Death of Italy's Legendary Goal Scorer Gigi Riva

The Italian Football Federation announced the death of legendary player Gigi Riva at the age of 79. Riva had fallen ill at his home in Sardinia over the weekend and was being treated for a heart issue. He was part of the Italian national team that won the European Championship in 1968 and also played in the 1970 World Cup, where Italy was the runner-up to Brazil, which featured Pelé. Riva was a prominent figure in Italian football, as the advent of color television brought live events to a wider audience. He was the runner-up to Rivera for the Ballon d'Or awarded to the best player in Europe in 1969. Riva spent most of his football career with Cagliari, where he was the top scorer in Serie A when the Sardinian team won its only Italian league title in 1970. He was the honorary president of the club at the time of his death. Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina said, "I feel shocked and deeply saddened. Italian football is in mourning because a national icon has left us." The statement from the Italian federation indicated that there would be a minute of silence in memory of Riva before all Italian league matches next week.