Franco Zuccalà, historic face of 90° minute and Domenica sportiva, has passed away

Last Updated: November 30, 2023

He told stories about football but not only, with his sharp but never out-of-place irony. He passed away in the night, in his home in Milan at the age of 83. Originally from Catania, he had been collaborating with the Italpress news agency since 2000 but had a long career in newspapers, TV, and radio: from Gazzetta dello Sport to Tuttosport, Il Giornale Nuovo, La Sicilia, Telestar, Antenna Sicilia with Pippo Baudo, Odeon and finally Rai. He worked as a correspondent for La Domenica Sportiva, Novantesimo Minuto, Il Processo del Lunedì, and Tg1. In his long career, in almost 50 years, he worked with over 90 Italian and foreign newspapers, including the monthly La rivista of which he was director for two years. He received an honorary degree in Telecommunication Science from Columbia University in New York and won important journalistic awards such as the Boccali and the Brera. He also received the Guirlande d’honneur from the Federation Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs for his long career. In many years of journalism, he interviewed figures such as Nelson Mandela, Henry Kissinger, Gianni Agnelli, Sophia Loren, and the greatest football champions, from Pelè to Maradona, from Cruyff to Beckenbauer. He collaborated on the realization of numerous essays and wrote several books. He was recognized with the number 50 blue jersey for his half-century following the National Team, presented to him by Gigi Buffon and the former Italian national team coach Cesare Prandelli.