Roberto Baggio, An Italian Legend

An article about Roberto Baggio, one of Italy's all time greatest players.



Roberto Baggio was without much room for doubt one of Italy's greatest football players yet it was not till the summer of 1990 that I found out who he was when I came across the story of his 19 million dollar transfer from Fiorentina (Florence) to Juventus (Turin). This at the time being the most expensive transfer in the history of not only Italian but world football. Roberto Baggio, I would also find out had already (at the age of 23) achieved legendary status at Fiorentina where in 94 (this figure not including "Copa Italia" or European Cups) "Serie A" games; he scored 39 goals. This apart from helping Fiorentina get to the final of the 1990 UEFA Cup which unfortunately they did not win.



It was clear to see that Baggio was a great talent in his position of wing, as his scoring statistics clearly indicate yet there was more to the story. As his transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus actually led to riots in Florence which included fifty people being injured though fortunately none were killed. All of which leading me to the believe that this player who would also become known as "Il Divin Codino" (The Divine Ponytail) was truly loved in the city of Florence for what had been his contributions to not only its football team but the city.



As for myself, it was in Italia 90 that I got to see Roberto Baggio play for the first time in a tournament in which I was able to observe for myself; all the talent I had heard of which included excellent ball handling skills to put him on a par with many of South America's best. Needless to say that Baggio apart from being a man more than capable of controlling a ball was also one whose vision of the field along with shot making ability made him an exceptional player. Regarding Baggio's performance in Italia 90, it was there that he scored two goals; most notably one against Czechoslovakia in which he showed a lot of the greatness which he would later display on many occasions to follow.



Italy however in the "World Cup Italia 90" would go on to loose to Argentina on penalties in the semifinal in a game that for some strange reason saw Roberto Baggio not enter the field till late in the second half. This in a match most felt Baggio should have started yet despite not doing so made a difference; as Argentina's Giusti was forced to tackle him in way that earned him the red card. Argentina however unfortunately for Italy and myself would proof superior to Italy in the penalty shout out that followed the 1-1 draw yet Baggio did convert his kick from the penalty spot.



Italy ended up third in this world cup which in fact was a disappointment for most of its fans who had expected them to at least reach the finals yet despite this; it can be said that Baggio played very well. This in spite of the fact that his was not a sure spot in the starting lineup and it being a very defensive minded world cup; where players of creativity (him being one of them) did not really excel.



After "Italia 90", Roberto Baggio started his career at Juventus, the team he will probably be remembered most for. As it was Juventus which saw his finest years, as he would go on to score 115 goals in 141 league games along with winning the Scudetto in 95 along with the UEFA cup in 93 and the Coppa Italia in 95. For my part however it was during the 91-92 and 92-93 seasons that I become most impressed by Baggio as it was in these years, while living in South America and New York that I was able to see several of Juventus's games; including one in which he scored four goals on the same day in which Milan's Van Basten did likewise.



Roberto Baggio was what in football terms is called a "fantacioso", this being the sort of player who depends not so much on speed or physical force but the creativity of his mind which puts fantasy in to the game. He being a player who on the field was an artist with the ball and capable of those plays that elevate the game to an art while inspiring those of us who watch to dream. This placing him in the same light of other football geniuses such as Maradona, Garrincha, Cruyf and Zico. It being them whose imagination lent so much more to the game than merely wining or loosing but decorating it with plays which very few are even capable of conceiving in their mind; much less executing on the field. This in the way they manage to score when others can not or set up goals for those on their team, making them seem better than they are or even in the little things they do which though they do not always end up with goals; exhibit the brilliance of their talent.



Of course where players of this kind tend to delight crowds more than any other kind they also tend not to be very consistent on the field. As they have a tendency to not play well through out the whole match yet it is in those five or ten minutes that they manage to not only win games but thrill crowds with the blissful delight that only they can deliver. This being the case when Baggio was brought on as a substitute for Inter Milan against Real Madrid in a game which he in five minutes managed to score two goals in a 3-1 win for his team that desperately needed a victory to progress to the next round of the Champions League.



After Italia 90 Baggio would go on to play in both "USA 94" and "France 98". It being in USA 94 where he would lead Italy to the final by scoring five out of their eight goals. One of them being a last minute goal that saved Italy from certain elimination against Nigeria as well as the winner in overtime yet it is despite these two goals and the game winners against both Spain and Bulgaria; Roberto Baggio is perhaps most remembered for the penalty he missed against Brazil in the final. This being the shot that handed Brazil the title though in all fairness, he was not the only penalty kicker to miss yet perhaps it is the sight of seeing his shot sail over the bar and in to the stands; as he lowered his head in defeat that will always remain with Italian fans. It in a way being unfair that though he scored 106 out 122 penalties; he will mostly be remembered for the one he missed in the 94 final.



Roberto Baggio however came back to play for Italy in France 98 where in their first game against Chile he not only assisted Vieri in Italy's first goal but managed to save a draw when he deliberately hit a Chilean player in the hand; for what was rightly called a penalty. Baggio perhaps had many fears on his mind as he was entrusted with the spot kick which must have triggered images in his mind of how four years earlier he missed yet despite the pressures of Italy needing this goal in order to draw level with Chile; he managed to score with five minutes remaining to level the score at 2-2. In France 98 Baggio would score another goal against Austria with two minutes remaining to give Italy a 2-0 lead though Austria would go on to score a last minute goal; as they had done in their previous two matches though on this occasion (unlike the previous two) it was not enough to equalize.



It can honestly be said that Baggio apart from becoming Italy's first player to score in three world cups played well in France 98 though in Italy's last two games was limited to coming on as a substitute for Del Piero; who in all truth did not live up to expectations. This leading many to believe that coach Cesar Maldini (father of Paolo Maldini) waited to long to bring Baggio on against France; in a game which he came ever so close to winning in sudden death overtime. Italy however would go on to loose to France in penalties with Roberto Baggio scoring on his spot kick yet for Baggio this marked the end of his world cup career; as the 2002 squad would not include him despite his having had two good seasons for Brescia.



Looking back it would be just to say that Roberto Baggio was one of Italy's greatest players in its world cup participations. This being the case since Baggio did score 9 goals (to equal Rossi and Vieri) in 16 games, some of which he did not even start and one of which he was even taken out of because their goalkeeper was expelled yet in a strange twist of fate he never played in the European nations cup. Roberto Baggio, basically not being included in the 96 team to play in England because of his missed penalty in the final against Brazil yet many are of the opinion that it was this decision by Sacchi that led to Italy being eliminated in the first round.



As for another interesting statistic regarding Baggio, only once did Italy loose a world cup game with him on the field; in a fashion that was not on penalties. It being their 1-0 defeat against Ireland in USA 94 which I saw live from Giant's Stadium in the Meadowlands.



Baggio in my mind and that of many other football experts was one of the greatest players of all time yet I always felt that he was limited not by his ability; for in him there was no lack of which but by coaches who preferred other players. This being the case with Lippi, Trapattoni and above all Sacchi, whom he played for; both in the Italian national team as well as AC Milan. It being in this particular team where unfortunately for me (a die hard Milanista) Baggio would have two most unproductive seasons. This in spite of AC Milan wining the scudetto in 96 and he becoming the first player in Italian football history to win it with two different teams in back to back seasons.



As for my personal memories of Baggio, I will never forget the ecstasy I felt when I saw (live at Giant's Stadium) him score Italy's first and second goals against Bulgaria to send us to the final of USA 94. Of course there were also moments in which my emotions of sorrow were with Baggio, such as the time in Scotland when he was forced to leave the snowy, almost frozen field; injured after a collision with a Scottish player. This happening in a 1992 qualifying match for the world cup. That year also being one in which he was most unkindly received in Florence while playing in a match against Fiorentina with Juventus.





In conclusion I would say that though Baggio was in the same category as Maradona, he was not quite as great yet his was about 90% percent of the talent of the grand Argentine. It being this which in and of itself was enough for tremendous displays of football; for not only Italy but all those teams he graced with the elegance of his touch.



As a footnote I can add that Baggio even before his retirement from football turned away from Catholicism to Buddhism, this being a faith he holds till this day where he lives on the ranch he bought in Argentina.