[Football] Toto Schillaci RIP

[Durlston]

The top goalscorer of World Cup Italia '90 has passed away at the dreadfully young age of only 59 years-old.

What a tournament he had - scoring in nearly every match of Italy's progress to the semi-finals (including the third/fourth place play-off) . One of my first cult heroes. All the talk in the build-up to Italia '90 was of Roberto Baggio but it was Toto who won the hearts the world over.

RIP to an iconic footballing legend.

 

[Braggfan]

He also played for Italy B against England B at the Goldstone Ground in 1989.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

It's such a boyhood dream, coming from nowhere to smash a load of goals to take your nation on an incredible world cup run in front of your home fans. Well it was a dream of mine and totally inspired by Schillaci

Rest in peace Toto.

 

[Durlston]

Only 16 caps for Italy but seven goals (six of them at the World Cup).

- substitute v Austria (group stage) - scored.
- started v Czechoslovakia (group stage) - scored.
- started v Uruguay (last 16) -scored.
- started v Rep of Ireland (quarter-finals) - scored.
- started v Argentina (semi-finals) - scored.
- started v England (3rd/4th place play-off) - scored.

What a tournament and I don't think there's ever been a striker that's scored in so many different matches. A school playground hero. Everybody wanted to shout "Schiiiiiilacci" after they'd grabbed a goal in PE.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Some players in that squad.

Maldini, Baresi, Baggio

He kept Mancini and Vialli out of the side that tournament as well

 

[kevo]

Italy v England really should have been the final in that tournament.

 

[Questions]

He was the face of 1990 for me. I was gutted the Argies made that final.

 

[Milano]

He was the face of 1990 for me. I was gutted the Argies made that final.

I know what you mean, although that will always be Gazza for me.
Italia 90 was THE world cup for me. This news is very sad.

 

[kevo]

I know what you mean, although that will always be Gazza for me.
Italia 90 was THE world cup for me. This news is very sad.

It was a fantastic tournament - apart from the final. World in Motion also the best ever England song. Used to have the BBC 'Italia 90' video, sadly lost when I lent it to a friend!

Was attending a conference at the NEC in Birmingham when the England v Germany semi-final was on. Watched it on a big screen in a room with a couple of hundred people. The party that followed was very flat

 

[Vicar!]

Italia 90 was Ireland's first, and consequently my first, World Cup. In those days you could rock up in the town (Last 16) book accommodation and get a ticket on arrival. The Irish FA commandeered a caravan over to oversee ticket sales on a baking hot afternoon in Genoa, with Coca Cola sponsoring a team of young ladies to bring us free ice cold refreshments as we waited. (No Rock Salmon though ) We won the shoot out thanks to Packie Bonner and proceeded to Rome to encounter Toto on the form of his life.

Meanwhile, my eight-month pregnant Mrs patience snapped and I was summoned home as soon as David O'Leary's shot hit the back of the net.

What a summer.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Salvatore “Toto” Schillaci top scorer at Italia 90 has died aged 59. Graced the Goldstone Ground pitch in November 1989 for Italy B against England B. RIP.

Salvatore Schillaci: Italy's World Cup icon dies aged 59

Italian World Cup icon Salvatore Schillaci, the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, dies aged 59.

www.bbc.co.uk

Edit sorry didn’t see the original thread.

 

[peterward]

[Football] - Toto Schillaci RIP

The top goalscorer of World Cup Italia '90 has passed away at the dreadfully young age of only 59 years-old. What a tournament he had - scoring in nearly every match of Italy's progress to the semi-finals (including the third/fourth place play-off) . One of my first cult heroes. All the talk in...

www.northstandchat.com

 

[pasty]

My favourite World Cup by far, and Toto was just one of the reasons.

RIP

 

[boik]

My favourite World Cup by far, and Toto was just one of the reasons.

RIP

He was a star in that one, but I preferred Argentina 78. Depends on age I guess.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Sad news - such a good World Cup.


@boik - I wouldn’t have said there were as many great games in 78, my favourite reflecting, was 82.

Wasn’t there a bribery scandal in 78, perhaps one for another thread.


RIP - Toto

 

[Pavilionaire]

Italia '90 had a lot of dull games but interspersed with some incredible, iconic moments. Schillaci was central to that tournament.

RIP Toto.

 

[bhafc99]

It's such a boyhood dream, coming from nowhere to smash a load of goals to take your nation on an incredible world cup run in front of your home fans. Well it was a dream of mine and totally inspired by Schillaci

Rest in peace Toto.

100% – he also looked like the kind of stocky, regular everyman you'd see kicking a ball around down your local park on a Sunday afternoon, rather than some 'world-class Italian striker', but there he was, virtually unheard of before the tournament kicked off, smashing in goal after goal after goal at the actual WC Finals. It really was 'every bloke's dream made real'.

 

[Milano]

100% – he also looked like the kind of stocky, regular everyman you'd see kicking a ball around down your local park on a Sunday afternoon, rather than some 'world-class Italian striker', but there he was, virtually unheard of before the tournament kicked off, smashing in goal after goal after goal at the actual WC Finals. It really was 'every bloke's dream made real'.

If memory serves he's spent most of his early career in the lower divisions and had basically had one amazing season in 89-90 which got him into the Italian squad, I think he might still have even be in Serie B? Nobody outside of Italy had heard of him. For younger readers you could draw comparisons with Vardy. Similar playing style too actually.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Italia 90 really was an oddity. Football wise it was one of the most turgid competitions in history, I think it still holds the record for the lowest average goals scored across all World Cups - a lot of rules were changed after, most notably the back pass rule to keepers. Other than West Germany, all other teams flattered to deceive: the Italians were heavily weighed down with expectation; the 1988 Euro winners, Holland, were out of sorts and too busy arguing with each other; Brazil's magnificent 1980s team had been dismantled and replaced by possibly the worst squad in their history; Argentina had a team of Maradona and 10 cloggers who kicked their way to the final; England had finished bottom of their Euro 88 group without a point and Robson had decided prior to the tournament he had had enough - expectations were low and continued downwards after their first match with Ireland which was a dire game (I think one Italian newspaper headline for that was 'No Football Please We're British")

Yet despite all this Italia 90 was possibly the most dramatic and interesting tournament in my lifetime, from the moment that Cameroon defender's crunching tackle launched Claudio Caniggia into space, during the opening game. Schillaci was one of them, suddenly becoming the saviour of the Italy team in virtually every match they played. Many matches seemed to have something going on: goalkeepers who dribbled halfway up the pitch; obscure Central American countries beating hapless Scots; other top players who had flashes of brilliance in one game, then disappeared in the next (Dragan Stojkovic v Spain); Geriatric African forwards lured out of retirement to terrorise defences and dance round corner flags; Germany v Holland spitting competition; Carlos Valderrama's hair.

Add to the mix, the only England World Cup song to ever bother with (I still have my T-Shirt somewhere) - still trying to work out which blazer at the FA green lighted this - I'm assuming after the previous abomination involving Stock Aitken and Waterman, they devolved it to the work experience kid. Barnes rapping, drug references and cheeky Carry On innuendo equals the finest 4 minutes of music about football you will ever come across.


Add to that was the BBC got it completely right with their theme - it was particularly effective when playing out on the end credits over pictures of dramatic moments from the match. Pavarotti's version is the only one to bother with.


I think these songs were at one point numbers 1 and 2 in the UK chart during the tournament.

In summary - terrible football, cracking drama

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

The top goalscorer of World Cup Italia '90 has passed away at the dreadfully young age of only 59 years-old.

What a tournament he had - scoring in nearly every match of Italy's progress to the semi-finals (including the third/fourth place play-off) . One of my first cult heroes. All the talk in the build-up to Italia '90 was of Roberto Baggio but it was Toto who won the hearts the world over.

RIP to an iconic footballing legend.

My first tournament of memory, he wa san icon