Former Milan great Schiaffino dies

Former AC Milan and Uruguay great Juan Schiaffino died on Wednesday aged 77.

Upset victory
The playmaker in Uruguay's upset FIFA World Cup victory over hosts Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in 1950, which won his country the Jules Rimet trophy for the second time, Schiaffino played for Uruguayan side CA Peñarol and then Milan in Italy. He scored the equaliser in Uruguay's 2-1 comeback victory against the Brazilians and then helped set up the winner for Alcides Ghiggia. The result stunned the 200,000 fans packed into the giant Maracana stadium and dashed the planned victory celebrations of the hosts, who only needed a draw to win what would have been their first World Cup.

Exquisitely skilled
Schiaffino was an exquisitely skilled attacking midfield player in the traditional South American mould and was regarded by many as the finest player ever to emerge from Uruguay. He finished second-highest scorer in the 1950 World Cup finals with five goals and also helped Uruguay reach the 1954 semi-finals in Switzerland.

World-record transfer
After this tournament he was transferred from Peñarol, with whom he had won five Uruguayan titles (in 1944, 1949, 1951, 1953 and 1954). Milan was his destination for a then world record fee of €115,000. Having Italian grandparents he was able to gain citizenship and win four caps for Italy in their unsuccessful 1958 World Cup qualifying campaign. He won three Serie A championships with Milan in 1955, 1957 and 1959 and scored Milan's opening goal in the 1958 European Champion Clubs' Cup final against Real Madrid CF in Brussels, which the Italian side lost 3-2 after extra-time. He finished his playing career with AS Roma.

Retirement and later life
After retiring and settling back home in Montevideo, Schiaffino had spells as coach of Peñarol and the Uruguayan national team.