Italy's former football player Antonio Cabrini (right) and the son of Paolo Rossi, Alessandro Rossi (left), help carry the coffin of the late Italian football player. AFP
Italy's former football player Antonio Cabrini (right) and the son of Paolo Rossi, Alessandro Rossi (left), help carry the coffin of the late Italian football player. AFP
Italy's former football player Antonio Cabrini (right) and the son of Paolo Rossi, Alessandro Rossi (left), help carry the coffin of the late Italian football player. AFP
Italy's former football player Antonio Cabrini (right) and the son of Paolo Rossi, Alessandro Rossi (left), help carry the coffin of the late Italian football player. AFP

Burglars target Italian football hero Paolo Rossi's home as family attend his funeral


Simon Rushton
  • English
  • Arabic

The home of Italy's 1982 World Cup hero Paolo Rossi in the Tuscan countryside was burgled during his funeral service.

Rossi's wife Federica Cappelletti returned from Saturday’s ceremony in the north-eastern Italian city of Vicenza to discover the home they shared near Bucine, south-east of Florence, had been broken into, Italian news agency AGI reported.

Items stolen included a watch belonging to the football legend and cash.

Rossi and his family lived in a farmhouse in Poggio Cennina, a hill overlooking the Val d'Ambra, where he ran an organic farming company and agri-tourism resort.

All players in Italy on Saturday took to the pitch wearing black armbands in memory of Rossi who died on Wednesday, aged 64.

A minute's silence was observed before kick-offs with Rossi's photo projected on large screens with the words "Heroes never die" and "Ciao P".

Thousands of mourners gathered for the funeral and some of his World Cup-winning team-mates carried the coffin into the cathedral.

Marco Tardelli, Antonio Cabrini, Giancarlo Antognoni, Alessandro Altobelli, Franco Causio, Fulvio Collovati and Giuseppe Bergomi were among the pallbearers.
"I have not only lost a team-mate but also a friend and a brother," said Cabrini, who provided the cross for Rossi to score the opening goal against Brazil.

"Together we fought, we won and we sometimes lost, always picking ourselves up even in the face of disappointment. We were part of a group, that group, our group. I didn't think he would leave so soon."

Ms Cappelletti announced Rossi’s death at 64 with a post on Instagram alongside a photo of the couple, accompanied by the comment "Forever," followed by a heart.

  • Italy's Paolo Rossi gets away from Brazil's Junior Football during the 1982 World Cup. Reuters
    Italy's Paolo Rossi gets away from Brazil's Junior Football during the 1982 World Cup. Reuters
  • Paolo Rossi celebrates his goal in the 1982 World Cup final against West Germany. Getty
    Paolo Rossi celebrates his goal in the 1982 World Cup final against West Germany. Getty
  • French midfielder Michel Platini shakes hands with Italian Rossi prior to the 1978 World Cup in Argentina in 1978. AFP
    French midfielder Michel Platini shakes hands with Italian Rossi prior to the 1978 World Cup in Argentina in 1978. AFP
  • Rossi was a big hit in Toronto when Juventus went to play Blizzard in Toronto. Getty
    Rossi was a big hit in Toronto when Juventus went to play Blizzard in Toronto. Getty
  • The Italian football team poses before the World Cup first round match against France in 1978. From L to R: 1st row: Franco Causio, Paolo Rossi, Antonio Cabrini, Gaetano Scirea, Giancarlo Antognoni, Marco Tardelli. 2nd row: Romeo Benetti, Dino Zoff, Mauro Bellugi, Roberto Bettega, Claudio Gentile. AFP
    The Italian football team poses before the World Cup first round match against France in 1978. From L to R: 1st row: Franco Causio, Paolo Rossi, Antonio Cabrini, Gaetano Scirea, Giancarlo Antognoni, Marco Tardelli. 2nd row: Romeo Benetti, Dino Zoff, Mauro Bellugi, Roberto Bettega, Claudio Gentile. AFP
  • Paolo Rossi in Australia with Juventus in 1984. Getty
    Paolo Rossi in Australia with Juventus in 1984. Getty
  • Diego Maradona and Rossi watch an AC Milan training session in Istanbul in 2005. EPA
    Diego Maradona and Rossi watch an AC Milan training session in Istanbul in 2005. EPA
  • Bernd Foerster of Germany fights for the ball with Paolo Rossi during a replay of the 1982 World Cup final in Stuttgart in 2007. Reuters
    Bernd Foerster of Germany fights for the ball with Paolo Rossi during a replay of the 1982 World Cup final in Stuttgart in 2007. Reuters
  • Paolo Rossi in Pachuca, Mexico in 2016. EPA
    Paolo Rossi in Pachuca, Mexico in 2016. EPA

Tributes were paid to 'Pablito', the star who was banned for three years for his part in a betting scandal but returned to win the World Cup in Spain and the Ballon d'Or in the same year.

Rossi won the hearts of Italian fans during the summer of 1982, when his six tournament goals dragged Enzo Bearzot's Azzurri to what was then a third World Cup.

After his career as a footballer, Rossi also worked as a TV pundit.

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If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

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