Igor Protti, the only player to top-score in Serie A, B and C, dies at 58 after long illness
The former striker, a symbol of belonging for Livorno and several Italian clubs, passed away during the night. His family announced the death on Instagram.
Igor Protti, the Livorno icon who remains the only footballer to finish as top scorer in Serie A, Serie B and Serie C, died overnight at the age of 58 after a lengthy illness. His family broke the news with a post on Instagram showing him bare-chested and wearing the captain’s armband at Livorno’s Stadio Armando Picchi.
A rare goalscoring record
Protti’s career spanned the heights of Italian football and the depths of the lower divisions. He won the capocannoniere title in Serie A with Bari in 1995–96, then repeated the feat in Serie B and, later, in Serie C. That treble of top-scorer crowns across the three professional tiers has never been matched.
Clubs and city tributes
The forward played for Napoli, Lazio, and a host of other sides, but his deepest bond was with Livorno, where he became captain and a terrace hero. Lazio joined the mourning with a club statement calling him “a true bastion of tenacity and passion … an example on the pitch, an example in illness.” Rimini’s mayor Jamil Sadegholvaad said Protti’s heart was “far bigger than his incredible successes,” recalling that the city awarded him the Sigismondo d’Oro in 2003 for embodying ethical values in sport. Antonio Decaro, president of the Puglia region, shared a photo from Protti’s recent walk down the aisle with his daughter and a quote from a final exchange: “He was the one encouraging me … ‘It’s been a wonderful day,’ he wrote.”
The final whistle
Protti left a farewell message on Instagram, arranged by his family: “This splendid journey, like every match, has reached the final whistle. … I can only thank my big, wonderful family, all the people who cared for me, and the fans of all the teams I played for. I hope it is an arrivederci and not an addio.”
This splendid journey, like every match, has reached the final whistle. The only thing I can do is thank my wonderful family, all the people who were close to me, and the fans for the affection you always showed me.
City in mourning
Livorno’s mayor Luca Salvetti confirmed the city is preparing to declare a day of mourning. Protti’s body will lie at the Stadio Armando Picchi from 18:00 on 20 June, the ground where he was revered. A funeral chapel opened at the Frongillo funeral home in Cecina at 15:00 on 19 June.
