Roberto Baggio Short biography
Roberto Baggio, also known as "Il Divin Codino" (The Divine Ponytail), is a former Italian professional footballer who played as a second striker or attacking midfielder. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time and is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation. Baggio is known for his exceptional ball control, creativity, passing, free-kick accuracy, and goalscoring prowess, which made him a prolific goalscorer throughout his career.
Baggio began his youth career with Vicenza in 1976 and made his Serie C1 debut in 1983. He helped the club gain promotion to Serie B in 1985. In 1985, he was transferred to Fiorentina, where he made his Serie A debut in 1986. He quickly became a key player for the team and helped them finish third in Serie A and reach the final of the Coppa Italia in 1990.
In 1990, Baggio was transferred to Juventus for a world-record fee. He won the Serie A title in 1995 and the Coppa Italia in 1995 with Juventus. He also reached the final of the European Cup in 1992 and the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1993.
Baggio joined Milan in 1995 and won the Serie A title in 1996. He then moved to Inter Milan in 1998, where he spent two seasons before joining Brescia in 2000. He retired from professional football in 2004.
Baggio made his international debut for Italy in 1988 and went on to earn 56 caps, scoring 27 goals. He represented Italy at the 1990, 1994, and 1998 FIFA World Cups, helping the team finish third in 1990 and reach the final in 1994. He was named the FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or in 1993.
After retiring from football, Baggio became a Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and was awarded the Man of Peace title by the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in 2010. He is also a Buddhist and is known for his charitable work and contributions to social justice and peace.
