Pre-2000s Football

Unbelievable Baresi didn’t go to the 1986 world cup, don’t think Bearzot fancied him that much.

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One of the very best performances ever. Romario was the reason why Brazil won that competition and he was nullified by Baresi in this game.
All the above mentioned skills have been highlighted above. I would just add, that none of these things are enough without vision.
Reading them situations is as big as the one on ones. A slower defender if he can read like these players could can stop the fastest forward. Miss that now.

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It was a crap WC final in 94. I feel like the only bit of excitement we got in the alloted time was Brazil hitting the post and Paliguca kissing it thereafter.

Finals tend to be a little shit but this one really flattered to deceive.

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Baggio selection was the age old mistake managers make on injured players.
Passenger all game and then the penalty miss.

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He was but there was always the feeling he might do some magic, well I did anyway

By half time though it was obvious. Team suffered because of it.

First ever game I actually watched. And pretty much the only game until 97 Australia vs Iran and then 98 cup final. Then I was hooked.

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Shame though because feels like Baggio career is defined by the 94 final and not by him just being one of the best players ever

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Not by Italians he’s not, Baggio is regarded as one of the greatest Italian players ever.

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What an assist from Bergkamp. Perfectly weighted.

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Unplayable that game was Bergy.

The winning goal…salivates

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Flawless defender. He was just an absolute beast and he was key in Italy somehow not losing this game lol

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The small CB myth debunked.

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Absolute monster aerial ability too lol

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I went to Naples about a month later, everywhere were pictures of Maradona everybody was talking about Maradona, the TV the radio the newspapers just Maradona, my dad said it was like when when the Beatles first went to the US.
He’s still seen as an absolute god there.
It’s was a crying shame it ended the way it did though.

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That game and the 1-0 defeat to Spain in 2010 are my most painful football memories to date.

But the 2000 one edges it as I thought Holland were massive favourites to win the Euros, our squad was phenomenal and we hosted that tournament. Italy had no right to win that semi. We missed two pens in normal time and Zambrotta was sent off early on.

Incredibly painful.

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Any reason why Baggio only made a shade over 50 appearances for the Italian national team? Seems crazy to me that such a mercurial talent and one of the best players of the 90s could only amass something like 54 games for his country over a 16 year span!

@Stroller @Jesseviolin @ronniec @InvincibleDB10

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Basically down to injuries Sacchi, Trappatoni and Del Piero.
Some time after the 94 World cup Baggio fell out with Sacchi so I think he never played for Italy for about 5 years, Trappatoni didn’t fancy him much and also didn’t go to Italy’s infamous 2002 World cup due to a lingering injury and Del Piero sometimes was preferred to Baggio.
Regardless he’s still seen as one of the great Italian players and in my top 5 favourite players

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I think he had a few injuries and also didn’t get on with Sacchi so missed a few games because of that.

Although around that time he and Ronaldo were considered the best players in Europe, it was before before the internet so the only games we could see him in were international tournaments.
But he played in two of the best Juventus and AC Milan teams.

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