Paolo Rossi, Italy’s star who led his national team to be crowned the 1982 World Cup campaign and the scorer of a hat-trick against Brazil in one of the most famous encounters in the competition’s history, has died at the age of 64.
Italian TV channel RAI Sport, where Rossi had been working as a pundit, said on Thursday that he had died of an “incurable disease”, according to Reuters.
Rossi’s wife, posted a photo on Instagram of herself with her husband along with the words “per sempre” which translates to “forever”.
“There will never be anyone like you, unique, special ...” she later wrote on Facebook in Italian.
The striker’s death comes at the time when the football world is still mourning Argentinian legend Diego Maradona, who passed away late last month.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest Italian football players of all time, "Pablito" scored 20 goals in 48 appearances for the Italian national team.
The former Vicenza, Juventus and AC Milan player was also awarded the Golden Ball at the 1982 World Cup for the player of the championship.
In the same year, he got to be one of only four Italians to win the Ballon d'Or, which at the time was awarded to the European footballer of the year.
UEFA said in a statement that a moment of silence would be held before all of Thursday's Europa League matches in memory of the former striker.
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