Memories and farewells. There have been a few this week. Memories of a different time, when football was savoured in the anticipation rather than the overwhelming glut we now have to wallow through.
Memories and a farewell to the man who defined the 1990 World Cup. Salvatore Schillaci was Italy personified in 1990, the most famous man in his country, the most famous Italian in the world. His wild eyes, his goals and his passion were the essence of a great World Cup.
It wasn’t the prettiest of World Cups — few are extravaganzas — but for people of an age, such as I, it was a magical, unforgettable time. Nessun Dorma by Pavarotti, Ciao the stickman mascot, Gazza’s tears, Milla’s dance, Rijkaard’s gob, Waddle’s penalty and Toto’s eyes.
“Nessun dorma, nessun dorma!” None shall sleep. None shall sleep. “Nessun dorma” is from Act III of Puccini’s 1924 opera, Turandot.
“The acclaimed tenor aria is performed by the opera’s protagonist, Calaf, who falls in love with Princess Turandot at first sight,” explains ClassicFM.
“Before the aria, Calaf has successfully answered all three of the princess’ riddles — her peculiar prerequisite for suitors wishing to marry her — but she is still rebuking his advances. The libretto to “Nessun dorma” tells of how Calaf is sure in his plans to marry the princess as he has challenged her to find out his name by morning; if she cannot learn his name by the time the sun rises, she has to marry him.”
“Guardi le stelle che tremano d'amore e di speranza (You look at the stars that tremble of love and hope)... All’alba vincerò (At dawn I will win)... Vincerò (I will win).”
Speaking to the BBC in 2014, Toto said Italy could and should have won Italia 90, but the semifinal against Argentina was a step too far. “We deserved to win,” said Schillaci. “I think if we had beaten Argentina we would have gone on to win the World Cup.”
His World Cup did not start well. On May 6 1990 UPI reported that “police called in 200 reinforcements and put a helicopter into the air for surveillance after Fiorentina fans attacked cars carrying Juventus players as the Italian national team arrived to begin training for the World Cup. Police said a group of up to 200 people out of a crowd of 3,000 surrounded a car carrying Juventus striker Toto Schillaci, peppering it with kicks, spitting on the windows and smashing the bodywork”.
Why? Glad you asked. “Juventus leads 3-1 over Fiorentina heading into the all-Italian second-leg finale of the Uefa Cup, to be played May 16.”
Toto was “short, swarthy and sometimes hot-tempered”. He had been born into poverty “amid a mafia-dominated Palermo slum where his father worked as a rubbish collector, he did not have a formal school education but always said football kept him out of trouble. After graduating from earning the equivalent of £1.50 per goal scored for a local team, he spent the early years of his career as a lower-division striker”, according to The Guardian.
At 1.75m, Gary Shaw was not much taller than Schillaci, but not a person you would call short and swarthy. He gave us 1982 and the European Cup final, won by Aston Villa thanks to his work in setting up the solitary goal of the match against Bayern Munich.
There is a banner on the north Stand at Villa Park that has the match commentary rolled off by Brian Moore: “Shaw, (Gary) Williams, prepared to venture down the left. There’s a good ball played in for Tony Morley. Oh, it must be and it is! Peter Withe!”
Stan Collymore, the former England and Villa player, loved Shaw, writing on X: “When I was 11 I asked my mom if I could have a blond wedge because of you. Her wry ‘I don’t think we can do that, son’ will stay with me as one of my abiding memories of her, too. You were a real life superhero ... You made a little boy dream big, fall in love with you, our club and the beautiful game. You were my hero on the pitch but most importantly my hero off it. The loveliest of men.”
The loveliest of men died this week at the age of 63. Toto passed away on Wednesday after a battle with colon cancer. He was just 59. Gone too soon, you might say, but the memories they left will never be gone. Nessun dorma. None shall sleep.
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