Paolo Rossi

Paolo Rossi (23 September 1956 – 9 December 2020) was an Italian striker who carried his country to victory at the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He netted six times in that tournament, earning both the Golden Boot for top scorer and the Golden Ball for best player. That same year, he also took home the Ballon d'Or as Europe's finest footballer, making him the only player ever to sweep all four honours in a single season. With nine World Cup goals in total, he shares the record for Italy's all-time top scorer in the competition alongside Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri.

At club level, Rossi was a prolific goalscorer for Vicenza. In 1976, Juventus signed him from Vicenza in a co-ownership deal for a world-record transfer fee, but Vicenza kept him on loan. He topped Serie B's scoring charts in 1977, leading his team to promotion, and then scored 24 goals the following season to become the first player to finish as top scorer in both Serie B and Serie A in back-to-back years. Rossi finally joined Juventus in 1981, winning two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the European Cup.

He is one of only eleven players to have won the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or. Considered one of Italy's greatest footballers, Rossi was named by Pelé in 2004 among the Top 125 living players for FIFA's centenary. That same year, he placed 12th in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. After retiring, he worked as a pundit for Sky, Mediaset Premium, and Rai Sport until his death on 9 December 2020.

Rossi was born in the Santa Lucia area of Prato, Tuscany. He made his professional debut with Juventus in the 1972–73 season, appearing in the Coppa Italia and earning a runners-up medal in the 1973 Intercontinental Cup. Injuries plagued his early years; between 1972 and 1975, he played just three Coppa Italia matches for Juventus without scoring. After three knee operations, he was sent to gain experience with Como, making his Serie A debut in the 1975–76 season as a right winger—a position where his small frame was less of a disadvantage.

He made six Serie A appearances for Como but again failed to score. His career turned when Vicenza Calcio (then Lanerossi Vicenza) took him on loan. Coach Giovan Battista Fabbri shifted him from the wing to centre-forward just before the season started, after injuries to the regular striker. Rossi immediately showed a knack for getting open in the box and scoring, winning the Serie B Golden Boot with 21 goals in his first season in that role.

In 1976–77, his relentless finishing drove Vicenza to promotion to Serie A and took the team to the second group stage of the Coppa Italia. The following season, he scored 24 goals, becoming the first player to lead both Serie B and Serie A in scoring in consecutive years, and helped Vicenza finish a surprising second in Serie A, behind co-owners Juventus. His performances earned him a call-up to the Italy national team by manager Enzo Bearzot, and he made his debut on 21 December 1977 in a 1–0 friendly win away to Belgium.

Rossi confirmed his rise at the 1978 World Cup, gaining international fame as one of the world's best strikers. Playing as a central striker, he often swapped positions with the other forwards: right winger Franco Causio moved left, tall left winger Roberto Bettega moved centre, and Rossi drifted to his original right wing. This tactic, made possible by the technical skill of all three, confused opposing defences and let Italy play an entertaining attacking style.

Rossi scored three goals and provided four assists as Italy finished fourth. He was named to the tournament team and received the Silver Ball as the second-best player. His first Italy goal came in the opening 2–1 group win over France on 2 June 1978. Up to that point, Rossi was jointly owned by Vicenza and Juventus.

When the clubs had to settle ownership, Vicenza paid a staggering 2.612 billion lire for Rossi, making him the world's most expensive player and Italy's costliest sportsman ever. After the 1978 World Cup, during the 1978–79 season, he made his European debut with Vicenza in the UEFA Cup. Despite scoring 15 Serie A goals, injuries marked his season, and Vicenza was relegated to Serie B. He was then loaned to Perugia for the following Serie A campaign.

At Perugia, Rossi scored 13 Serie A goals in the 1979–80 season and helped the club reach the UEFA Cup round of 16. That season, however, he became entangled in the infamous 1980 betting scandal known as Totonero. He was initially disqualified for three years, later reduced to two. The ban caused him to miss the 1980 European Championship on home soil, where Italy again finished fourth. Rossi always maintained his innocence, claiming he was a victim of injustice.