Roberto Baggio

Roberto Baggio was born on 18 February 1967 in Caldogno, Veneto, to Matilde and Florindo Baggio, the sixth of eight children. His younger brother, Eddy, also played football. Baggio is a former Italian professional footballer who operated mostly as a second striker or attacking midfielder, and later served as president of the technical sector for the Italian Football Federation. Widely considered one of the finest players ever, he was known for his creativity, curling free-kicks, dribbling, and finishing.

In 1999, Baggio placed fourth in the FIFA Player of the Century internet poll and 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. Pelé included him in the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living players in 2004.

Baggio earned 56 caps 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 the team 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. He is the only Italian to score in three World Cups and, with nine goals, 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 surpass 300 career goals; his total of 318 ranks fifth among Italians in all competitions. During his final season in 2004, he became the first player in more than 30 years to reach 200 Serie A goals, and his 205 league goals place him seventh all-time in Serie A. 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.

Nicknamed Il Divin Codino (“The Divine Ponytail”) for his hairstyle, skill, and Buddhist beliefs, Baggio was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization in 2002. He received the inaugural Golden Foot award in 2003 and the Man of Peace award from Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in 2010 for his human rights work. In 2011, he became the first footballer inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

Baggio’s youth career began at age nine with his hometown team, Caldogno. By 11, he had scored 45 goals and provided 20 assists in 26 matches, including six goals in one game. Scout Antonio Mora spotted him, and at 13 he joined Vicenza’s youth system for £300 (500,000 lire). After scoring 110 goals in 120 youth matches, he debuted for Vicenza’s senior side at 15 in 1983.

He made his Serie C1 debut on 5 June 1983 as a substitute in a 1–0 home loss to Piacenza. His first Serie C1 goal came from a penalty on 3 June 1984 in a 3–0 win over Brescia—the club where he would later retire. His first professional goal was in the Coppa Italia Serie C on 30 November 1983, 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 loss to Empoli.

In the 1984–85 season under Bruno Giorgi, he scored 12 goals in 29 appearances, helping Vicenza earn promotion to Serie B. Larger clubs took notice, especially Fiorentina, and his style drew comparisons to his idol Zico. He won the Guerin d’Oro in 1985 as the best player in Serie C1.

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 during a slide tackle against Rimini. The injury came two days before his transfer to Fiorentina was finalized. Several doctors doubted he would play again, but Fiorentina honored the deal and paid for the surgery—a key reason for his lasting 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 all-time greats. He missed his first Serie A season due to injury; Fiorentina finished fifth and reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals. He made his club debut in the Coppa Italia on 29 January 1986 as a substitute in a 3–1 home win over Udinese. His Serie A debut came on 21 September 1986 in a 2–0 home win against Sampdoria, and his European debut followed on 17 September 1986 in a 1–0 UEFA Cup home win over Boavista. On 28 September, he suffered another knee injury requiring 220 stitches to repair.