LEGENDARY Italian footballer Gigi Riva has passed away at the age of 79.
The striker is his country’s all-time record scorer with 35 goals in 42 appearances.
![Gigi Riva has passed away at the age of 79](https://i0.wp.com/www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/italy-team-manager-gigi-riva-873842436.jpg?resize=649%2C960&ssl=1)
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![He spent his entire career with Cagliari](https://i0.wp.com/www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/f46e148a-2bf0-4fa1-a6b3-fa836c4594c2.jpg?resize=672%2C960&ssl=1)
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And he was a key player in helping the Azzurri win Euro 1968, bagging the opener in the final against Yugoslavia.
He also helped Cagliari win the only Serie A title in their history in 1970
Riva spent his entire career with the Serie A side, scoring 207 goals in 374 appearances across a 13-year stint for the club.
Riva went on to become a coach for the Italian national team in 1988 and remained a part of the backroom staff until 2013.
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![He goes down as an Italian legend](https://i0.wp.com/www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/b206d1c8-3b28-4524-abec-f2be6359742b.jpg?resize=766%2C960&ssl=1)
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![He scored 35 goals in 42 appearances for his country](https://i0.wp.com/www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/e8f65145-27d6-4361-addb-abe1d54d7ed9.jpg?resize=715%2C960&ssl=1)
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![Riva was a part of the national team set-up until 2013](https://i0.wp.com/www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1bc7d95f-8756-4655-8595-faa27c4d06b3.jpg?resize=960%2C584&ssl=1)
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