Some outstanding football personalities leave their mark on the sport for many years or even decades. Some stars in the football skies only shine for a short time – and are immortal nevertheless.

One of these “shooting stars” is Paolo Rossi. The whole of Europe talked about the slight young man from Tuscany with the inimitable goal instinct between 1982 and 1985. He was the player that perhaps had the greatest similarity to the unforgettable Gerd Müller.

The rise of the forward born on 23 September 1956 to the superstar of the FIFA World Cup 1982 ™ in Spain is similar to a fairy-tale. After being given a contract by Juventus early on at the age of 18, he was soon transferred to the second division in 1975 as he was plagued with chronic knee problems. At first he played for Como but then moved to Vicenza, where he scored 21 times in the 1976/77 season and helped get the club promoted. In the following year, the club, new to Serie A, even ended up as runners-up behind Juventus thanks to 24 Rossi goals.

National team coach Enzo Bearzot was so impressed by the 21-year-old that he even took the striker to the 1978 FIFA World Cup ™ in Argentina shortly after Rossi had made his debut in the “Squadra Azzurra”. The highly talented forward showed flashes of his phenomenal goal instinct when scoring three times. He played an important part in his team coming fourth. Immediately afterwards, he moved to AC Perugia.

Thus, when his career’s biggest set-back hit him six months later, it was all the more surprising and harder for the 1.74 metre and 66 kilogramme forward. On 30 December 1978, Perugia and Avellino “agreed” to draw 2-2 in the Serie A. The betting scandal was blown in 1980 and Rossi was one of the three known sinners. He admitted answering his opponent’s relevant question by saying: “2-2? If you want ....” Whether it was naivety or intentional – the 23-year-old was banned for three years. Later the ban was reduced to just two years. 

It was virtually a sensation that Azzurri coach Bearzot picked Rossi, in the meantime a Juventus player again, for the 1982 FIFA World Cup™ squad. Rossi was not really match fit having only played three matches after his ban had come to an end. And then the stubborn Bearzot had to be thanked for the fact that Italy’s name was engraved a little later on the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy. The coaching legend had defied the heavy barrage of criticism from most of the press and stuck by both “sinner” Rossi and the 40-year-old goalkeeper Dino Zoff.

The criticism even increased as the “Azure Blues” were almost eliminated after three disappointing draws in the first group stage matches against Poland, Peru and Cameroon. They had progressed to the second phase without even winning. But then just at the right moment, Paolo Rossi found the form of his life for the decisive FIFA World Cup™ matches.

After the 2-1 win against Argentina in the opening game of the next phase, he then proceeded to score a hat-trick and beat a wonderful Brazilian team that included the fine skills of Socrates, Zico and Falcão, on his own. The final score was 3-2 and Italy had beaten one of the best Brazilian teams of all time. The South Americans had failed because they had believed too much in their own invincibility. 

In the semi-final against Poland, Rossi again scored both goals in the 2-0 win. And then in the final against Germany (3-1) he scored the all important first goal. His six goals in three games helped "Pablito", the dream son for all mothers–in-law, to immediately gain hero status in his home country. Bearzot, the coach who the majority of the “Tifosi” had previously wanted to ban to a deserted island, became a football saint.

Italy became FIFA World Cup™ winners for a third time in 1982, Paolo Rossi became the tournament’s best player and shortly afterwards was also voted Europe’s Footballer of the Year. From then onwards things went really smoothly for three years for both Rossi and Juventus. The “Old Lady” Juve won the championship, the Italian cup, European Cup, Cup Winners Cup as well as the UEFA Super Cup.

After the flood of success, Rossi left Juve in 1985 and was transferred to close rivals AC Milan. He was far less successful wearing the Milan shirt. However, he was called up for the Italy’s 1986 FIFA World Cup™ squad. But Rossi didn’t play at all in Mexico and finally hung up his boots aged almost 31 when with Hellas Verona after being again plagued by injuries.

After retiring the always modest star has devoted much of his time to his big passion – deep sea diving. What remains is the memory of a great footballer who scored 20 goals in his 48 internationals and 82 in 215 Serie A games.