I’ve always envied those astronomers who could spend nights, weeks, months and even years looking into outer space, waiting for that one moment, a drop of a second, when that one shooting star or comet would appear before disappearing again for at least the next 50 years. Like, for example, the most famous Halley’s Comet, which returns every 72-80 years (the last time in 1986).Astronomers have Halley. We – the worshipers of football – had Toto. He appeared just once, four years after Halley, during the summer of 1990 in Italy. And left the entire world of football completely stunned. For those few weeks, he shone like the brightest star in the sky before fading away into that previous obscurity and anonymity. Only, unlike Halley – never to return again.##NAJAVA_MECA_8342659####EDITORS_CHOICE##The legend has it that Salvatore Toto Schillachi was not even included in the regular Panini stickers’ album for that FIFA World Cup since he only made his senior debut with Gli Azzurri on 31 March 1990. Italy’s coach, Azeglio Vicini, called him up as a fourth-choice in the attack behind legends like Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Baggio. Schillachi – Juventus’ forward at that moment – was benched for the tournament’s opening game against Austria and probably would have stayed there for the entire summer if it wasn’t for his colleagues’ pale attacking display.Toto came on in the 75th minute and just three minutes later scored a superb header from the edge of the six-yard box following Vialli’s cross from the right for a 1-0 win.So sad to hear about the passing of Toto Schillaci.The man who grabbed his chance with two hands at Italia ‘90, along with the Golden Boot.RIP ❤️pic.twitter.com/p7Jz0KNuBc— Stu’s Football Flashbacks (@stusfootyflash) September 18, 2024 And that was when we got our phenomena, our true shooting star.In the next game, against Czechoslovakia, he struck again for a 2-0 win. Schillaci’s sensational streak continued in the round of 16 and quarter-finals against Uruguay and the Republic of Ireland, respectively.Toto even scored in the semi-final against Argentina, but Italy were eliminated after a penalty shootout. Still, he managed to bag another, his sixth goal of the tournament, for a 2-1 against England in the third-place match, thus winning the Golden Boot for the best scorer of the WC. Moreover, he won the Golden Ball Award for the best player of the tournament in front of Diego Armando Maradona and Lothar Matthaus.And that was it.For the rest of his entire international career, he netted just once. It wasn’t much better even in terms of his club career, as he failed to leave a significant trace with Juve and Inter Milan.In 1994, he moved to Japan and, after three seasons there, retired far away from the spotlight.Tragic news. Toto Schillaci has passed way age 59. Heartbreaking. An icon. Sending his family much love at this difficult time. RIP idolo. pic.twitter.com/abjOX0H3en— Italian Football News 🇮🇹 (@footitalia1) September 18, 2024 We had almost never heard of the guy until this morning when the news of Toto’s death at the age of 59 spread worldwide in a minute. Thousands of those who remembered his 20 days of glory took to social media to bid farewell to their loving comet.Football’s greatest-ever one-hit wonder.Our shooting star.Our Toto.
