Paulo Rossi, Italy’s goal scorer from the 1982 World Cup campaign, has died at the age of 64.

The soccer world is in mourning for the death of Argentine icon Diego Maradona at the end of last month.

The Italian TV channel RAI Sport, where Rosie worked as a pundit, said on Thursday that Pablito had died of an “incurable disease”.

“Such terrible news: Paulo Rossi has left us,” tweeted RAI Sport presenter Enrico Variel.

“The unforgettable Pablito, who made us all fall in love in the summer of 1982, was recently a valuable and talented colleague at RAI.” Rosie’s wife, Federica Capelletti, posted a photo of herself and her husband on Instagram with the words “per sember” – “forever”.

“There is no one like you, unique and special …” Capelletti later wrote on Facebook in Italian.

Rosie has won two Serie A titles, a European Cup and a Coppa Italia with Juventus.

He was selected by the Italian team after being banned for two years for match-fixing. The Pandits had criticized him.

They ate their words when he scored one of the best hat-tricks against Brazil in the World Cup.

Italy’s 3-2 victory over Poland in the classic clash of the second group stage gave them a place in the semis, where Rosie made a difference again.

He sank at the pole with a 2-0 victory over West Germany in the World Cup decider.

Rosie scored Italy’s first goal in a 3-1 victory, their third World Cup title and the first since 1938.

The Golden Boot was the top scorer and the Golden Ball player of the tournament. It is considered one of the best individual World Cup performances of all time.

He was awarded the 1982 Ballon d’Or as the best footballer in Europe.

Born in Prato, Tuscany, Rosie played all his club life in Italy. He was banned for three years in 1980 as part of the country’s infamous “Totonero” match-fixing scandal, but has always denied any wrongdoing.

The ban was later shortened to two years, allowing him to make a part of World Cup history and achieve “personal recovery”. “On the one hand, I felt fulfilled. I said to myself, ‘You made it,’ “he said in a 2018 FIFA documentary.

“On the other hand, I was disappointed that it all ended. The World Cup is over. He also scored three goals in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. With nine goals in total, he is Italy’s top scorer at the World Cup with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri.

The Italians on Thursday praised the media for one of the country’s favorite soccer sons.

Rosie “lost to Seiko’s Brazil, Maradona’s Argentina, Bonnick’s Poland and Germany’s Romney in the final,” La Gazzetta said on the Dello Sport website.

Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tweeted: “In our hearts, forever. Farewell Publito. Former German World Cup winner J‌rgen Klinsmann tweeted: “Dear Pablito, we will always remember you!”

Reuters