The football world has been left devastated after the death of Italian legend Luigi ‘Gigi’ Riva.
The Italian soccer federation (FIGC) confirmed on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) that Riva — Italy’s leading all-time national team goalscorer — had passed away at the age of 79.
Tributes from around the world started to flood in immediately.
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“I’m shaken and profoundly saddened. Italian soccer is grieving because a real and proper national hero has left us,” FIGC president Gabriele Gravina said.
“Gigi Riva was the embodiment of a great man and an extraordinary footballer. His pride, his class and his sense of fairness united generations.
“Thanks to him we won the European Championship in 1968 and the World Cup in 2006 (as team manager).”
Riva earned his nickname because of the potency of his powerful left foot, with 35 goals in 42 appearances for Italy.
He also played in the 1970 World Cup when Italy were runners-up to the great Brazil team featuring Pele.
He had been taken ill at his home in Sardinia over the weekend and treated for a suspected heart problem.
With his near namesake Gianni Rivera, Riva was one of the poster boys of Italian soccer as colour television brought live action to a wider audience.
He was runner-up to Rivera for the Ballon d’Or trophy awarded to Europe’s best player in 1969.
Riva played almost his entire club career with Cagliari and was Serie A top-scorer when the Sardinian team won the Italian league title for the only time in their history in 1970.
He was honorary president of the club at the time of his death.
Injuries marred the latter part of his playing career and forced him to retire in 1976, having scored 164 league goals for Cagliari in 315 matches. He was Serie A top scorer three times.
Riva subsequently served for many years as a member of the backroom staff for the national team including in 2006 when Italy triumphed in Germany.
After news broke of his death, Cagliari added a black ribbon to their various accounts on social media.
They also published a picture of Riva and wrote: “Forever GIGI RIVA.”
Many other Italian clubs also paid their respects to the champion.
“No man is bigger than a club – but Luigi Riva at Cagliari comes pretty darn close. Riposa In Pace, Sempre,” one fan wrote on social media.
A minute’s silence will be held before the start of all football matches in Italy this weekend in tribute to Riva.
There was also a minute’s silence before the start of the second half of the Italian Super Cup final that was taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday.
– With AP
