Paolo Rossi, the star of Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning team, has died at the age of 64.
The news was announced on Thursday morning by the Italian TV channel RAI Sport, where Rossi worked as a pundit.
The former Juventus and Milan player is widely regarded as one of the best forwards of all time and is most famous for his heroics at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
In the final, he scored the opening goal as Italy defeated West Germany 3-1. Earlier in the tournament, in what is still considered one of the best World Cup performances, he scored a hat-trick to beat Brazil 3-2 and sent one of the favorites out early.
Rossi won the tournament’s Golden Boot and Golden Ball and, in the same year, the Ballon d’Or.
He also scored three goals at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. With a total of nine goals, he remains Italy’s joint-highest scorer at the World Cup with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri.
Rossi spent his entire club career in Italy, winning two Serie A titles and helping Juve to the 1984-85 European Cup, a year after winning the Cup Winners’ Cup.
