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The attacking midfielder of the club is called up to the Italian national team and may appear on the field in the upcoming friendly matches wearing the blue "Squadra Azurri" jerseys. But talking about the player potentially going to Euro-2004 is still too early.
Italian fans may be pleased. Their wishes to include Roberto Baggio in the national team composition have finally convinced coach Giovanni Trapatonni. As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, the head coach confirmed that "The Divine Ponytail," as the player is called due to his memorable hairstyle, has been invited to the national team for the match against Spain. "I have already spoken with him," Trap said, who added that he could not ignore the achievements of this "charismatic player" with such a statement. - Baggio will be in the team for the match against Spain.
Baggio is a legendary player, not only in Italian football circles. Coming to , he made nostalgic fans of "old seniors" suffering from Platini believe: there are footballers who can wear a striped jersey with the number ten even after Michel, and they deserve it. And, most importantly, they are local players. Later, this relay will be taken by in "Juve," but Alessandro failed to become what Roberto was (and still is) in Italy.
As a Buddhist, Baggio did not demonstrate the peaceful canons of this religion when at the 1994 World Cup he practically single-handedly tore apart all the opponents and led the bright-looking "Squadra Azzura" to the knockout rounds.
If he had scored the penalty in the Brazilian goal - and a monument to him, still alive, would have been guaranteed. Moreover, not in the only copy. But Robbis missed. And the nation, which has mixed mud with every loser, forgave him.
The 1998 World Cup, as expected, was to pass under Del Pierro's sign. In two seasons, the young Italian, replacing Baggio in "Juve," changed the understanding of modern football. However, Cesare Maldini, who worked with the Italian national team, found more space for the more experienced Roberto in it. True, he did not let both "stars" onto the field at once - whenever one was involved in the game, the other sat on the bench. But in France, it was Baggio who proved himself as a true leader. If not for the routine failure in the penalty shootout, he could easily have become a World Champion.
With Trapattoni coming to the national team, Roberto Baggio's situation seemed to have gained a clear status. Trap is an eccentric personality. Many coaches could envy him for his hand movements, which he demonstrates during matches, trying to explain his thoughts to the players. Besides, the coach has a very clear position on how his team should play. And if he has favorites, he will include them all in the lineup.
This is exactly what happened at the 2002 World Cup. It all started with giving Alessandro Del Pierro the tenth Italian national team number, and ended with the player pushing his competitor out of the main team. The reason for this was not only Totti's excellent play but also his warm relationship with him and Trapattoni. Del Pierro did not have full opportunities to show himself in Japan and Korea, although he saved the team by scoring a goal against Mexico.
A similar situation unfolded with Baggio. All Italian fans love him. And in the last years, Trapattoni constantly had to explain why he did not include the player in the lineup when, despite his veteran age, he showed such good play that he definitely deserves an invitation even for friendly matches. The coach has his argument. At Brescia, Baggio plays the role of a free creator. Because of physical and age circumstances, demanding more from him would be pointless - Roberto plays exactly the game he does best. In the national team, there are already two slightly withdrawn strikers - Del Pierro and Totti. In the 2002 championship, Trapas often used a pair of Francesco Totti - in attack. Now he often sends an attacking trio onto the field, also finding room for Del Pierro. It is hard to expect that he will take another slightly withdrawn forward to Portugal.
So, these will probably be Roberto Baggio's last matches wearing the blue Italian national team jerseys. Of course, sometimes it happens that a player can shine so brightly that the coach will leave him in the lineup. The fans would really like to see their favorite player in Euro-2004. It's just that the chances of the unbreakable Trap changing his mind are slim. And the player himself seems to be saddened by this season and intended to "tie" with football.
