Packie Bonner pays tribute to Italian footballer Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci

Former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper and Donegal native Packie Bonner has paid tribute to Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci, top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, who died on Wednesday at the age of 59. 

Schillaci netted the winning goal to eliminate the Republic of Ireland in the quarter-finals at Italia 90, ending the country's best run in a major tournament when the Italian landed the ball into the back of Bonner’s goal. 

“It was very sad to hear the news of a very famous man in our history, even though he was Italian, but it takes back memories, he was a bit of an icon I must admit,” Bonner said. 

“He did adhere himself to Irish fans, maybe because he came on the scene in that tournament, he came on as a sub in the first game and ended up scoring in every game too, maybe it was his name, or maybe it was the way he played the game.” 

After the excitement of 1990, Schillaci scored only one more goal for Italy and did not appear for them at any other major tournaments, making only a total of 16 appearances for his country. 

But the goal he will always be remembered on Irish soil as the man who knocked Ireland out of the World Cup in a 1-0 quarter-final defeat after Schillaci was first to a rebounded shot from teammate Donadoni which the Donegal goalkeeper palmed downward towards Schillaci to fire home. 

“I remember that goal against us so well to be honest because we lost the ball on the edge of the box and they came down the pitch on the counterattack and Donadoni had that strike that forced me to move to my right, and by the time I went left, Schillaci had a shot,” Bonner said remembering that famous goal in Italy. 

“I remember he made the run across. Paul McGrath had tracked him, but he was so sharp that when the ball came to him, he was able to turn quickly and stick it in the back of the net, it was unfortunate but that was the nature of his game. 

“Before that goal went in, I lost my balance and maybe if I had my balance, I could’ve pushed the ball wider instead of putting it straight to his feet. Of course, it would only be Schillaci who would be in that position, but that’s the luck of the draw.” 

Bonner pays his respect to a man he claims we didn’t see enough of in footballing terms but was put on the global stage and shone at that World Cup 34 years ago. 

“I think World Cups at the time had players like him that would come onto the scene and become a national hero for their country, and he never really featured after that, he was really a one-time great for Italy and the Irish people respected that,” Bonner said. 

“For him, that goal was huge, for us it was a disappointment because we were going out, but overall, we weren’t unhappy in the way the whole tournament went, it was a romantic tournament and one that we’ll always look back on.”