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Former Italian soccer world champion Paolo Rossi has died at the age of 64. The Italian news agency ANSA and “La Gazzetta dello Sport” reported on Thursday morning.
Rossi, who led Italy to the 1982 World Cup title against Germany, died of an “incurable disease” according to the newspaper.
He won the championship title, the championship cup and the cup winners’ cup with Juventus, but he became famous at the World Cup in Spain. Shortly after his death became known, the Italian media commemorated their football legend. “He was the one who beat Zico’s Brazil, Maradona’s Argentina, Boniek’s Poland and in the final Germany from Rummenigge”, wrote the “Gazzetta” in memory of the 1982 World Cup. “La Stampa” called him the “Heroes of Spain 82”.
World Cup in Spain as a big stage
After a ban for match-fixing, which was reduced from three to two years, team boss Enzo Bearzot called Rossi back to the national team and the World Cup squad.
At the World Cup, after a weak preliminary round, he made his first big appearance against Brazil when he scored all three goals for the Italians in a 3-2 win. In the 2-0 semi-final against Poland he was also responsible for both goals and also scored the 1-0 lead in the final against Germany, which was won 3-1. With six goals, he became the top scorer of the World Cup and the best player of the tournament. That year he also got the Ballon d’Or, which went to the best footballer in Europe at the time.
