Italy’s World Cup icon Schillaci dies aged 59

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.”

Schillaci scored his first goal of the 1990 World Cup as a substitute against Austria, and after another substitute appearance against the United States earned his first start against the Czech Republic.

Partnering Roberto Baggio up front, Schillaci scored again as Italy’s campaign built momentum, and his hero status was confirmed with further goals in the subsequent knockout round matches against Uruguay and the Republic of Ireland in the quarter-finals.

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”.

“His desire to emerge and reach the highest levels of football has been and will continue to be a source of inspiration for the many young people who chase the dream of playing in Serie A.”

Schillaci scored only one more goal for Italy and did not appear for his nation again at a major tournament.

He became the first Italian player to play in Japan’s J-League before retiring in 1999.

The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Gabriele Gravina, said of Schillaci: “His face was a symbol of shared joy [and] will forever remain a common heritage of Italian football.

“Toto was a great footballer, a tenacious symbol of will and redemption. He was able to thrill the Azzurri fans because his football was full of passion and it was precisely this indomitable spirit that made him appreciated by everyone and will make him immortal.”

Former Italy team-mate Baggio said: “The magic nights of Italia ’90 we experienced together will always remain imprinted in my heart. Brothers of Italy forever.”