Football legend Salvatore “Toto” Schillaci – famed for scoring the goal that kicked Ireland out of Italia ’90 – has died aged 59 following an illness.
The Italian striker, who spent most of his club career in Italy with Messina, Juventus, and Inter Milan, had been hospitalised earlier this month with an atrial arrhythmia. He died last night, it has been announced. He had previously been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022.
Schillaci is best known internationally for winning the Golden Boot at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Despite his performance, Italy were eliminated in the semi finals.
But on Irish soil he is known as the man who scored the goal to eliminate the Republic of Ireland from the competition after making it to the quarter finals. He then went on to score the opening goal in the semi final against Argentina, but Italy then lost the game on penalties.
