Italia ’90 top goal scorer Salvatore ‘Totò’ Schillaci, who had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022, has been admitted to hospital and is in ‘stable condition,’ his family said in a statement.
Legendary Italy striker Salvatore Schillaci, famously known as Totò, is in stable condition at a hospital in Palermo.
His family released a brief statement on Sunday night through his official Instagram profile, clarifying that the 59-year-old is in stable condition.
“Given the countless calls from the media and the nasty rumours circulating, we clarify that our beloved Totò is in stable condition and is continuously checked by an expert team of doctors night and day. Come on, Totò,” the family said.
Italy worry as 1990 World Cup top scorer Schillaci admitted to hospital
Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2022 and had undergone surgery twice.
Schillaci revealed he had had cancer on January 16, 2023. On that day, he was at the Clinica La Maddalena in Palermo, a clinic specialised in oncological treatment, where Police arrested Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, who had been on the run for over 30 years.
Schillaci also spoke about his illness in 2023 during an Italian TV show, Pechino Express, where he participated alongside his wife, Barbara.
“I fought against cancer last year. This is a revenge,” the ex-Italy international said.
A former striker for Messina, Juventus, Inter and Júbilo Iwata in Japan, Schillaci scored seven goals in 16 appearances for Italy’s national team. Six of these goals were scored during the 1990 World Cup held in Italy. Schillaci was the best scorer in the competition and the Player of the Tournament.
