Italian football legend Gigi Riva, renowned for his extraordinary goalscoring ability and widely onsidered to be one of the greatest strikers of all time, has died aged 79. Throughout his career, Riva garnered acclaim as one of his generation’s standout players, with an impressive scoring record for Cagliari. His physical presence and powerful shooting earned him the nickname Rombo di Tuono (thunderclap).
Riva’s accomplishments extended to the international stage, where he triumphed in the 1968 European Championship and secured a runner-up spot in the 1970 World Cup – yielding only to the formidable Brazil team led by Pelé. He also represented Italy in the 1974 World Cup.
With 35 goals in 42 official appearances between 1965 and 1974, Riva still tops the list of Italy’s all-time leading goalscorers. No currently active Italy international has even half of his career total.