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BAGGIO

Roberto Baggio
ITALY · ITA · SECOND STRIKER · #10
18 FEB 1967 · Vicenza · Fiorentina · Juventus · Milan · Bologna · Internazionale · Brescia
Il Divin Codino
ITALY · #10

🌎 WORLD CUP RECORD

0
TITLES
16
MATCHES
9
GOALS
YEARHOSTAPPSGOALSRESULT
1990Italy52 3RD PLACE
1994United States75 RUNNER-UP
1998France42 QUARTER-FINAL
█ ATTRIBUTES
PACE 80
SHOOTING 90
PASSING 87
DRIBBLING 93
DEFENDING 40
PHYSICAL 68

⚡ DEFINING MOMENTS

▲ 1990 · The goal against Czechoslovakia
On home soil in Turin, Baggio collected the ball in his own half, exchanged a one-two with Giuseppe Giannini and slalomed through the Czechoslovak defence before slotting home. It was the goal of the tournament, the moment a 23-year-old announced himself to the world, and it forced him into a side that finished third.
▲ 1994 · Almost single-handed in America
Italy spluttered through the 1994 tournament and Baggio dragged them to the final by himself — a late equaliser and an extra-time penalty to beat Nigeria in the last 16, the winner against Spain in the quarter-final, then both goals against Bulgaria in the semi. He won the Silver Ball as the tournament's second-best player and made the final on a torn hamstring.
▲ 1994 · The penalty over the bar
The Pasadena final finished goalless and went to the first World Cup decided on penalties. With Italy already behind in the shoot-out, Baggio — their talisman, their best player — blazed his kick over the crossbar and handed Brazil the trophy. The image of him standing motionless, hands on hips, is one of the most haunting in the game's history.

📜 CAREER TIMELINE

1988
Makes his Italy debut against the Netherlands in November, beginning a 16-year international career.
1990
Scores a celebrated solo goal against Czechoslovakia on home soil as Italy finish third at their own World Cup.
1993
Wins the Ballon d'Or and is named World Player of the Year, the peak of his club and international standing.
1994
Carries Italy to the World Cup final almost alone with five goals, then misses the decisive penalty as Brazil win the shoot-out.
1998
Returns at his third World Cup in France, converts a penalty against Chile and wins a group game against Austria before Italy go out to the hosts on penalties in the quarter-final.
2004
Given an international send-off against Spain at 37 and retires, the only Italian to have scored at three different World Cups.
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█ THE ALMANAC SPEAKS
PROF. INKSWORTH:

Baggio was the most beloved Italian footballer of his generation — Il Divin Codino, the ponytailed playmaker who saw angles no one else did and won the Ballon d'Or in 1993. The World Cup gave him a third place, a runners-up medal and the cruellest single image in the game's archive: his penalty climbing over the Pasadena bar in 1994, the tournament he had carried on a torn hamstring. He scored nine goals across three World Cups and remains the only Italian to find the net at three of them, yet the trophy he most deserved always slipped away.

  • He is the only Italian to have scored at three different World Cups, with nine goals in all — level with Paolo Rossi and Christian Vieri as Italy's joint top World Cup scorer.
  • In 1994 he almost won the tournament by himself — five goals from the last 16 onward — then skied the penalty that handed Brazil the cup.
  • His swerving solo run and finish against Czechoslovakia in 1990 is still rated among the finest World Cup goals scored on home soil.
Ready.
Zone: Historical