‘He made a nation dream’: Tributes pour in for Italy soccer legend Totò Schillaci after his death aged 59
(CNN) — Former Italy and Juventus striker Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, who was the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup on home soil, has died at the age of 59, his former club announced in a statement on Wednesday.
Per AP, Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo’s Civic Hospital following treatment for colon cancer and passed away on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.
The Sicilian, who led Italy to a third-place finish at the 1990 edition of international soccer’s greatest prize, won the Golden Boot for his six goals during the tournament, including strikes in the semifinal against Argentina and in Italy’s third-place victory over England.
Juventus, whom Schillaci joined in 1989, said: “We immediately fell in love with Totò. His desire, his story, his being so wonderfully passionate, and it showed in every game he played.
“We at Juve were lucky enough to get excited about him before, in that incredible summer of 1990, the whole of Italy did, captivated by those wonderfully energetic celebrations of his.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who posted on social media: “A football icon is leaving us, a man who has entered the hearts of Italians and sports fans around the world.
“Salvatore Schillaci, known by everyone as Totò, the striker from the magic nights of Italia ’90 with our national team. Thanks for the emotions you gave us, for having made us dream, celebrate, embrace, and wave our national flag. Bon voyage, champion.”
Schillaci’s goalscoring heroics that summer saw him named later that year as the runner-up for the 1990 Ballon d’Or – awarded annually to the best men’s player – behind World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthäus of West Germany.
In the aftermath of the World Cup, Schillaci would go on to score only once more for his country, a goal in a 2-1 defeat to Norway the following year in a qualifier for the 1992 UEFA European Championships.
He did not appear for Italy at any other major tournaments thereafter.
Domestically, Schillaci helped Juventus win the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup in the 1989-90 season before winning the latter trophy again four years later with Inter Milan.
Inter also paid tribute to its former striker on Wednesday, saying in a post on social media: “You allowed a whole nation to dream during the Notti Magiche of Italia ’90.”
Meanwhile, Serie A president Lorenzo Casini called Schillaci “a champion who lit up the ‘magic nights’ of Italia 90.”
In 1994, the striker became the first Italian player to play in Japan’s J.League and won the league title with his club Jubilo Iwata in 1997.
Schillaci announced his retirement from the game in 1999.
Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina has announced that a minute’s silence will be held in memory of Schillaci before all league matches across the country for the remainder of this week.
The-CNN-Wire
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