13
Oct
Written by: Elliott
The greatness and the gaffe. The genius and the gomer pyle. While we last ruminated on an unknown-outside-Argentina-striker, we now turn our attention to the Italianinternational scoring phenomon known as Roberto Baggio. Or, how Pope John Paul referred to him – “my worst nightmare.”
Myth has it that Roberto Baggio, buddhist, had an amusing encounter with Pope John Paul II.After winning the World Cup in 1990, the Italian national team visited the Pope. At the time, Baggio had publicly professed his buddhist faith, a hot button topic in Catholic Italy. The Pope, upon meeting Baggio, said “Ah Baggio, my worst nightmare.” Baggio asked the Pope for forgiveness if a personal decision had caused his Holiness pain. To which John Paul replied “You forget, in my youth I was a goalkeeper.”
For a full-on dosis of Baggio, I recommend this excellent 4-4-2 piece. But for now…
Baggio burst onto the Italian national side with an absolutely stunning goal against the Czech Republic -
However, despite scoring in three World Cups, Baggio is known for the shot he missed. In the 1994 World Cup final, Baggio single handedly willed his Italian side to the final. 4 years earlier, in the World Cup semi-finals, he nailed his penalty kick, unlike a certain Donadoni.
Yet fate did not smile upon Baggio that day in Pasadena, California. Two of his teammates had already missed their respective kicks, leaving Baggio with the dubious role of the effigy. Il Divin Codino stepped up and…
…sent Brazil into a frenzied celebration.
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October 13th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
That Italia 90 goal re-engaged me with the beautiful game. It was eclipsed only by Platt’s goal against Belgium in my English biased recollections.
October 15th, 2009 at 3:57 am
Messi’s goal against Getafe in April of 2007 is similar but, I would say, superior. Not a whole lot of difference, but I think he beats more players and ends up having to finish from a much more difficult angle.
October 16th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Terry – like a lot of young Americans, the Baggio miss in WC 94 was our first experience with the bitter pill of penalty kicks. I wish I could say I saw his 90 goal live, but I think I was still in my mighty-ducks-hockey-phase.
Doug – its always tough to compare an international goal vs. a league goal. Messi´s effort was amazingly spectacular…but it was against Getafe, a UEFA cup tem at best, and a relegation struggler at worst.
October 16th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
[...] Great And…Not Great – Roberto Baggio “The greatness and the gaffe. The genius and the gomer pyle. While we last ruminated on an unknown-outside-Argentina-striker, we now turn our attention to the Italianinternational scoring phenomon known as Roberto Baggio. Or, how Pope John Paul referred to him – ‘my worst nightmare.’” (futfanatico) [...]