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Sweden and Fiorentina icon Hamrin dies aged 89

Kurt Hamrin, the last surviving player from the 1958 World Cup final, has died aged 89, his former club Fiorentina announced on Sunday.

This photo shows Swedish football player Kurt Hamrin (L) pictured with Brazil's Arantes do Nacimento, known as Pele, at Planalto palace in Brasilia
This photo shows Swedish football player Kurt Hamrin (L) with Brazil's Arantes do Nacimento, known as Pele, at Planalto palace in Brasilia on June 26, 2008. Hamrin, the last surviving player from the 1958 World Cup final, has died, his former club Fiorentina announced on Sunday. (Photo by JOEDSON ALVES / AFP)

“Everyone at Fiorentina comes together in grief with the family and the entire football community for the passing of Kurt Hamrin,” the Serie A club said in a statement.

“Hamrin was and will always be a genuine legend of football and in particular for Fiorentina fans.”

Former Juventus, Fiorentina and AC Milan winger Hamrin, nicknamd “Uccellino” (“Little Bird”) was known for his exciting play on the flank and his eye for goal.

He was a key part of the Sweden team which reached the 1958 World Cup final on home soil, where they were beaten by Brazil and a teenage Pele.

Hamrin, who scored 17 goals in 32 international appearances, is best remembered by Swedish fans for his exploits in that World Cup.

He scored in the quarter-finals and the last four to set up the final with a brilliant Brazil team which also featured Mario Zagallo and Garrincha.

“Swedish football has lost one of its greats,” said the country’s football federation.

“It wasn’t just the track record, the goals, the passes and the hard work on the right wing that made ‘Kurre’ a legend who was never forgotten. He was a loyal and popular person wherever he played.

“Swedish football remembers Kurre Hamrin with great warmth and gratitude. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones right now.”

He also left a big mark in Italy where he scored 190 Serie A goals over 15 years at a number of clubs, putting him ninth in the league’s all-time scoring charts.

With Fiorentina, for whom he signed in 1958, Hamrin won the 1961 European Cup Winners’ Cup and two Italian Cups, before moving to AC Milan in 1967.

In two seasons at Milan, Hamrin had even more success than he did at Fiorentina, playing alongside Gianni Rivera in one of the Rossoneri’s (AC Milan’s widely used nickname) best-ever teams.

He won the Serie A title and another Cup Winner’s Cup in 1968 in his debut campaign at the San Siro.

The following season he was key to Milan claiming their second European Cup, netting in the 2-1 aggregate semi-final victory over holders Manchester United before Johan Cruyff’s Ajax were thrashed 4-1 in the final.

He left that summer for Napoli, where he played for two further seasons before moving back to Sweden to finish his career at IFK Stockholm.

He later returned to Florence with his family, and passed away in the Tuscan city he made his second home.

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SPORT

Italy’s 1990 World Cup hero Totò Schillaci dies aged 59

Former Italy striker Totò Schillaci, most famous for being top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, died on Wednesday at the age of 59.

Italy's 1990 World Cup hero Totò Schillaci dies aged 59

Italian media reported that Schillaci died at Palermo’s Civico hospital after a battle with colon cancer.

Juventus were among Italy’s football clubs to pay tribute to Schillaci, who became an icon for his unexpected goalscoring exploits at his country’s home World Cup.

Ciao Totò,” Juventus said on social media, posting a picture of him in a black-and-white shirt.

Italy’s football federation FIGC said that all matches played in Italy between now and the end of the coming weekend would have a “minute of silence” before kick-off.

“His goal celebrations, in which his face became the symbol of collective joy, will remain forever part of Italian football heritage,” FIGC chief Gabriele Gravina said in a statement.

Schillaci played for Juventus and Inter Milan after beginning his career in the early 1980s at Messina and had moderate success in his club career.

But he became a national hero in the summer of 1990 by scoring six goals as Italy reached the semi-finals of that year’s World Cup.

Schillaci won the Golden Boot for being top scorer and won the Golden Ball as player of the tournament ahead of the likes of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona, the former of whom won the tournament with West Germany.

Italy were knocked out on penalties by Argentina in the last four as Napoli legend Maradona helped knock out the host nation in front of his own fans in Naples.

Schillaci, who was capped 16 times for his country, only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.

Four years after the 1990 World Cup, he left Inter Milan for Jubilo Iwata in Japan, where he ended his career.

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