Totò Schillaci was the top scorer of the least scoring World Cup – 09/20/2024 – The World Is a Ball

The bulging eyes. That’s what I remember of Schilacci, in his vibrant and unrestrained goal celebrations at the 1990 World Cup.

The then three-time world champion Italy was playing at home, at a time when the local championship was at its peak.

At the time, the Italian league was the most important competition in the world, every player wanted to play “in Calcio”, in Milan with the Dutch Gullit and Van Basten, in Napoli with the Argentine Maradona, in Inter Milan with the Germans Matthäus and Klinsmann, in the always powerful Juventus… which had a certain Schillaci (pronounced isquiláti), not famous at the time.

A few Brazilians made it there, and the main names, at the 90 World Cup, were striker Careca (ex-São Paulo) and midfielder Alemão (ex-Botafogo), from Napoli and starters for the Brazilian national team.

This team was eliminated in the round of 16, losing 1-0 to Argentina, led by Maradona and Caniggia, who scored the goal that eliminated Brazil, led by Sebastião Lazaroni, who innovated by having Brazil play with three defenders, one of whom (Mauro Galvão) was the sweeper. It didn’t work.

I continued following the World Cup, since my interest was not limited to the Brazilian national team. A World Cup that would be marked at the end as having the lowest average of goals, 2.21 per game – a negative record that remains to this day.

One of the attractions of the World Cup was the Squadra Azzurra, as they were the hosts. A strong and secure defense (with Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini), an attack without substance, problematic, as is almost always the case. In that team was the competent midfielder Carlo Ancelotti, who would go on to become one of the best coaches in history.

Salvatore Schilacci, nicknamed Totò, was mentioned in television broadcasts – I watched the games on Bandeirantes – as the Sicilian on the Italian team. He was born in Palermo, the capital of the island.

The number 19 did not start the World Cup as a starter; the attacking duo was Gianluca Vialli and Andrea Carnevale. With neither of them showing much inspiration, Schillaci began his odyssey in the tournament by coming off the bench and scoring the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Austria in his debut.

He came on during the second match (he didn’t score in the 1-0 win over the USA), and in the third he started playing alongside Roberto Baggio, who would be, along with Romário, the great player in the following World Cup, in 1994, in the USA, when Brazil won the fourth title.

Even though he was not tall (1.73 m), he scored with a header – just as he had done against the Austrians – and paved the way for a 2-0 victory against Czechoslovakia.

Fierce and determined, he became an undisputed starter in the team led by Azeglio Vicini (1933-2018), relegating to the bench, in addition to Vialli and Carnevale, other famous attackers, such as Roberto Mancini and Aldo Serena.

And his goalscoring saga continued.

In the round of 16, he scored the most beautiful goal of the campaign, a left-footed shot from outside the area, the first in the 2-0 win over Uruguay. In the quarter-finals, 1-0 against Ireland, he took advantage of a rebound from goalkeeper Pat Bonner.

In the semi-final, another moment of opportunism, with another rebound taken advantage of, this time after a partial save by Goycochea. However, it was not enough to qualify the Azzurra for the final.

Playing in Naples, at Maradona’s home, Argentina drew (Caniggia, Brazil’s executioner), and the spot was decided on penalties.

Goycochea, who became a starter after Pumpido broke his leg in the second match of the World Cup, against the USSR, was not very confident, but he was a great penalty saver. He saved two – Schillaci didn’t even take a shot.

Italy had a better team than Argentina, but had to settle for third place. Schillaci scored the second goal in England’s 2-1 win, from the penalty spot, beating goalkeeper Shilton. It was the bronze goal, breaking the tie.

He opened his eyes wide, in celebration, for the last time in that World Cup.

That was the German Cup, champion, and also the Cup of Totò Schillaci, its top scorer: six goals in seven games, in one of the best performances of a striker in a single World Cup.

“The” character of the 90 World Cup (more than Maradona, Matthäus, Völler, Klinsmann, Caniggia, Goycochea, Gascoigne, Milla) died this week, from colon cancer, at the age of 59. He will be missed.