Roberto Baguio smiled at a press conference at the Centro Tecnico Federare di Casciano in Florence, Italy on June 3, 2024. (Photo: Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Italian legend Roberto Baguio admits that he never “feels” like Diego Armando Maradona or Pere, revealing that Leo Messi “gets emotional” when he receives the Italian shirt signed from the 1994 World Cup.
Divin Codino has published an interview with Athletic discussing his career as a footballer and his personal life after retirement.
Perhaps the greatest Italian footballer of all time, Baggio is considered one of the game’s icons on par with Maradona and Pere.
“Thank you, but I won’t see it,” he admitted.
“I don’t know what to say to you. It’s difficult to recognize myself among them. I’ve never felt that way. I’ve always felt like one of the billions of people walking this planet.
Baggio added that his main target is “to entertain people.” That’s what I lived in.
“That was my dream. For people to enjoy themselves. That was the mentality I was when I was 10, 15, when I was 20 years old until I retired.”
Italian legend recently met Leomessi after an Intermiami Club World Cup match and presented Argentine legend to one of the Italian shirts of the 1994 World Cup.
Baguio reveals Messi’s reaction to the Italian gift
“When he saw it, he got emotional. He loved it and folded it. It was beautiful to see,” Baguio said.
“I’m the same person I used to be when I was 10. I’m passionate about the simple things in life,” he added.
The previous striker retired in 2004 after four years of spells at Brescia, and saw his retirement as “liberation” due to his many physical problems.
“I finished my training and went home. It was an hour’s drive from Brescia to my house. When I bent my legs and returned an hour later, I couldn’t do it straight,” he revealed.
“My wife Andreina knew. She came to help me and I was able to walk again. Finally, it was a liberation for me to finish the performance, a joy.
“At some point in my life, I think it was time to enjoy my family, be close to them, to be simple, and most importantly, do things I haven’t done in almost 40 years. That’s why I chose freedom.
Baguio, a former player from Vinsenza, Fiorentina, Milan, Juventus, Bologna, Inter and Brescia, won two Serie A titles and reached the 1994 World Cup final with the 1994 Italian national team.
Italy’s Baggio World Cup 1994
“Not only our matches, but the entire World Cup, was affected by the heat, and it was a stirring touch,” Baguio said of the tournament held in the US more than 30 years ago.
“We had to show ourselves beyond the limits of what we could play as a human, but despite everything, we were driven by passion and desire to achieve results, and many Italians who lived there as immigrants were proud of us. We felt that as a team.
Baggio led Italy to the final against Brazil, but his penalty shootout mistake ultimately determined Azzurri’s loss.
“If I had held the knife at the moment, I would have stabbed myself,” he admitted.
“If I had a gun, I would have shot myself. At that moment I wanted to die. And that was it.”
Finally, Baggio revealed why he didn’t play outside of Serie A.
“I always turned down teams outside of Italy because I had dreamed of returning to the national team and playing the World Cup in Japan (2002). I took over that,” he said.
“There were opportunities, but I always put them on one side. If I’m asking me if I want to play for Bombonera, I’ll say to you: “Of course.” Of course, if I could have done it, I would have done it. ”
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