Italian football is in mourning after the death of Salvatore Toto Schillaci, historic striker of the 80s and 90s, who played for Juventus and Inter and was top scorer of the Italy World Cup, in which the Azurra She came third in 1990. At the age of 59, the former footballer died from colon cancer that he had been battling in recent months. In recent weeks, his condition worsened and he was admitted to a hospital in Palermo, where he died.
The clubs he passed through, as well as the FIGC itself, said goodbye to him with emotional messages on social media. “He was the hero of Italia ’90, the symbol of those Magical Nights who has remained in the hearts and memories of millions of fans blue. The world of football is in mourning Salvatore Toto Schillaci, died prematurely today at the age of 59. “He reached the peak of his career at the 1990 World Cup, becoming the top scorer and leading Italy to the semi-final, which they lost on penalties to Argentina,” the Federation revealed in an official statement.
All of Italian football will observe a minute of silence in the matches played until this weekend, to commemorate the figure of a striker who, in the World Cup 90s He was the unexpected star of the Italian team. There he scored six goals, finishing the championship as the top scorer of a third-placed Italy, after losing to the Argentina Maradona’s – who finished second – in the penalty shootout.
Schillaci began his career in modest Messina. There he added 219 games and 61 goals in seven seasons and contributed to the Sicilian club’s double promotion from Serie C2 to the Series B. In 1989 it was signed by the Juve, where he served for three years. He scored 15 goals, won the Italian Cup and the UEFA Cup and convinced the coach Azeglio Vicini to call him up for the 1990 World Cup.
It was a recommendation from Gullit which allowed him to participate in the World Cup event organized by his team. What no one expected was that he would become a hero. Coming off the bench in the second half of the first match against Austria, he scored the winning goal with 10 minutes left.
Schillaci captivated a country in 1990
It was from there that his love affair with the goal of this World Cup would begin, in which he would end up as top scorer. He scored six goals that made him the top scorer, the best player in the championship and the Silver Ball winner in the same year, behind Lothar Matthaus.
He then spent a year at Inter Milan, for whom he signed in 1992, thus ending his career in Japanese football. This Wednesday, at the age of 59, colon cancer ended his life. Italian football thus mourns the loss of Schillaci, a short-lived but historic striker who conquered and excited an entire country with his goals.
