Bruno Pizzul, an icon of Italian sports journalism, died on Wednesday morning at Gorizia's hospital aged 86.
    He was born in Udine on March 8 1938.
    A former soccer player whose career ended prematurely due to injury, Pizzul, who had a law degree, started working for State broadcaster RAI in 1969.
    He became famous as a broacaster and analyst of Italian national football matches until 2002 and then he continued to work as an analyst on television and, over the past few years, as a writer for local Friuli daily Messaggero Veneto.
    In particular, Pizzul was the voice that commented on the incredible nights of the 1990 World Cup.
    Overall, for 16 years, from 1986 until 2002, he was RAI's broadcaster for Italy's games, including five World Cups.
    The last game he hosted was between Italy and Slovenia on August 21 2002.
    He also reported on the catastrophe at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, on 29 May 1985 in which 39 people died and 600 others were injured when fans were crushed against a wall that then collapsed during the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus.
    A presenter of key programs Domenica Spring and Domenica sportiva, he would have turned 87 on Saturday.
    On Wednesday, Premier Giorgia Meloni paid homage to the broadcaster saying he had given his voice "to the magic nights" of Italian soccer, "accompanying millions of Italians with knowledge and passion, a great companion of adventures.
    "You were the historic voice of Italian soccer, an everlasting icon of sports journalism who will remain in the history of sport and in all our hearts forever", said Meloni.

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