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ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.

Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.

The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.

Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer. He only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.

Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.

“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. … His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”

Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament’s top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.

Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.

“Ciao Totò,” Juventus said on Instagram.

“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.

West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.

Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy’s opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”

Having been born and raised in Palermo, the Palermo soccer team announced that it would hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported.

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French soccer player Wissam Ben Yedder will stay free ahead of his trial on charges of sexual assault while intoxicated, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder will remain under strict judicial supervision after a woman filed a lawsuit for sexual assault earlier this month.

The 34-year-old Ben Yedder, a prolific striker in the French league, was briefly detained then released after the alleged incident in his car on the French Riviera. Ben Yedder had been stopped by police after he first refused to do so. He was then put in a jail cell.

After he was summoned to appear in court on Oct. 15 and placed under judicial supervision, the Nice prosecutor’s office appealed the decision not to remand the player in custody. The investigative chamber of the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence did not grant this request and kept Ben Yedder under judicial supervision.

Ben Yedder attended a hearing Tuesday during which he offered to go to rehab. He has admitted he drove while under the influence of alcohol but has denied any sexual assault.

In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with “rape, attempted rape and sexual assault” over another alleged incident in the south of France.

Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.

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KRAKOW, Poland (AP) — Heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk has been released after being briefly detained at Krakow airport in Poland, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday.

“I was disappointed by this attitude towards our citizen and champion,” said Zelenskyy after he had a phone conversation with Usyk. “Our champion has been released, and he is no longer being detained.”

He posted a photo of Usyk with Ukraine’s Consul General in Krakow after the athlete was released.

The 37-year-old Usyk is one of Ukraine’s most prominent athletes known abroad, and he has organized and participated in different projects aiding his country’s efforts to resist Russia’s invasion.

“A misunderstanding took place. It was quickly resolved,” said Usyk, expressing gratitude for the “efficient support” of Ukrainian diplomats. “And respect to Polish Police for conducting their obligations with no regards to height, weight, reach and regalia,” he said on Instagram.

The airport’s border guards said Usyk was protesting after an airline declined to take his traveling companion on board and the two refused to leave the gate. Usyk was briefly handcuffed as he was brought to the border guards’ police station.

“The two men had their journey canceled by the carrier and had their passenger status canceled,” Maj. Jacek Michałowski, spokesman for Krakow region Border Guards, told Krakow Gazette. “They did not want to leave the gate when requested and that’s why we were called in to take care of the situation.”

Recently appointed Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, said on X that he was briefed on the details of Usyk’s detention. “Such actions toward our champion are disproportionate and unacceptable,” he said. “We’ll send a relevant note to the Polish side.”

Usyk beat Tyson Fury in May in Saudi Arabia to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion in 24 years. He later announced that he vacated the belt, meaning the Ukrainian is no longer be the undisputed world champion.

Fury’s rematch with Usyk is scheduled for Dec. 21, again in Saudi Arabia. After that fight, Usyk is considering dropping a weight and returning to box at cruiserweight.

Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist in 2012, started his pro career as a cruiserweight and became the division’s undisputed champion in 2018 with a win over Russian Murat Gassiev to unify all four belts.

He moved up to heavyweight a year later and won three title belts against Anthony Joshua in 2021.

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