GIgnorant criminals have cast a dark shadow over Italy’s moving farewell to its late World Cup hero Paolo Rossi. On the day of the funeral ceremony for the 1982 soccer world champion in the northern Italian city of Vicenza with his family, former teammates and fans, criminals broke into the idol’s villa in the Tuscan province of Arezzo and cleared the house. The coffin with Rossi’s remains has meanwhile been transferred to Perugia for cremation.
In Vicenza, Rossi’s world champion colleagues Marco Tardelli, Giancarlo Antognoni, Antonio Cabrini and Fulvio Collovati carried the coffin of their former teammate into the cathedral. On top of the coffin, the former comrades put a number 20 Squadra Azzurra jersey that Rossi had worn during Italy’s World Cup triumph 38 years ago. Rossi’s youngest children held a large portrait of their father. In front of the cathedral, fans chanted Rossi’s name and applauded.
At the ceremony, the top officials of the Italian football association FIGC and several former colleagues condoled Rossi’s widow. “I lost not just a friend but a brother. We have seen so much together. Even after our playing career ended, we never lost sight of each other, ”said Cabrini.
“Paolo Rossi was more than a symbol, he was the embodiment of Italian football. I had the privilege of playing with him at AC Milan at the beginning of my football career, ”said the former national player and Milan’s current sports director Paolo Maldini. Rossi, World Cup top scorer in 1982, had played in Milan in the 1985/86 season before the striker ended his career at Hellas Verona in 1987.
Rossi’s world champion colleagues Marco Tardelli, Giancarlo Antognoni, Antonio Cabrini and Fulvio Collovati carry the coffin of their former teammate.
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Image: AFP
Thousands of fans had already flocked to the “Menti” stadium in Vicenza on Friday afternoon, where Rossi’s coffin had been laid out. Banners with the slogan “Rossi Gol” and pictures of the star hung on the windows of the buildings in front of the stadium. Rossi had lived in Vicenza for several years. A minute’s silence was observed on the fields of all leagues at the weekend in honor of Rossi, who died on Wednesday at the age of 64 of a lung tumor.
Rossi’s goals at the 1982 World Cup are to be shown on large screens. The stadium in Rossi’s hometown Prato near Florence is said to be named after the legendary striker.
After the funeral service in Vicenza, anger was mixed in with the mourning of Rossi’s widow Federica Cappelletti in particular due to the discovery of the break-in. According to Cappelletti’s statements, the brazen thieves took jewelry and cash with them. The police are investigating.
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