SALVATORE ‘TOTO’ SCHILLACI has died at the age of 59.

The Italian footballer, who infamously broke Irish hearts in the 1990 World Cup quarter final, had been battling colon cancer since 2022.

Palermo-born Schillaci was hospitalised earlier this month with an atrial arrhythmia.

During his club career, he played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Júbilo Iwata in Japan.

Ciao Totò pic.twitter.com/Wh5IMkIGLt

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) September 18, 2024

Juventus were among Italy’s football clubs to pay tribute.

They wrote in a statement: “We immediately fell in love with Totò.

“His desire, his story, his being so wonderfully passionate, and it showed in every game he played.

“We at Juve were lucky enough to get excited about him before, in that incredible summer of 1990, the whole of Italy did, captivated by those wonderfully energetic celebrations of his.”

Schillaci was the surprise star of the 1990 World Cup, as he helped Italy to a third-place finish on home soil, but they were knocked out on penalties by Argentina.

He became a household name in Ireland after scoring the winning goal in the quarter finals against the Irish team.

Irish football fans have taken to X to remember the legend, with one describing Schillaci as a “pantomime villain” of their childhood after the World Cup defeat.

Schillaci also featured in well-known ad campaigns, like the Smithwicks television ad that ran during the 2002 World Cup.

Throughout his career, scored an impressive 154 goals.

He was capped 16 times for his country but left Inter for Jubilo Iwata in Japan, where he retired in 1997.