Roberto Baggio: Football (Soccer)
Roberto Baggio (born February 18, 1967) is one of the best Italian soccer players of all time. He scored 27 goals in 56 appearances for Team Italy from 1988 to 2004. He spent his club career with seven different teams – Vicenza, Florentina, Juventus, Milan, Bologna, Internazionale and Brescia. Baggio played as a second forward or an attacking midfielder. Besides being a retired footballer, he became the President of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation. Roberto Baggio is one of the top ten scoring Italians in all competitions and also the first Italian player in over 50 years to score more than 300 career goals. Overall, he’s the fourth-highest scoring Italian in all competitions with 318 goals.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Roberto Baggio bagged the fourth spot during the 1999 FIFA Player of the Century internet poll. He was also chosen for the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002. By 1993 and 2004, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year, won the Ballon d’Or and was named one of the world’s greatest living players by Pele in the FIFA 100 respectively.
He scored a total of 78 goals when he played with Juventus (1990-1995) and 45 goals with Brescia (2000-2004). Baggio is the fourth highest goal scorer for Italy and finished third in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He received the Silver Ball and was named in the World Cup All-Star Team. In 2011, he was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.
Why Was He So Good?
He first played for the Vicenza and didn’t get much playing time during the first two years but he kept his patience and continued to wait for his chance – then he showed his flair and hunger to score goals which led to top form the next consecutive years. Roberto Baggio was a creative playmaker in the field. He was most recognized for his curling free kicks.
What You May Not Know
- When he was younger, he scored 6 goals in a game to earn the attention of Vicenza scouts. In 1982, he made his professional debut for the team.
- Roberto’s last club, Brescia, retired his jersey #10.
- He is known as Il Divin Codino (The Divine Ponytail) for his hairstyle that he wore for the most of his career, talent and Buddhist beliefs.
- He also was the inaugural winner of the “Golden Foot” award in 2003 and received the Man of Peace award from the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in 2010.
Related Pages
- Roberto Baggio won the Ballon d'Or in 1993.
- More football players
- About Football (Soccer)
- Athlete Database home
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