The legendary footballer Paolo Rosi, who took Italy to the World Cup victory in 1982, passed away, the athlete’s wife Federica Capelet announced on Thursday.
According to the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rosi, 64, died of an incurable disease.
Forward Rosi was part of the Italian national team, which defeated Ziko’s Brazil, Diego Maradona’s Argentina and Karl Hainz Rummenige’s Germany in 1982.
Rosi scored six goals in the last three games of the tournament and helped Italy triumph in the World Cup for the third time. With six goals, Rosi became the best bomber and the most valuable player in the final tournament. He was also named the best European footballer of 1982.
Significantly, Rosi had previously suffered a two-year disqualification for influencing the outcome of the game, but he never pleaded guilty to the offense.
Before that, in the 1978 World Cup, Rosi scored three goals while the Italians remained in fourth place.
In the Italian national team, he scored 20 goals in 48 games.
In the club career, Rosi represented the teams Hellas Verona, AC Milan, Juventus Turin, Perugia, Vicenza and Como. With the Turin, he twice won the Italian champion, but once won the Italian Cup, the European Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
