Salvatore Schillaci: When 'Toto's stare was the star
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Salvatore Schillaci has passed away at the age of 59.
Italian football legend Salvatore Schillaci, who was the leading scorer at the 1990 World Cup, has passed away at the age of 59.
Schillaci, commonly referred to as 'Toto', netted six goals to claim the Golden Boot during the 1990 World Cup held in his own country.
In 2014, BBC Sport had a conversation with the Italian regarding the tournament and his experiences. Here’s a rephrased excerpt from that interview that was released at the time.
Salvatore Schillaci came out of the 1990 World Cup as Italy's biggest sensation. However, his journey began on a rough note when he faced hostility from a crowd of 3,000 furious fans. They surrounded his car, spitting on the windows and kicking the sides.
That marked his arrival at the Azzurri's training camp in Florence ahead of the World Cup, where he unknowingly found himself caught in a chaotic scene caused by Juventus's acquisition of Fiorentina's star forward, Roberto Baggio.
Schillaci, who required police assistance, was simply a victim of circumstances, caught in an unfortunate situation. However, the situation changed drastically later that summer when he began scoring goal after goal, showcasing his knack for being in the right place at the right time.
It was already surprising that he made it onto the Italy national team. The dark-skinned striker from Sicily had never attended school and had grown up in the impoverished neighborhoods of Palermo. Nine years earlier, he had begun his career by making just £1.50 for every goal he scored while playing for a local amateur club.
It's true that he was now valued at £3 million, which was the amount Juventus spent to acquire him from Messina in 1989. He had also secured the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia titles. However, he remained somewhat under the radar. He had only recently completed his first season in Serie A at 25 years old, and this was his first time being selected for the national team in a major tournament.
Schillaci took the long route to success, but the man popularly known as 'Toto' – a nickname derived from his full name – would make the World Cup in Italy his personal triumph.
He scored six goals, earning him the Golden Boot for being the tournament's leading scorer, the Golden Ball for being the best player, and hero status, even though the home team lost in the semi-finals.
In 2014, Schillaci reflected on the four weeks that changed his life, the aftermath of his incredible journey from an unknown player to one of the most recognized footballers in the world, and what followed after that.
He was both surprised and entertained to discover that a charming champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse bore his name.
"Wow, that's something I hadn't come across before! I’ve heard plenty about various subjects, but this is the first time I’m hearing about a horse!" the 49-year-old remarked to BBC Sport. "During that time, I recall many people in Italy naming their dogs 'Toto,' though."
That wasn't the only reason his name became widely known. He mentioned that when visitors reached Italy during that period, the first thing they would tell the border officials was, "Toto Schillaci."
Many Italians have shared with me that when they travel to other countries, the first thing locals mention upon discovering their nationality is my name. This truly brings me joy.
His time as an unofficial representative for the team was short-lived. Due to injuries and a decline in performance, he managed to score just one additional goal for his country following the World Cup. Ultimately, he was let go during a challenging qualifying run for the 1992 European Championship. However, the impact he left behind has endured far beyond that.
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Salvatore Scillachi finished Italia '90 as the leading goal scorer of the tournament.
"There have been occasions when individuals have suddenly started crying upon meeting me," Schillaci expressed. "It’s wonderful to see such big smiles on their faces when we connect; they genuinely seem thrilled to meet me."
"I believe that achieving success requires a lot of effort, so it's really rewarding when people continue to recognize your accomplishments. What’s challenging is when you feel overlooked and unappreciated. That’s why I welcome any attention that comes my way."
Schillaci's fleeting moment of fame ties him to Italia '90 just as much as the tournament is linked to him. No matter where he is around the globe, he understands that people will inevitably ask him about that memorable time as soon as they recognize him.
"The eyes, oh those eyes! Whenever I meet new people, they always ask me to do the 'crazy eyes,'" Schillaci chuckled. "It started as a spontaneous move that really resonated with people, and I've ended up doing it countless times."
Whether he was asking for a penalty or celebrating another goal, that intense Schillaci look quickly became a routine expression on his animated face, beginning the moment he entered the field in Italy's opening match against Austria.
"I was the final member of the team, so I never anticipated making it to the bench," Schillaci reminisced. "I truly believed I'd be sitting in the audience."
As the match was nearing its end and the score was still tied at 0-0, I was taken by surprise when the manager, Azeglio Vicini, signaled for me to warm up because I would be entering the game. I couldn't wrap my head around it and asked him, "Are you talking about me?"
Next to Schillaci was his Juventus teammate, goalkeeper Stefano Tacconi, who encouraged him to "go ahead and score a header like John Charles." Taking inspiration from the Welsh and Juventus icon, Schillaci delivered a powerful strike with his head, which, surprisingly, turned out to be his first headed goal of the entire season.
"When I scored, I took off running and didn’t stop until I reached the bench, where I embraced Tacconi because of his words to me," Schillaci shared. "It was an overwhelming happiness."
After another brief appearance in a close victory against the United States, where he didn't make much of an impact, Vicini decided to listen to public sentiment and started Schillaci in the match against the Czech Republic, teaming him up with Baggio.
Both players found the net in a 2-0 victory, marking the beginning of Italy's journey in the World Cup. The Gazzetta Dello Sport celebrated the moment with a headline that read, "Italy in ecstasy with Schillaci-Baggio," accompanied by the phrase "How lovely you are."
Two additional goals helped eliminate Uruguay in the round of 16 and the Republic of Ireland in the quarter-finals, solidifying Schillaci's status as a national hero. He was regarded as the country's savior. The official World Cup song, "Magic Nights," even turned into his own personal anthem.
At this point, people were starting to draw parallels with Paolo Rossi, the player who inspired Italy’s victory in the 1982 World Cup.
"Rossi was a true champion," Schillaci remarked before their semi-final match against Argentina, a game his team was favored to win. "I'm just a regular, humble person. I simply wish to keep performing as I have been."
He started the scoring with another sneaky goal, but this time it wasn't sufficient. Italy surpassed England's record of 499 minutes without allowing a goal in a tournament before their defense was broken in the second half. The dream was over for them when they lost in the penalty shootout.
All the major newspapers in Italy featured the headline 'The Dream is Over,' whereas Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport opted for a bold 'NO' across their front pages.
"We truly earned that victory," Schillaci noted. "I believe that if we had managed to defeat Argentina, we would have continued on to claim the World Cup."
However, that wasn’t the final chapter in the Schillaci saga. The day before West Germany triumphed over Argentina in the final match, he scored his sixth goal of the tournament during the third-place playoff against England, surpassing Czech player Tomas Skuhravy to become the tournament's top scorer.
"Following the tournament, I needed some time to myself," Schillaci shares. "Everyone was seeking my attention, but I just wanted to escape the hustle and bustle, especially after the disappointment of losing in the semi-finals."
The next time he attracted media attention, it wasn't for anything positive. In the following November, he received a one-game suspension because he threatened to have Fabio Poll shot after the Bologna player hit him during an argument on the field.
At that point, his goal-scoring ability was also diminishing. He managed to net just five goals in the league during the 1990-91 season and followed that up with six in the next season. A transfer to Inter Milan in 1992, marred by injuries, couldn’t bring him back to form. Ultimately, he wrapped up his career away from home, becoming the first Italian to play in Japan's emerging J-League, even if it was a financially rewarding experience.
During his time in Serie A, as he worked to get back to his World Cup level, Schillaci remarked, "Even if I were to leave the Italian national team, I will cherish the amazing memories of Italia '90 for the rest of my life."
He still had them when he came back to his hometown to manage the youth academy where he once played.
It was evident from my conversation with Schillaci that he liked reminiscing about his past achievements during exhibition games, but he was also grateful that his celebrity status hadn't had a significant impact on his life.
