The Swedish Football Association announced today, Sunday, that "Kurt Hamrin, former winger for the Sweden national team and the all-time top scorer for the Italian club Fiorentina, has passed away at the age of 89." Hamrin was nicknamed "the little bird" due to his evident speed and agility in the attack. He led the Sweden national team to the final of the 1958 World Cup, scoring four goals for the team and being the last living player who participated in the final that ended with Brazil, led by Pelé, winning 5-2.
The Swedish Football Association stated: "One of the greats of Swedish football has departed. May you rest in peace, Kurt Hamrin." They added, "He is a legend at both AIK (Sweden) and Fiorentina given the efforts he put forth at both clubs. Thank you, Kuri, for all the memories you were a part of with the Swedish national team over many years. May you rest in peace."
Hamrin began his football career at AIK in Sweden, but his achievements are mainly associated with his time in Italy's Serie A with Juventus, Padova, Fiorentina, Milan, and Napoli, where he ranks ninth on the all-time goalscorers list with 190 goals. He spent eight seasons at Fiorentina and led the team to win the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1961, which is the most significant European title in the club's history. He is also the club's all-time top scorer with 208 goals.
Although Hamrin later played for Milan and won the domestic league title and the European Cup with them before finishing his career in his home country of Sweden, he returned to Florence where he lived with his family and passed away in his home in this city that loved him dearly.
