Italian football and American soccer is in mourning after the passing of Giorgio Chinaglia at the age of 65.

The striker, who was a symbolic figure in the Lazio Scudetto victory in the 1970s, was in Florida when he was taken ill. He suffered a relapse from a heart attack and passed away yesterday.

He started his career at Swansea City in 1964, before hitting the big time with Lazio in 1969.

The striker stayed in Rome until 1976, scoring 98 goals in 209 games and winning their first ever Scudetto in 1974 as Capocannoniere with 24 goals.

Later in his career, Chinaglia played for the New York Cosmos and became a great champion of American soccer.