The death of Salvatore Schillaci on Wednesday night sparked a wave of reactions in the world of football, with organisations such as FIFA and UEFA and friends of the striker, such as Ruben Sosa, all expressing their regrets over his passing.
FIFA and UEFA have highlighted the magical nights of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, which were dominated by “Toto”, whom they described as “a great king who came from the people” and as an “icon” of football.
“ Those magical nights of Italia 90. The look in your eyes after scoring. Sprinting with your arms raised. That spring defined a career, from Palermo to eternity. Dear Toto Schillaci, you were a great king who came from the people and kept the common touch despite your greatness,” wrote FIFA president Gianni Infantino on social media.
The governing body of world football also published an article remembering the extraordinary player, who among many other things is remembered as the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
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UEFA also expressed its regret at the unfortunate incident, thanking the 1990 Europa League champion for his legacy with Juventus.
“ We have lost a football icon, a man who entered the hearts of Italians and sports fans around the world. Thank you for the emotions you gave us, for making us dream, joy, embrace, and wave our flags. Have a safe journey, champion,” UEFA said.
The clubs where he played also sent their condolences, with Inter Milan and Juventus being the most recognized.
“ You made an entire nation dream during the ‘Magic Nights’ of Italia 90. Inter Milan sends its condolences to the Schillaci family on the passing of Totò,” the Nerazzurri club posted.
Meanwhile, “ La Vecchia Signora”, with whom Schillaci won an Italian Cup and the UEFA Europa League, said goodbye to the player by recalling those famous and impressive “magical nights of Italia 90” of which he was the protagonist.
We fell in love with Toto, with his desire, with his story, with his passion, and it showed in every game he played. At Juve, we were lucky enough to be moved by him before, in that incredible summer of 1990, all of Italy did, enchanted by his wonderful and energetic celebrations.
The Italian national team obviously did not ignore the death and said goodbye to one of the players who had his best moment with the Azzurri squad in the last World Cup they held at home.
“ Goodbye, ‘Toto’. Hero of the Magical Nights,” wrote the team.
Ruben Sosa says goodbye to his accomplice at Inter
Finally, Uruguayan Ruben Sosa, his teammate and accomplice in the Inter Milan attack during the 1992-93 season, remembered the player and said goodbye to him with very emotional words.
“We had a house very close by, we both lived in Como. Every now and then I would pick him up and we would go to training. Afterward, he would pick me up. We became very good friends. He was a good guy, a happy guy. I have very fond memories of him (…) We both played up front and we had Dennis Bergkamp behind us,” said the former Nerazzurri player in an interview.
” For me, he was a Goal Man. He didn’t have much technique, but he was a goal scorer (…) ‘Toto’ Schillaci had the goal between his eyebrows. The Goal Man,” Sosa emphasized.
He has an indelible memory of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, in which Uruguay and Argentina were rivals because it was the one in which the Italians made an entire nation dream and scored tirelessly. Uruguay did not escape and was also its victim.
” Schillaci started as a substitute and then, when he came on, he was the top scorer in the World Cup. That was his great World Cup. He scored goals of all kinds,” he said.
What did Schillaci die of?
The former footballer, born in Palermo, had been admitted to the Civic Hospital in the Sicilian capital since September 9, after a two-year battle with colon cancer. His condition worsened on Tuesday evening and his death was confirmed on Wednesday.
