Paolo Rossi’s wife, Federica Cappelletti, said her husband fought to the end and was sure he could make it. ‘It was our World Cup, but this time we didn’t win’.
The 48-year-old journalist and writer spoke to Corriere della Sera about the last days of the World Cup 1982 hero, who had been hospitalised and eventually passed away at 64.
Federica said she managed to whisper something to Rossi before the former Italy international died in her arms.
Paolo Rossi’s wife, Federica Cappelletti, said her husband fought to the end and was sure he could make it. ‘It was our World Cup, but this time we didn’t win’.
The 48-year-old journalist and writer spoke to Corriere della Sera about the last days of the World Cup 1982 hero, who had been hospitalised and eventually passed away at 64.
Federica said she managed to whisper something to Rossi before the former Italy international died in her arms.
“I’m sure he got it,” she told Corriere della Sera. “I said: ‘Know that I will raise our little girls and I will be close to your first son, Alessandro’.
“He was next to me. Then I told him to take all my love and that of the children and try to be well, to be happy forever.
“We loved each other every day, we were always close. And Paolo also reminded me of it in the last message he wrote me.
“I’ll read the full text: ‘Unfortunately I can’t sleep and I’m agitated. I look at the photos you send me and I think of our great love. I would just like to say thank you for what you are doing, for me and for our wonderful little girls. You are truly unique for the energies you give and the love you are able to give to everything. I hope the Lord can recognise all of this. Give you everything you deserve’.
“It was the first time he didn’t talk about himself too. There was God but Paolo was gone, even though he was consciously sure he could do it. The other day he had seen Juve-Torino on TV like a fan.
“He was hospitalised in the neurosurgery department and next to him he had the head medic Giuseppe Oliveri, the same doctor that operated on Alex Zanardi, a special person.
“Professor Oliveri was not just a doctor with his patient at that moment, but a football fan. He supported Torino and Paolo supported Juventus. They had a lot of fun.”
Federica revealed her husband was hospitalised a few days ago, but said the problems started one year ago.
“[He was hostpitalised] a few days ago, but it all started a year ago, suddenly during a tip to the Maldives,” he added. “We had decided to renew our love and get married for the second time, after the 2010 wedding ceremony at the Campidoglio in Rome.
“Those were extraordinary days. We returned to Italy and he was diagnosed. But it seemed an absolutely solvable problem. Then other issues came.
“My husband broke his thigh bone, had back surgery. It was a terrible escalation. In our house in Bucine, in the province of Arezzo, we tried to overcome the problems and he seemed stronger than before.
“Then the last hospitalisation at the Policlinico Le Scotte. He had a brace, liquid in his lungs, but nothing could have made us think of such a sudden epilogue, no one in the family expected it, neither me nor my girls.
“I came home at night. I hugged them without waking them up. And this morning, I turned on the TV. There were photos and videos of their dad.
“I told them that Paolo is everywhere and that his wonderful memory will always be in their hearts. Maria Vittoria is 11 and Sofia Elena is eight. They cried, but they are strong children like their father.”
Federica continued to talk about how she met Rossi: “In Perugia, in 2003, at a presentation of the book ‘Razza Juve’, that I had written with other fellow journalists.
“I didn’t know him personally but had previously called him to invite him to the presentation. He hung up on me, but then came, we met.
“I immediately fell in love with his smile, his generosity, the intelligence. With Paolo, every moment was beautiful, and it’s not rhetoric.
“Even these days in the hospital, I always found him handsome, the champion of all time. Sure, morale was down at times, but I always tried to push him to keep fighting. It was the match of our life, our fateful World Cup.
“But this time, we didn’t win.”
Federica revealed the funeral will be in Vicenza.
“Where he began his career as a champion. After the ceremony, he will be cremated and the urn will always be next to me.”