Thousands Turn up at Funeral of Italian World Cup Hero Salvatore Totò Schillaci

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Italian World Cup hero Salvatore Toto' Schillaci, during his funeral ceremony at the Palermo cathedral, Italy, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse via AP)
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Italian World Cup hero Salvatore Toto' Schillaci, during his funeral ceremony at the Palermo cathedral, Italy, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse via AP)
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Thousands Turn up at Funeral of Italian World Cup Hero Salvatore Totò Schillaci

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Italian World Cup hero Salvatore Toto' Schillaci, during his funeral ceremony at the Palermo cathedral, Italy, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse via AP)
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Italian World Cup hero Salvatore Toto' Schillaci, during his funeral ceremony at the Palermo cathedral, Italy, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse via AP)

Thousands of people turned up for the funeral of Italian World Cup hero Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci on Friday.

Schillaci died on Wednesday at the age of 59 following a battle with colon cancer. The Italy striker was top scorer at the 1990 World Cup that his country hosted and epitomized a player exceeding expectations on soccer’s biggest stage.

The funeral took place at the main cathedral in Palermo. Schillaci never played for the Sicilian team but he was born and raised in the city, where he also set up a soccer youth academy after moving back when he retired.

Schillaci’s coffin was decorated with an Italy jersey and a Palermo one, as well as with scarves of the various teams he played for — Messina, Juventus and Inter Milan. He ended his career at Japanese team Jubilo Iwata, retiring in 1999, according to The AP.

Schillaci had never scored for Italy before the 1990 World Cup, having previously only played once for the national team. Overall, he made 16 appearances for Italy and scored seven goals — six of them at the World Cup, where the Azzurri finished third.

He also won the Golden Ball award in 1990 as the tournament’s top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.

There was space for around a thousand people in the cathedral and thousands more packed the square outside. They chanted Schillaci’s name and applauded when the hearse arrived and again when the coffin was brought back out after the funeral service.

Thousands had also passed through the public viewing of Schillaci at Palermo’s Renzo Barbera stadium in the days ahead of the funeral.

Schillaci’s two brothers were among the pallbearers, along with nephew Francesco Di Mariano, who plays for Palermo and passed through his uncle’s soccer academy.

Many former teammates were in attendance, including Giuseppe Bergomi, who played with Schillaci for Inter and Italy and was also Azzurri captain at the 1990 World Cup. Among the other figures from the world of soccer were Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina and Antonio Matarrese, who occupied the post in 1990.

There was a collection at the service, with the funds going towards the renovation of an area that includes two soccer pitches, one of which will be named after Schillaci.

A wreath of flowers from world soccer’s governing body FIFA was laid at the entrance to the cathedral. It bore the words “to the hero of Italia 90.”



Alcaraz Comes from Behind to Claim Maiden Monte Carlo Title

Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 13, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 13, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti REUTERS/Manon Cruz
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Alcaraz Comes from Behind to Claim Maiden Monte Carlo Title

Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 13, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 13, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti REUTERS/Manon Cruz

Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a sluggish start to overpower Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 on Sunday and claim his first Monte Carlo Masters title, his biggest win since lifting the Wimbledon trophy in 2024.

After a disappointing North American swing in March, where he lost early in Miami and fell in the semi-finals at Indian Wells, the 21-year-old Spaniard roared back to form on clay, clinching his sixth Masters 1000 crown and 10th major title overall including four Grand Slams.

On a grey afternoon on Court Rainier III overlooking the Mediterranean sea, Alcaraz initially appeared out of sorts.

Musetti broke twice early and capitalised on 11 unforced errors from Alcaraz's forehand to take the opening set. The Italian’s variety and court craft gave him the edge against a hesitant opponent struggling to find his rhythm, Reuters reported.

But momentum shifted in the second set.

Alcaraz began to strike with more authority and cleaned up his ground strokes, breaking twice to bag five consecutive games, completely flipping the script.

Musetti, who had played several long matches earlier in the week, began to fade physically under the Spaniard’s relentless pace, poise and power.

The final set was a one-sided affair.

Alcaraz broke in the opening game and raced to a 3-0 lead, at which point Musetti received a medical timeout for treatment on his right thigh.

From there, the Spaniard did not look back, closing out the match with clinical efficiency with Musetti managing just eight points in the final set.

Alcaraz’s victory in Monte Carlo allows him to surpass Alexander Zverev, reclaiming the world number two spot in the ATP rankings and moving to the top of the 2025 ATP Race, ahead of Jannik Sinner.

World number one Sinner, meanwhile, was granted permission to return to official training facilities on Sunday after a three-month doping suspension.

Alcaraz will next play in the Barcelona Open against a qualifier, boosted by his strong Monte Carlo performance and looking to defend his Roland Garros title when that tournament begins in late May.