Italian icon Salvatore Schillaci, the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, has died at 59.

Schillaci, fondly known as 'Toto', scored six goals to win the Golden Boot at the 1990 World Cup on home soil.

Italy lost in the semi-finals, but Schillaci was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player and gained hero status. The striker who became the first Italian footballer to play in J-League before retiring in 1999 was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022. 

Schillaci scored his first goal of the 1990 World Cup as a substitute against Austria, and after another substitute appearance against the United States earned his first start against the Czech Republic.

Partnering Roberto Baggio up front, Schillaci scored again as Italy's campaign built momentum, and his hero status was confirmed with further goals in the subsequent knockout round matches against Uruguay and the Republic of Ireland in the quarter-finals.

Baggio said: “The magic nights of Italia '90 we experienced together will always remain imprinted in my heart. Brothers of Italy forever.”