The world of Italian football mourns the death of Igor Protti (58)
June 21, 2026 · Global
Igor Protti, the famous former striker and top scorer in Serie A, has died at the age of 58 from cancer. He is known as the only player to win the title of top scorer despite his team being relegated and is remembered as a respected figure in the world of Italian football.
Protti is still the only player to have won the Serie A top scorer title when his team was relegated. This happened in the 1995/96 season when he scored 24 goals for Bari, amidst the glory of Italian football. Apart from that, together with Dario Hubner, Protti was also the top scorer in Serie A in the 2001/02 season when playing for Piacenza, scoring 24 goals. Protti announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer last summer and in September it was revealed that the disease had spread to his spine. The former striker who has played for Bari, Livorno and Lazio doesn't seem to have much time left, but last month he was lucky to be able to attend his daughter's wedding. In December, Protti also carried the Olympic torch in Livorno to the Winter Olympics in Milan. How much Protti was appreciated in the world of Italian football can be seen from the many expressions of condolence over his passing. In a statement shared by his family, the former goalscorer who scored 246 goals in Italian club football said goodbye. 'This is the final whistle of this great journey. It's hard to find the words. I can only say thank you to my wonderful family, everyone who has always been by my side, and the fans.'