Italia 90 star Toto Schillaci dies aged 59

Irish football fans will remember him as the man who broke their hearts at the 1990 World Cup.

The Palermo native had been hospitalised earlier this month due to illness and died overnight.

Ha fatto sognare una nazione intera durante le Notti Magiche di Italia ‘90 🇮🇹💙

FC Internazionale Milano si stringe intorno alla famiglia Schillaci per la scomparsa di Totò.#FCIM pic.twitter.com/PtxE7zWHod

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) September 18, 2024

The news of his passing was announced by his former club Inter Milan this morning.

Irish football fans will remember him as the man who ended the country's best run in a major tournament when his winning goal in the 1990 World Cup quarter-final knocked them out of the competition.

Schillaci was the top scorer at Italia 90, scoring six goals. After the excitement of 1990, Schillaci scored only one more goal for Italy and did not appear for them at any other major tournaments.

Remembering that month in 1990 when Toto Schillaci could not stop scoring - 6 goals for the hosts as they made it to the semi-finals.
His goal in the quarter-final, of course, ending the Republic of Ireland's World Cup hopes pic.twitter.com/WKsOKBvQwT

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 18, 2024

After spending much of his early career in the lower Italian leagues, he earned a move to Serie A giants Juventus in 1988.

Schillaci helped Juventus to claim the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup in 1989-90 before winning the latter trophy again four years later with Inter Milan.

He retired from football in 1999 after a spell in the Japanese J League.

Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022, but made a full recovery after months of treatment.

In a statement posted to their website, Juventus paid tribute to their former star forward.

"We immediately fell in love with Toto. His desire, his story, his being so wonderfully passionate, and it showed in every game he played," they wrote.

"We at Juve were lucky enough to get excited about him before - in that incredible summer of 1990 - the whole of Italy did, captivated by those wonderfully energetic celebrations of his."