Premier Giuseppe Conte on Thursday
led the tributes to Paolo Rossi, the striker whose goals powered
Italy to victory at the 1982 World Cup, after his death at the
age of 64.
"His goals in the summer of 1982 gifted a dream to whole
generations," Conte said via Twitter.
"He was the symbol of a national team and of an Italy that,
united and tenacious, was able to beat opponents of enormous
quality.
"Goodbye Paolo Rossi, unforgettable champion.
"Italy will remember you with affection".
Rossi's former team mates and opponents paid homage too.
"I'm so sorry. It was a bolt out of the blue," Dino Zoff, the
capital of the 1982 World Cup-winning team, told ANSA via
telephone.
"I always had a great relationship with Paolo. He was charming
and intelligent.
"We hadn't spoken for a while. He said something to us (about
his condition) but we didn't think it was so serious.
"It's difficult to understand it".
Antonio Cabrini, another of Rossi's former Italy and Juve team
mates, said he was devastated.
"I lost a brother six months ago. Today I am mourning another,"
Cabrini told ANSA.
The headline of Brazil's Globoesporte was "Goodbye Paolo Rossi,
the 'executioner of Brazil".
Junior, one of the Brazil players who took part in the epic
match at the 1982 World Cup, described Rossi as refined and
polite.
"He was always respectful and we Brazilians have always had
great respect for him as a player and as a man," he said.
The Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) is flying the national flag
at half mast at its offices in Rome and at the national team's
base at Coverciano near Florence.
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