attend an education programme as a result.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-53416498 |title=Arsenal Fan TV pundit dropped for racist comment |publisher=BBC News |date=15 July 2020 |accessdate=2 April 2021}} Even though he no longer appeared on the channel, AFTV continued to privately support Callegari.{{Cite web |first=Michael |last=Hincks |title=Claude Callegari: Arsenal fan and former AFTV regular dies as Yannick Bolasie pays tribute to YouTube 'legend' |url=https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/claude-callegari-dead-arsenal-fan-tv-aftv-youtube-bolasie-troopz-twitter-935727 |work=I News |date=30 March 2021 |accessdate=2 April 2021}}

Personal life and death

Outside of AFTV, Callegari worked as a taxi driver and had a daughter. He died suddenly on 29 March 2021, aged 58.{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/arsenal/claude-aftv-dead-age-cause-b1824326.html|title=AFTV regular Claude Callegari dies, his family confirms|last=Rathborn|first=Jack|date=30 March 2021|work=The Independent|access-date=30 March 2021}} Former Arsenal player Ian Wright paid tribute to him, as did Arsenal. His family later stated that he had died of natural causes.{{cite news |first=Daniel |last=Blackham |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/claude-callegari-aftv-arsenal-fan-23839802 |title=Claude Callegari's family issue statement after tragic death of ex-Arsenal Fan TV star |work=The Mirror |date=2 April 2021 |accessdate=2 April 2021}} He was cremated in May 2021, and his ashes were interred in Italy, alongside his mother, who died in 2009.{{cite web|url=http://islingtontribune.com/article/gunners-super-fans-hearse-to-pass-clubs-home-in-last-farewell|title=Gunners super-fan's hearse to pass club's home in last farewell|work=Islington Tribune|first=Calum|last=Fraser|date=7 May 2021|accessdate=1 June 2021}}