Italy concerned after 1990 World Cup top scorer Schillaci admitted to hospital

Italy ’90 top scorer Salvatore ‘Totò’ Schillaci, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022, has been hospitalised and is in a “stable condition”, his family said in a statement.

Legendary Italian striker Salvatore Schillaci, better known as Totò, is in stable condition in a hospital in Palermo.

His family released a short statement on his official Instagram profile on Sunday evening, saying the 59-year-old man is in stable condition.

“Given the numerous calls from the media and the nasty rumors circulating, we want to make it clear that our beloved Totò is in a stable condition and is being monitored day and night by an expert team of doctors. Come on, Totò,” the family said.

Italy concerned after 1990 World Cup top scorer Schillaci admitted to hospital

Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2022 and underwent two surgeries.

Schillaci announced that he had cancer on January 16, 2023. That day, he was at the Clinica La Maddalena in Palermo, a clinic specializing in oncology treatments, where police arrested mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, who had been on the run for more than 30 years.

Schillaci also spoke about his illness in 2023 on the Italian TV program Pechino Express, in which he participated with his wife Barbara.

“I fought cancer last year. This is an act of revenge,” said the former Italy international.

A former striker for Messina, Juventus, Inter and Júbilo Iwata in Japan, Schillaci scored seven goals in 16 games for the Italian national team. Six of these goals were scored during the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Schillaci was the top scorer in the competition and the Player of the Tournament.