Roberto Baggio

Roberto Baggio (born 18 February 1967) is an Italian former professional footballer. He played mostly as a second striker or attacking midfielder and later served as president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation. Known for his curling free-kicks, dribbling, and goal-scoring, Baggio was a creative playmaker and set-piece specialist. Many consider him one of the greatest players ever.

In 1999, Baggio finished fourth in the FIFA Player of the Century internet poll. He was named to the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002. He won both the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d'Or in 1993. In 2004, Pelé included him in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.

Baggio played 56 times for Italy and is tied for fourth on the national team's all-time scoring list. He helped Italy finish third at the 1990 World Cup. At the 1994 World Cup, he led Italy to the final, won the Silver Ball, and made the All-Star Team. Despite being the tournament's star, he missed the decisive penalty in the shootout against Brazil.

Baggio is the only Italian to score in three World Cups. With nine goals, he shares the record for most World Cup goals by an Italian with Paolo Rossi and Christian Vieri. In 2002, Baggio became the first Italian in over 50 years to score more than 300 career goals. He ranks fifth among Italian players in all competitions with 318 goals.

In his final season, 2004, he became the first player in over 30 years to reach 200 Serie A goals. He is seventh on the all-time Serie A scoring list with 205 goals. In 1990, he moved from Fiorentina to Juventus for a world-record transfer fee. Over his career, he won two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, and a UEFA Cup while playing for seven Italian clubs: Vicenza, Fiorentina, Juventus, AC Milan, Bologna, Inter Milan, and Brescia.

Baggio is nicknamed "The Divine Ponytail" for his hairstyle, talent, and Buddhist beliefs. In 2002, he was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He won the inaugural Golden Foot award in 2003. In 2010, he received the Man of Peace award from the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates for his human rights work.

In 2011, he became the first footballer inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame. Roberto Baggio was born in Caldogno, Veneto, to Matilde and Florindo Baggio. He was the sixth of eight siblings. His younger brother, Eddy Baggio, also played football.

Baggio started in youth football after his hometown team, Caldogno, noticed him at age nine. By 11, he had 45 goals and 20 assists in 26 matches, including a six-goal game. Scout Antonio Mora spotted him, and at 13, Vicenza's youth team bought him for £300 (500,000 Lire). After scoring 110 goals in 120 youth matches, he turned professional with Vicenza's senior side in 1983 at age 15.

At 16, Baggio debuted in Serie C1 on 5 June 1983, as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 home loss to Piacenza. He scored his first Serie C1 goal on 3 June 1984, a penalty in a 3–0 win against Brescia, the club where he later retired. His first professional goal came in the Coppa Italia Serie C on 30 November 1983, in a 4–1 away win over Legnano. He also debuted in the Coppa Italia on 31 August 1983 against Palermo and scored his first Coppa Italia goal on 26 August 1984 in a 4–2 away loss to Empoli.

In the 1984–85 season under Bruno Giorgi, he scored 12 goals in 29 appearances, helping Vicenza win promotion to Serie B. Larger clubs, especially Fiorentina, took notice, and his style drew comparisons to his idol Zico. He won the Guerin d'Oro in 1985 as Serie C1's best player. Near the end of his final Vicenza season, on 5 May 1985, Baggio tore both the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee while slide-tackling against Rimini.

The injury happened two days before his transfer to Fiorentina was finalized and threatened his career at age 18. Though several team doctors doubted he would play again, Fiorentina kept faith, completing the transfer and funding the surgery—a key reason for Baggio's bond with the club. Fiorentina bought Baggio in 1985 for £1.5 million. Despite early injuries, he became hugely popular and is considered one of the club's greatest players.

He missed his first Serie A season due to injury; Fiorentina finished fifth and reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals. Baggio made his club debut in that competition on 29 January 1986, as a second-half substitute for Davide Pellegrini in a 3–1 home win over Udinese. He made his Serie A debut the next season on 21 September 1986, in a 2–0 home win against Sampdoria, and his European debut on 17 September 1986, in a 1–0 home UEFA Cup win over Boavista. On 28 September, he suffered another knee injury, requiring surgery with 220 stitches to rebuild it.