Toto Schillaci, the Italia '90 hero who broke Irish hearts, dies aged 59 as tributes pour in

Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci, who famously netted six goals at Italia '90, including the decisive strike in the quarter-final victory over Ireland, has sadly passed away

Former Italy star Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci has died at the age of 59.

He had previously been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022 and had undergone two operations. Fears about his health were sparked last week after he was admitted to the Civico hospital in Palermo after reportedly suffering from pneumonia.

His family previously confirmed that he was in a stable condition but unfortunately, Schillaci has since passed away. The news has triggered an outpouring of grief across Italy, with tributes already pouring in for the former striker.

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His former club Juventus had a simple tribute to their former star. Sharing a picture of him in their shirt, a tweet simply read: "Ciao Toto."

Inter Milan also followed suit with their own message. It read: "He made an entire nation dream during the Magic Nights of Italia '90. FC Internazionale Milano gathers around the Schillaci family for the passing of Toto." The Italian National Team shared their own message. "Ciao Toto," it read. "Hero of the Magic Nights."

Schillaci was an icon of Italian football having represented Juventus, Inter Milan and the Italian national team. He scored 37 goals across 120 appearances in Serie A, while he also won the UEFA Cup twice.

Schillaci also famously claimed the Golden Boot at the 1990 World Cup held in his home country. He netted six goals throughout the tournament, including the decisive strike in the quarter-final victory over Ireland.

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