Italian Football Legend Toto Schillaci, 1990 World Cup Top Scorer, Dies at 59 After Colon Cancer Battle

Sep 18, 2024, 09:57 AM

Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci, the Italian football legend and top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, has passed away at the age of 59. Schillaci, who had been battling colon cancer since 2022, is remembered for his remarkable performance during the Italia '90 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot with six goals and the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. Schillaci played for clubs including Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan, and Júbilo Iwata. He helped Italy secure third place in the 1990 World Cup, becoming a national hero in the process. Schillaci passed away in Rome on Wednesday. Tributes have poured in from across the football world, including from Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and football icon Roberto Baggio, who praised Schillaci for making the nation dream.