After goals scored “by pylorus, Adam’s apple, calf, hair and buttock” Toto Schillaci missed in the final against England “a goal fifteen centimeters from the goal because the ball landed on the wrong side of the body: the foot “. Cuore Mundial jokes about it on the first morning that he won’t be able to follow a magical night, but he seems to be interpreting a widespread thought. Now that everything is over, now that they no longer have to appeal to those haunted eyes to see the blue jersey go on, the Italian fans, from Milan to Bari, from Venice to Genoa, can finally ask themselves how it was possible that that “blowjob” , that 25-year-old who has been in Serie A for only a year, that “southerner” of Schillaci has become the top scorer at the World Cup
Only in Sicily this doubt never touches anyone, even in subsequent seasons, in which King Toto will not be able to repeat what he did in 1990. But be careful, because that calendar year contains in a small way all the parable described by the career of the native attacker of Palermo, and not just its peak.
Toto Schillaci, who the year before was top scorer in Serie B with the Messina shirt, was bought by Juventus at the behest of Bonipertiand immediately became an immovable owner. He is not gifted with superfine class, but he is tenacious, wriggling and has a nose for goals. Or, if nothing else, it often suits him. The first peak of the calendar year 1990 is dated January 14th. Against the unsafe Hellas Verona Juventus suffers, but wins in comeback thanks to a goal from Schillaci a few minutes from the end. Zoff’s team has fun and, even if in the league they take too many breaks that do not allow them to fight for the Scudetto, they take home the Italian Cup and the Uefa Cup, the first trophies since Trapattoni left.
Toto, for his part, convinces Vicini to make him debut in the national team in Basel, in the last official friendly before Italy 90. The good Azeglio believes that the enthusiasm of the little Sicilian can benefit his Italy and adds him to the group of twenty-two chosen for the final phase of the World Cup. However, a bad performance against Greece in Perugia, in a match that is little more than a training session, convinces the coach to reserve the Juventus striker a seat on the bench (which is no small feat given that this Roberto Mancini will be sent to the stands ). The whistles that rain for him from the stands of the Curi do not represent anything particularly hateful for someone who every day in Turin hears himself called a “southerner”. And luckily they leave no trace.
It happens, in fact, that on 9 June, the day of the debut against Austria, Italy plays well, but fails to break through. Vicini then tries to catch the joker and in the 75th minute he sends Schillaci on the field instead of a positive Andrea Carnevale. Tacconi, another Juventus player aware of having to make a lot of bench during the World Cup, tries to recycle haruspex and predicts a goal from his clubmate. The fact is that after just four minutes Vialli flies to the right, crosses and Toto’s head sends the ball into the goal. Victory, all in the streets, ovations for the first decisive Sicilian in the blue jersey after Anastasi and the certainty of having a mascot on the bench that he could also score.
The turning point, however, comes at 51 ‘of Italy-United States, the second match of the Azzurri.
The full article is on Romantic Soccer
