For one last time, the people embraced and saluted the man synonymous with the “Notti Magiche”. Thousands of people congregated outside the Cathedral of Palermo, where the funeral of Salvatore Schillaci happened this morning. Fans showed their appreciation with applauses and a “Goodbye Totò, son of Palermo” banner as the coffin adorned with the tricolour flag, the Italy shirt and the scarfs of Messina, Palermo and Juventus was in procession. 

Representatives of political and sporting institutions all paid homage to the hero of Italy’s 1990 World Cup campaign. People present included the Mayor of Palermo Roberto Lagalla, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, President of Palermo FC Dario Mirri, former FIGC President Antonio Matarrese, Totò’s former Italy teammates Beppe Bergomi, Luigi De Agostini and Giuseppe Giannini, Palermo players Matteo Brunori, Francesco Di Mariano (Totò’s niece) and Jacopo Segre, as well as sporting director Morgan De Sanctis and his deputy Giulio Migliaccio. A very long applause broke out at the end of the sermon, officiated by the priest of the Cathedral Filippo Sarullo. 

“Italian football unites behind Totò’s family and the city of Palermo today as they mourn the passing of one of their most loved characters,” says President Gravina. “Schillaci will always be an Italy legend and we will remember him in our next game in Rome, in the very stadium where the ‘Noti Magiche’ happened”.