Italy grieves over the demise of World Cup victor Toto Schillaci
The renowned Italian national footballer, known as Toto Schillaci, passed away at the age of 59. Previously a striker for notable teams like Inter Milan and Juventus Turin, Schillaci succumbed to cancer-related complications in a Palermo hospital, according to his family's announcement. Over the years, he had battled with the ailment.
During the 1990 World Cup held in his native country, where Germany clinched their third title, Schillaci, a native Sicilian, was a standout figure. His six goals made him the tournament's top scorer, and he was also named the best player. Despite his heroics, Italy was unfortunately defeated in the semifinals against Argentina, but Schillaci managed to secure a third place finish for his team via a penalty kick in the final moments of the game. At the end of the season, he was runner-up for the World Footballer of the Year award, trailing behind the victorious German footballer, Lothar Matthäus.
"This time, it didn't work out"
However, shortly after his triumphant World Cup performance, the young star's form began to decline rapidly. At Juventus, despite the close association with renowned teammate Roberto Baggio, Schillaci couldn't surpass double-digit goal totals after his impressive 15-goal season. In 1992, he joined Inter, but his performance there was unimpressive. In 1994, Schillaci became the first Italian footballer to sign with Jubilo Iwata in Japan, where he had a successful three-year stint.
In homage to Schillaci, sports magazine "Gazzetta dello Sport" referred to him as the "Bomber della Notte Magica" ("Bomber of the Magical Night") on Wednesday. "With his goals, he set Italy on fire one summer, igniting the legendary World Cup of 1990," the publication stated. "In his second life, he fought and won many battles, both on and off the field. This time, it didn't work out."
Throughout his international career, Schillaci played 16 matches and, after retiring, moved to Japan in 1994, becoming the first Italian footballer to join Jubilo Iwata. Schillaci was married twice and leaves behind three grown daughters.
After his World Cup success, Schillaci's form at Juventus started to decline, and fans might have asked, "- What? Why isn't he scoring as many goals as before?" Despite his close association with Roberto Baggio, Schillaci struggled to surpass double-digit goal totals following his impressive 16-goal season with Juventus.
Despite his later struggles, Schillaci will always be remembered for his heroics during the 1990 World Cup, where he set Italy on fire with his six goals and outstanding performance, ultimately becoming the "Bomber della Notte Magica."
