Italy Mourns Soccer Legend Totò Schillaci, 59, After His Passing

Former Italy and Juventus striker Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, celebrated for being the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup held in Italy, has passed away at the age of 59, as announced by his former club on Wednesday.

Schillaci had been hospitalized at Palermo’s Civic Hospital, where he was receiving treatment for colon cancer, and he died on Wednesday morning, just 11 days after being admitted.

The Sicilian forward played a pivotal role in Italy’s third-place finish during the 1990 World Cup, winning the Golden Boot with six goals, including crucial strikes in the semifinal against Argentina and in the third-place match against England.

Juventus, where Schillaci played from 1989, expressed their admiration, stating: “We immediately fell in love with Totò. His passion and story resonated in every match he played. During that unforgettable summer of 1990, all of Italy was captivated by his energetic celebrations.”

Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, paid tribute on social media, calling him a “football icon” who captured the hearts of Italians and sports fans globally. She thanked him for the joy and pride he brought to the nation during his iconic performances in the 1990 tournament.

Schillaci’s impressive showing earned him the title of runner-up for the 1990 Ballon d’Or, awarded to the best male player, finishing behind World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthäus.

Following the World Cup, Schillaci scored only once more for Italy—a goal in a qualifying match against Norway in 1991. He did not participate in any subsequent major tournaments.

On the domestic front, Schillaci helped Juventus secure the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup during the 1989-90 season, later winning the UEFA Cup again with Inter Milan four years later.

Inter Milan also honored Schillaci, stating: “You allowed a whole nation to dream during the Notti Magiche of Italia ’90.” Serie A president Lorenzo Casini referred to him as “a champion who lit up the magic nights of Italia 90.”

In 1994, he became the first Italian player to join Japan’s J.League, winning the league title with Jubilo Iwata in 1997 before retiring from professional soccer in 1999.

In a show of respect, the Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced a minute of silence in Schillaci’s memory before all league matches across the country for the remainder of the week.