Italian journalist Mario Sconcerti has said that the late Paolo Rossi was as famous as music legends The Beatles at the peak of his football career but he remained humble despite his footballing accolades.
The 1982 World Cup hero for Italy passed away on Wednesday at the age of 64 and the director of Corriere della Sera praised his poaching instincts as a football as well as his character off the pitch.
“Paolo was much more than his football successes,” Sconcerti said in Corriere della Sera.
“A good man, a hero of the times, light as a feather and disinterested in his skill.
“Ambassador of everything (he always said yes to everyone), there were years when he was as famous as the Beatles, but I didn’t hear him say once that he was a great player.
“He was thin, had a normal height, and he could only count on control, sprint, glance, and positioning. He ended up doing it better than anyone else.”
