Luigi “Gigi” Riva passed away on Monday at the age of 79.
Luigi Riva (right) played in the 1970 and 1974 World Cups. PDO
The Italian national team’s all-time goalscorer Luigi Riva died Monday after a short illness.
The striker, who rose to world fame with his nickname Gigi, played practically his entire professional career in the ranks of Cagliari. It is fitting that he also died in Sardinia’s capital.
The doctors treating Riva described the patient’s condition as “stable” as of early evening, but despite that, the sad news spread later that day.
Riva played in the Italian national team that won both European Championship gold (1968) and World Championship silver (1970). He is still today the most effective Azzurri striker of all time: 35 goals in only 42 international matches.
Riva’s explosive cross shot and main play power earned him the nickname “Rombo di Tuono” (Rumble of Thunder).
Riva’s Cagliari also won the Scudetto in the 1969–70 season. The previous autumn, he remained a compatriot Gianni Rivera after second in the Ballon d’Or voting.
Gigi Riva is still the all-time leading scorer for the Italian national team. PDO