Italian Football Legend Salvatore Schillaci Dies at 59 After Battle with Colon Cancer

Italian football icon Salvatore Schillaci has passed away at the age of 59 following a battle with colon cancer. Schillaci, who famously led Italy to a successful World Cup run in 1990, leaves a lasting legacy in international and club football.

During his illustrious career, Schillaci played for major Italian clubs such as Juventus and Inter Milan, making 384 appearances and scoring 159 goals.

His most memorable moment came at the 1990 World Cup, where he went from relative obscurity to becoming a crucial player for Italy.

Schillaci ended the tournament as the top scorer, winning the Golden Boot with six goals and earning the Player of the Tournament award. His standout performance also secured him a second-place finish in the Ballon d’Or that year.

Despite his success on the international stage, Schillaci faced challenges at the club level, scoring just eight goals in 42 appearances for Juventus in the season following the World Cup.

Schillaci’s death comes just months after the passing of another football legend, Brazil’s Pelé, who also succumbed to colon cancer in December 2022 at the age of 82. Pelé, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever won three World Cups, became iconic.

Pelé had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer and died after being hospitalized for a month due to multiple organ failures. Both Schillaci and Pelé will be remembered for their immense football contributions and enduring legacies.