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Roby joins the legendary immortals
PELE, the Brazilian household name who was voted FIFA’s Player of the Century, and who at sixty plus is still venerated by the young generation, recently had difficulty in naming the world’s best hundred players still alive. FIFA had commissioned the Black Pearl to present a complete list as part of the celebrations marking the centenary celebrations of the world’s football ruling body. Actually Pele was asked to name 101 players and include the ‘the Old Maestro’ himself.
But the former Minister for Sport of his native Brazil or his shadow consultant messed it up by forgetting to include a number of great stars who would have graced any selection during their time.
Eventually, instead of hundred names to mark hundred years, Pele submitted a list of 125.
Wizards
Yours truly is not a living football encyclopaedia, but like many others will have no difficulty in vividly remembering a few wizards, their teams and their greatest moments, at a time when colour TV was still not available.
The Game of Association Football paraded a number of brilliant stars who entertained millions around the world. Of course, Pele, will have no difficulty in remembering such names as those of Alfredo di Stefano, Bobby Charlton, Diego Maradona, Gordon Banks, Michel Platini, Dino Zoff, Raul, Zico, Franco Baresi, Gianni Rivera, Zinedine Zidane, Gianpiero Boniperti, Thierry Henry, Ruud Gullit, Ferenc Puskaas, Franz Beckenbauer, Giacinto Facchetti, Johan Cryuff, Emerson, Robert Pires, Marco van Basten, Lothar Matthaus, Gerd Muller, Omar Sivori, Jose Altafini and Butragueno. He may easily add a few others from the South American scene. A few are still active and still steal the limelight in a rather different type of game that was played during Pele’s days. Today there is hardly any time or space for great flair.
The modern game is built more on speed, stamina, collective play and rigid tactics. Individuality and creativity have somewhat of a luxury. Well-planned and continually practised set pieces have become more important than other drills, especially when marking has become so tight and dribbling has almost become a forgotten art.
It is no wonder that the stylish ball players are becoming so rare and when they call it a day they are so sadly missed.
Football in general and that in Italy in particular will miss Roberto Baggio nicknamed ‘il Codino.’ The thirty-seven year old will play his last match for Italy when Trapattoni ropes him in the side that will meet Spain on April 28 at the famous Marassi stadium, the home of so many champions. It will be Baggio’s farewell to the National side and though he has been ignored for many long months, the occasion will be a fitting farewell to one of the most attractive performers of the last eighteen years.
Baggio (born 18 Feb 1967) made his league serie A debut on September 21, 1986 when his team Fiorentina defeated Sampdoria 2-0. He did not score then, but throughout his chequered career which saw him donning the jerseys of Juventus, Milan, Bologna, Inter and Brescia he has scored more than 200 goals, to become the fourth in the list of all times scorers in Italy behind Silvio Piola (274) Gunnar Nordhal (225), Jose Altafini and Giuseppe Meazza (both on the 218 mark).
After Wednesday’s appearance, and barring unforeseen circumstances Baggio will lead Brescia against Siena at the Stadio Franchi on May 2, and then he will play his last game at home against Lazio at the Stadio rigamonti with the curtain finally going down at San siro against Milan on May 16.
It will be sad to see him go….
Sad episode
Baggio should not be remembered for his penalty miss, which cost Sacchi’s Italy the World Cup in 1994. Franco Baresi had also failed to score in the penalty shoot out and these failures enabled Dunga to lift the solid gold statuette for Brazil’s third success in the history of the World Cup. The pony-tailed, fragile-looking ball artist from Caldogno (Vicenza) will be remembered for his 25 goals for Italy which makes him the best scorer after Luigi Riva (35), Giuseppe Meazza (33) and Silvio Piola (30).
He may not have been the darling of Giovanni Trapattoni and Marcello Lippi but certainly the favourite of many millions and not solely Italians. His mazy dribbles, impeccable behaviour on and off the field, mark him as one of the greatest.
Personal level
On a personal level, I must mention the first occasion that I met this talented Buddhist star. It was at the Marsa Grounds just at the time when Fiorentina snapped him. He was a member of Italy’s U-18 which was managed by Niccolai then. I was introduced to this smart young lad by Sergio di Cesare who worked for La Gazetta dello Sport and was also a member of UEFA’s think-tank. He is currently advisor to Franco Carraro the FIGC President and also Head of the section that deals with national and international bodies.
The popular journalist had no doubt that the young kid talking to me with his hands behind, would become one of the greatest of all times. He told me “Tony, remember the name and follow his progress. He will truly become a star.”
Sergio’s predictions came trumps years ago. Roberto Baggio started hitting the limelight as soon as he joined Fiorentina and continued to do so for almost two decades.
The curtain falls at San Siro in three weeks time but the name remains printed in gold in the annals of the game.
Thanks for the memory, Roby.
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