Former Italy and Juventus striker Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, who was the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup on home soil, has died at the age of 59, his former club announced in a statement on Wednesday.

Salvatore Schillaci, the scoring hero of Italia 90. As for “Notti Magiche”, or magical nights, that was the official song of that tournament and it lives on as shorthand in Italy for a summer when the country hosted the World Cup and a Sicilian with a wild look in his eyes made millions of Italians dream.

Former Italy forward Salvatore "Toto" Schillaci has died aged 59, the Palermo hospital where he was being treated for colon cancer said a statement on Wednesday. Schillaci rose to international fame at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where he starred for the Azzurri, scoring six goals to win the golden boot.