December 10 – Another footballing legend has died prematurely, this time Italy’s 1982 World Cup hero Paolo Rossi at the age of 64, shocking friends, family and fans alike.
The celebrated striker’s death comes with the footballing world still coming to terms with that of Diego Maradona late last month.
Italian TV channel RAI Sport, where Rossi had been working as a pundit, said ‘Pablito’ had died of an “incurable disease”.
Rossi’s performance against Brazil during the 1982 World Cup finals in which he scored a hat-trick in Italy’s 3-2 win is widely regarded as one of the greatest displays on international football’s biggest stage. His heroics represented a glorious comeback as he returned from suspension after being mired in a notorious match-fixing scandal two years previously.
In all Rossi scored six goals at the World Cup in Spain, including two more in the semi-final and the opening goal in Italy’s 3-1 win over West Germany in the final. He was also voted FIFA player of the year in 1982.
“I don’t know what to say, it’s a bolt out of the blue,” said Dino Zoff, Italy’s former goalkeeper and World Cup captain in 1982.
“We hadn’t heard from each other for a while and they told us something [was wrong], but I didn’t think it was serious. It’s difficult to understand.”
Rossi won two Serie A titles and a European Cup with Juventus where he had two spells and also played for AC Milan before moving into broadcasting. In a statement Juventus said: “He was the man of an unforgettable Mundial, and for us, he was so much more.”
The Italian FA said it would fly flags at half-mast in tribute.
“We have lost a friend and an icon of our game,” federation president Gabriele Gravina said. “He took an entire country by the hand, which rejoiced in the streets, for him and with him. He is permanently linked to the Azzurri and has inspired generations of forwards with his style.”
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