Italian icon Salvatore Schillaci, the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, has died aged 59.
Schillaci, better known as ‘Toto’, scored six goals to win the Golden Boot at the 1990 World Cup on home soil.
Italy lost in the semi-finals, but Schillaci was also awarded the Golden Ball as the best player and gained hero status.
Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022.
Capped 16 times for his country, scoring seven goals, he represented Italian giants Juventus and Inter Milan after beginning his club career at Messina.
Juventus, whom Schillaci joined in 1989, said: “We immediately fell in love with Toto. 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.”
Despite opening the scoring in the semi-final against Argentina, Italy lost out on penalties in Naples – but Schillaci sealed the Golden Boot with his sixth goal of the tournament in the third-place play-off against England.
He would finish runner-up to Germany’s World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthaus for the 1990 Ballon d’Or.
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said: “A football icon is leaving us, a man who has entered the hearts of Italians and sports fans around the world.
“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.”
Serie A president Lorenzo Casini described Schillaci as “a champion who lit up the magical nights of the 1990 World Cup in Italy”.
Schillaci scored only one more goal for Italy and did not appear for his nation again at a major tournament.
