Former Italy striker Totò Schillaci, who famously led his country to a third-place finish in the 1990 World Cup, has died at the age of 59.
Schillaci, who had played for Juventus and Inter Milan, was hospitalized in Palermo last week, where doctors worked to stabilize his heartbeat. He had been battling colon cancer since 2022.
Schillaci’s remarkable performance in the 1990 World Cup, hosted by Italy, made him the tournament’s top scorer with six goals.
His crucial goals included match-winners against Austria, the Republic of Ireland, and England, as well as putting Italy ahead in the semi-final against Argentina, which eventually went to penalties.
In a tribute, Inter Milan stated: “He made an entire nation dream during the Magic Nights of Italia ‘90. FC Internazionale Milan gathers around the Schillaci family for the passing of Totò.”
Schillaci’s career began at Messina and concluded in Japan with Júbilo Iwata.
He earned 16 caps for Italy, with the majority of his international goals coming during the World Cup.
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