Italian football idol Igor Protti dies aged 58


Igor Protti's family announced the death of the former Italian striker at the age of 58 and, in fulfillment of his wishes, released his final message: "This wonderful journey, like every match, has reached the final whistle." Protti passed away last night, and the news was confirmed in a statement published on his official Instagram page: "With immense sadness, the family announces that Igor passed away during the night", says the statement. In accordance with Protti's wishes, the family also published a farewell message to the former player: "This wonderful journey, like every match, has reached the final whistle. It is difficult to find words that can explain this, the only thing I can do is thank my big and wonderful family, who I loved deeply. I also want to thank all the people who took care of me and were by my side, and all the fans of the teams I played for, for the affection and love they always showed for me, which I reciprocated with all my heart. I hope that let this be a see you later instead of a goodbye." Protti revealed in July 2025 that he had been diagnosed with cancer, which, by September, had spread to his vertebrae. Late last month, he walked his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. A former player for Livorno, Messina, Bari, Napoli and Lazio, among others, Protti was, along with Dario Hubner, the only player to become top scorer (Capocannoniere) in the three main Italian leagues: Serie A, Serie B and Serie C. To this day, he is also the only player to finish as top scorer in Serie A while playing for a team that was relegated in the same season (Bari). During his career, Protti scored 48 goals in 144 Serie A matches.