Farewell to a football legend: Italy mourns Salvatore Schillaci

Salvatore "Toto" Schillaci, top scorer of the 1990 World Cup, passed away at 59 after a serious illness. Italians fondly remember his "magical matches" and significant contributions to the national team. Under his influence, the Italian national team secured third place in the championships held in Italy.

Salvatore Schillaci is a true legend of Italian football. He is most remembered for his remarkable performance during the 1990 World Cup when he scored six goals and became the tournament's top scorer.

He scored in crucial matches: the round of 16, the quarter-final, the semi-final against Argentina, and the third-place match against England. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on social media that "a football icon has left," a man who won the hearts of Italians and sports enthusiasts worldwide.

A football icon leaves us, a man who entered the hearts of Italians and sports lovers around the world. Thank you for the emotions you gave us, for making us dream, cheer, hug and wave our Tricolore - wrote Meloni.

The Minister of Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi wrote on platform X: "In the eyes of Salvatore Schillaci, we learned to respect and love the player and the man, goals that become happiness."

The Italian Football Federation decided to honour Schillaci with a minute of silence on the pitches before all matches from Wednesday to the end of the week.

The unrestrained enthusiasm, with which his face was a symbol of shared joy, will remain forever the heritage of Italian football - stressed the federation, recalling the passion with which he played. - His indomitable spirit was admired by all and made him immortal - it was added.

The Ansa agency recalls that "the boy from Sicily became a national hero". It also noted that during the World Cup "he came from Serie B and played and scored like a master touched by grace".

Since childhood, I wanted to be a footballer, and I fulfilled that dream and many others, for example, playing for Juve - he said.

Besides football, Schillaci was also active in other fields, including politics, as a councillor for the Forza Italia party in Palermo. He participated in the reality show "Isola dei Famosi" and the Italian equivalent of "Asia Express." He also appeared in a police series as a mafia boss.