Paolo Rossi, the star of the 1982 Italian World Cup winning team and one of the best strikers of all time, has died at the age of 64, according to Italian media.
The news was announced Thursday morning by the Italian television broadcaster RAI Sport, for which Rossi had worked as an expert.
“Such terribly sad news: Paolo Rossi has left us,” said RAI sports presenter Enrico Varriale, who did not disclose the cause of death.
“Unforgettable Pablito, who made us all fall in love in the summer of 1982 and who has been a valuable and competent colleague at RAI over the past few years.”
Rossi won the Ballon d’Or in 1982 after setting the World Cup on fire. He sent Brazil, one of the favorites, out of the tournament with a hat trick in a 3-2 win, one of the best games in World Cup history.
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