Italian football great Toto Schillaci dies at 59
Former Italy and Juventus striker Salvatore Schillaci, a celebrated figure from the 1990 World Cup, has passed away at the age of 59, as confirmed by his former club Inter Milan on Wednesday.
Schillaci was instrumental in Italy’s third-place finish during the tournament held on home soil, clinching the Golden Boot with six goals, including key strikes against Argentina in the semi-finals and England in the third-place playoff. His memorable goal celebrations, characterized by his wide-eyed exuberance, became iconic images of the World Cup.
Recognized as the tournament’s best player, Schillaci received the Golden Ball award and was a runner-up for the 1990 Ballon d’Or, narrowly losing to West Germany’s Lothar Matthaus.
Initially starting as a substitute, Schillaci made an immediate impact by scoring the decisive goal in Italy’s 1-0 victory over Austria in their opening match. Despite his impressive World Cup performance, he went on to score just one more goal for Italy and did not feature in any subsequent major tournaments.
A late bloomer, Schillaci spent his early career in the lower leagues with Sicilian club Messina before rising to prominence as the top scorer in Serie B during the 1988-89 season, which earned him a transfer to Juventus. At Juventus, he played a key role in winning both the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup in 1990. He later added another UEFA Cup title with Inter Milan.
In 1997, Schillaci became the first Italian player to compete in Japan’s J.League, winning the league title with Jubilo Iwata before retiring from football in 1999.
His contributions to Italian football and his remarkable World Cup journey will be fondly remembered by fans and players alike.
