Gigi Riva, L'Èquipe: «And the thunder was silent. He never left Sardinia"

«Shore, and the thunder was silent». The French newspaper L' AND quipe dedicates an entire page to the death of Gigi Riva, defined as «one of the most formidable strikers in the history of Italian football, record holder of goals for the national team and hero of Cagliari and all of Sardinia» who never left.

«We will no longer hear the roar of thunder – writes L'Èquipe – one of the strongest attackers of the second half of the 20th century». The French newspaper recalls Riva's beginnings, underlining that «he fed on the blows of fate to pour all his determination into football, taking it out on the balls. Riva will put that strength, in particular the terrifying left shot, at the service of a cause, of an ideal, of an island: Cagliari, the symbolic club of Sardinia ."

That Cagliari - continues L'Èquipe - which «will become a source of pride for an entire population. And a team of formidable competitiveness, capable of giving six players to the national team at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico."

(Unioneonline/D)