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Paolo Rossi, Espania ’82 World Cup Hero Dies at 64

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Paolo Rossi, a hero of Italian football who inspired the national side to victory in the 1982 World Cup, has died aged 64, Italian media reported on Thursday.

They paid tribute to ‘Pablito’, the star who was banned for his part in a betting scandal but returned to win the World Cup and the Ballon D’Or the same year.

Rossi’s wife Federica Cappelletti announced the death with a post on Instagram alongside a photo of the couple, accompanied by the comment “Forever,” followed by a heart.

“There will never be anyone like you, unique, special, after you the absolute nothing….,” Cappelletti also wrote on Facebook.

The news of his passing comes two weeks after the death of Argentina football legend Diego Maradona, winner of the 1986 World Cup.

Rossi was credited with inspiring Italy to their third World Cup triumph in Spain in 1982.

But Italy’s sporting icon almost missed out on the tournament.

He was caught up in a bribery scandal, and banned for three years in 1980, but after continually protesting his innocence was cleared to play.

A slight and sprightly winger who converted to centre-forward, Rossi had an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time.

He exploded onto the stage of the 1982 tournament with a hat-trick in the 3-2 defeat of Brazil.

In the semi-finals he scored both goals as Italy beat Poland 2-0, and he hit the opener in the 3-1 win over West Germany in the final.

Rossi finished top scorer in the tournament with six goals.

He was also a member of the Italy side that finished fourth in Argentina in 1978.

Along with Christian Vieri and Roberto Baggio, he holds the Italian record for nine goals scored in the World Cup.

He scored 20 goals in 48 appearances for Italy and was voted European Footballer of the Year in 1982.

Born in Prato in Tuscany, Rossi made his professional debut at Juventus in 1973, and also played for Vicenza, Perugia and AC Milan before finishing his career in 1987 in Verona.

With Juventus he won two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia, the European Cup Winners’ Cup, and the European Cup.

After his career as a footballer, Rossi worked as a TV pundit.

He is survived by his wife and three children.

AFP

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PSG Bundle Barcelona Out of Champions League

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have kicked 10-man Barcelona out of the Champions League as they qualified for the semi-final after winning 4-1 at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona had won the first leg 3-2 in Paris, but PSG won 6-4 on aggregate to qualify for the semi-finals.

Kylian Mbappe grabbed a brace in the encounter to see PSG through.

A Superb work from Lamine Yamal squared the ball to Raphinha, who beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a brilliant shot into the bottom right corner to give Barcelona a 12th minute lead.

In the 29th minute, Ronald Araujo made an ugly tackle on his opponent and was sent off by the referee leaving the homers with 10 men to play the entire duration.

PSG capitalised on their advantage and equalised in the 40th minute. A former Barcelona player, Ousmane Dembele equalised for the visitors.

Bradley Barcola played the ball to Dembele, who showed great determination to get to the ball before a couple of defenders and from inside the box he shot into the top right corner of the net to make it 1-1.

PSG made it 1-2 in the 54th minute from a fantastic finish by Vitinha from just outside the box. He wasted little time in getting away a bullet of a shot that flew past the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner of the net.

Mbappe added another goal for PSG from the penalty spot in the 61st minute. He put the ball into the top left corner past the outstretched arm of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

A minute to duration time, PSG made it 1-4. Mbappe fired the rebound into the bottom right corner after the ball broke to him in the box.

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IGP Salutes Exceptional Performances of Police Athletes at 2023 African Games

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The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, has commended the exceptional performances of the Police Athletes who distinguished themselves, as Nigeria’s ambassadors at the recently concluded 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

The IGP notes that their remarkable performances across various sporting events have brought immense pride to the Force and the country at large.

While receiving the athletes, the IGP, who was represented by the Force Director of Sports (FSO), CP Patrick A. Atayero, likened the African Games to a continental Olympics, and harped on the significance of young and talented Police Sports Men and Women showcasing their skills, passion, determination and courage on such a prestigious stage to emerge Medalists. He emphasized that the success of Police Athletes at the 13th African Games which held from 8th to 26th March, 2024, shortly after the 14th Biennial Police Games (Oluyole 2024) that concluded on 2nd March in Ibadan, is a veritable testament to the effectiveness of the sports development initiatives of the Force.

The medalists – Inspr. Aisha Adamu, Sgt. Mohammed Inuwa, Sgt. Emmanuel Bala, Sgt. Matthew Deshi, Corporal Chika Blessing, Corporal Nathaniel Samson, Corporal Victor Ikechukwu, Corporal Eweh Emmanuel, Corporal Collins Obi, Corporal Godwin Sunday, Corporal Emmanuel Ochayi, Corporal Aminu Garba, PC Olayiwola Zainab, PC Mabel David, PC Precious Joel, PC Esther Peter, and Bello Tunde Muiz (Education Officer II), demonstrated exceptional dexterity in Arm wrestling, Athletics, Badminton, Mixed Martial Arts, Swimming and Hockey. These Police Athletes garnered 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 5 Bronze totalling 8 Medals, for Nigeria at the Continental Sports Fiesta.

The Inspector General of Police appreciates all Police Athletes for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to sporting excellence, national unity and development in all spheres in Nigeria. He reiterates that their collective success serves as an inspiration to other Police Officers and fellow aspiring Athletes and inestimable potentials across the nation.

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Super Falcons Draw Goalless with South Africa, Quality for Paris Olympics

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Nigeria’s female national football team, Super Falcons have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Nigeria beat South Africa 1-0 on aggregate to reach the Summer Olympics.

Rasheedat Ajibade scored from the spot in the first leg of the qualifiers in Abuja on Friday.

That goal was enough for the Super Falcons to pick one of Africa’s tickets for the women’s football event of the Paris Olympics as the second leg tie ended goaless in South Africa.

The last time Nigeria’s Super Falcons reached the Olympics was 16 years ago.

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