Rossi gained two Serie A titles, a European Cup and a Coppa Italia with Juventus however will likely be most fondly remembered for his six objectives on the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Paolo Rossi, Italy’s goalscoring hero from their victorious 1982 World Cup marketing campaign, has died on the age of 64.
His loss of life comes with the soccer world still in mourning for Argentina icon Diego Maradona, who handed away late final month.
Italian TV channel RAI Sport, the place Rossi had been working as a pundit, stated on Thursday “Pablito” had died of an “incurable illness”.
“Such terribly unhappy information: Paolo Rossi has left us,” RAI Sport presenter Enrico Varriale tweeted. “Unforgettable Pablito, who made all of us fall in love in that summer season of 1982 and who was a valuable and competent work colleague in RAI over latest years.”
Rossi’s spouse, Federica Cappelletti, posted a photograph of herself and her husband on Instagram together with the phrases “per sempre” — “perpetually”.
Rossi gained two Serie A titles, a European Cup and a Coppa Italia with Juventus however will likely be most fondly remembered for his six objectives on the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
His choice within the squad was initially criticised by pundits, who wrote him off as out of practice, however they have been left consuming their phrases when he struck one of many World Cup’s nice hat-tricks towards Brazil.
Italy’s 3-2 victory in that traditional encounter within the second group section booked them a spot within the semis towards Poland, the place Rossi once more made the distinction.
He sunk the Poles with a brace in a 2-0 win that fired his aspect into the World Cup decider towards West Germany.
Rossi then scored Italy’s first in a 3-1 victory that gave them their third World Cup title and their first since 1938.
He gained the golden boot as the highest scorer and golden ball as the very best participant of the event, a marketing campaign considered probably the greatest particular person World Cup performances of all-time.
Among the many tributes to move from the soccer world, Germany’s former World Cup winner Juergen Klinsmann tweeted: “Expensive Pablito, we at all times keep in mind you!”
Born in Prato, Tuscany, Rossi performed his whole membership profession in Italy. He was banned for 3 years in 1980 as a part of the “Totonero” match-fixing scandal however at all times denied any wrongdoing.
The ban was later diminished to 2 years, permitting him to return to the Italy squad and carve out his slice of World Cup historical past.
He additionally scored three objectives on the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. With a complete of 9 objectives, he stays Italy’s joint highest scorer on the World Cup with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri.