By David Awopetu
The home of late Italian World Cup-winning forward Paolo Rossi was burgled during his funeral on Saturday, the ANSA news agency reported.
Rossi, who led Italy to its 1982 World Cup title with six goals in the tournament, died aged 64 on Thursday and his funeral took place in Vicenza on Saturday morning.
Italy’s Ansa news agency said Rossi’s wife, Federica Cappelletti, returned home from the ceremony to find their home in Tuscany had been broken into.
A watch belonging to Rossi and cash were among the items reported stolen.
The break-in has been reported to the police and an investigation is under-way.
Rossi and his family lived in a farmhouse in Poggio Cennina, a resort overlooking the Val d’Ambra southeast of Florence, where Rossi ran an organic farming company.
His death triggered an outpouring of grief in Italy, where he is widely regarded to be one the country’s best attacking players of all time.
He scored 20 goals in 48 appearances for the Italian national side, including six during the team’s World Cup triumph in 1982.
At club level he was a prolific scorer for Vicenza and Juventus, with whom he won two Serie A league titles.
Vicenza was where thousands of mourners gathered to say their last goodbyes to Rossi on Saturday.
His coffin was carried to the Santa Maria Annunciata cathedral by his teammates from the 1982 World Cup-winning side, including Marco Tardelli, Giancarlo Antognoni, Antonio Cabrini and Fulvio Collovati.
Before the funeral, Rossi’s coffin was placed at the Stadio Romeo Menti in Vicenza, where supporters could lay flowers and pay their respects.
Meanwhile, football players wore black armbands in memory of Rossi for Saturday’s fixtures in Italy.
A minute’s silence was observed before kick-offs, with Rossi’s photo projected on large screens with the words “Heroes never die” and “Ciao Paolo”.
