Vicenza

Azzurri great Rossi died at the age of 64 on Wednesday following a long illness.

Rossi's 1982 World Cup winning team-mates carried his coffin into the Santa Maria Annunciata Cathedral for his funeral and thousands gathered on the streets of Vicenza to pay their respects.

Reports emerged in Italy later in the day that Federica Cappelletti, Rossi's wife, had returned to their house near the Tuscan village of Bucine to discover thieves had broken in.

La Gazzetta dello Sport said several jewels and a Rolex watch belonging to former Juventus, Milan and Vicenza striker Rossi had been taken.

It was reported that none of Rossi's medals were stolen.

Dario Nardella, the mayor of Florence, tweeted on Sunday: "A more vile and disgusting act than this is truly unthinkable.

"The police must do everything possible to find those responsible. All my solidarity and closeness to the #PaoloRossi family."

Rossi was the leading scorer and best player in the tournament in the Azzurri's 1982 World Cup triumph in Spain.

Rossi, the leading scorer and best player in the tournament in the Azzurri's 1982 World Cup triumph, died this week at the age of 64 following a long illness.

Thousands flocked to Vicenza's Stadio Romeo Menti, where Rossi's coffin could be seen by the public, on Friday to pay their respects.

Many lined the streets as the former Juventus, Milan, Vicenza and Hellas Verona striker's body was transported to the Santa Maria Annunciata Cathedral.

There was applause from those who gathered outside before Marco Tardelli, Alessandro Altobelli, Antonio Cabrini and Giampiero Marini were among those to carry the coffin into the cathedral.

Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini and Roberto Baggio were also among the mourners on an emotional day.

Rossi's son Alessandro carried the coffin - which had an Italy shirt with the number 20 and Rossi's name on the back, along with a Vicenza scarf, draped on top of it - out of the cathedral with members of the 1982 World Cup squad following the ceremony.

The funeral was also shown live on television in Italy.