Salvatore \"Toto\" Schillaci, the iconic Italian football legend and 1990 World Cup hero, has passed away at the age of 59 after battling colon cancer, the Italy football governing body FIGC confirmed on Wednesday.
Schillaci captivated football fans worldwide with his remarkable performance in the 1990 World Cup held in Italy. He scored six goals during the tournament, securing the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards, and played a pivotal role in helping the Azzurri finish third. Throughout his international career, he netted seven goals in 16 appearances for the national team.
Born in 1964, Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022. In tribute to his legacy, the FIGC announced that all league matches from Wednesday to the weekend would observe a minute of silence before the kick-off.
\"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. Goodbye, Toto. Thank you,\" reads a statement from Juventus, one of the clubs he represented alongside Messina, Inter Milan, and Jubilo Iwata.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
