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Almost not an Italian player really. Italy have produced loads of skilled footballers over the years but this guy was next level.
Total maverick even in the most structured of sides.
Open the tightest of defences and games and did regular.
Loved him coming to fruition with Fiorentina. Almost really created an iconic period moment out of them and that shirt.
94 was so cruel and the age old mistake made of playing an injured player.
Always brings good memories and a smile recalling Roberto for sure. Him and Mancini are my two favourite Italian footballers.
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Baggio also gets points for successfully pulling off the mullet-in-a-pony-tail look, which no other human has done to my knowledge.
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I hate how he’s remembered for the World Cup Final miss rather than being an outrageously talented player.
I’ve watched so much of Baggio over the years and can’t believe he isn’t brought up much in discussions about greatest talents. I think his career was probably a little disappointing as he was almost “not Italian” like you said and was probably punished by the rigid Italian tacticians of the 90s for being too much of a maverick (quoting you again).
90s was a golden era for talent production but his name stands out and belongs in discussion for best player of the 90s
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It’s funny because in the seria A thread before Ribbery name came up.
He’s probably viewed more positively than Baggio as somehow players like this have become lauded if they play for successful sides. Really ordinary average workaholic players. Bring no joy or magic and leave no legacy.
Somehow though the name lingers around as something better than he was.
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I’m assuming you mean I’ll Divino Codino, Roberto not Dino?
You’re talking about one of the greatest players here so definitely not underrated. @Stroller took the words out of my mouth, I had the pleasure to see him play on a couple of occasions and to see him run with the ball was beautiful.
I do seem to vaguely remember he was injured before the 94 world cup and should have been the major star of the tournament and he didn’t play well against Ireland thankfully.
But no I say probably the best player Italy has produced in my lifetime.
There’s even a biographical film out on TV.
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@Stroller @SRCJJ I’m assuming you are both English because from the perspective of someone who lived in Italy for many years he’s a god and as an Irish man I thank fuck he didn’t turn up for our moment of glory in 94🙂
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I’m not English but I live in England. But my comment about him not being rated as he should be is linked to his standing across the globe. Feel like it only tends to be educated football fans that speak about Baggio b it the wider community doesn’t really speak much on him these days despite his obvious talents.
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Well I’m certainly not an educated football fan!
I think you are right in saying that his penalty miss probably tarnished his reputation slightly and maybe the emergence of Messi has made people forget what a huge talent Baggio was.
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Yeah was going to say growing up Baggio even here was considered an elite level forward, I remember as kid watching WC94 him and Romario were the two biggest names in regards to forwards, everyone used to go on about him when was watching the games.
I was an avid football Italia viewer and followed his career towards the end, so never seen him at his prime but his reputation definitely was there from what I remember. Agree though that he is underrated and doesn’t get nearly as much praise post career, same as Batistuta in my opinion.
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Only just saw this.
Never had that feeling. I haven’t watched much of football in the 90s, but all across the balkans, when there’s talk about great players of that era, Baggio’s name is not just one that stands out, it’s one that has it’s own very special place. Absolute icon.
Just for example… Generally, globally, I have a feeling he’s rated much higher than, let’s say, Bergkamp… Only in England, or in Holland, there could be some discussion about it I think.
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Remember him
. Think he came after Deportivo had won the title.
Tidy player but wrong Spanish generation to be who he was. Imagine he’d have smashed it if his prime was 08-12.
Yep, just after that season. Unfortunate or what haha. Won the Copa del Rey mind.
Always think of Djalminha when thinking of that Deportivo side. There’s that clip of him vs Real Madrid where he just outplayed everyone.
I reckon that defender still occasionally wakes up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night having had a nightmare about Diego Tristan. That was a PTSD inducing nutmeg.
Thought I’d update the title on this one to reflect the fact that we pretty much use it to discuss any and everything pre 2000
Wonder what people think is the greatest “academy generation” of talent ever?
Ajax late 80s/early 90s generation?
Class of 92?
La Masia in the early Pep years?
I’m assuming you’re talking about a single group of players emerging from their own academies at the same time pre 2000? Because if so I think you covered all of them 
It’s not the same level as some of those listed, but West Ham developed and blooded Defoe, Carrick, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and a few others etc within a few years of each other, probably close enough to be roughly labelled a single “generation”.
(Carrick is a Geordie, so might be that he wasn’t from the West Ham academy, but just signed when very young, I can’t remember either way)
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Ok using those parameters I don’t think there were many academies as such but from a youth set up you’re not going to find a much better trio than the holy trinity of O’Leary, Brady and Stapleton. A defender midfielder and a striker coming through at more or less at the same time.
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