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Famous FIFA World Cup Goals: Roberto Baggio’s Brilliance
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Pure Baggio brilliance
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Pure Baggio brilliance
Pure Baggio brilliance Italy's Roberto Baggio (left) scored a spectacular goal against Czechoslovakia in the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

Famous FIFA World Cup Goals: Roberto Baggio’s Brilliance

Written by
Gitanjali Roy
Gitanjali Roy is deputy managing editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. She has over two decades of editorial experience across digital and broadcast media.
Gitanjali Roy
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Italian forward Roberto Baggio made his FIFA World Cup debut in spectacular fashion during the 1990 edition. Baggio, then a rising star, was benched for the first two matches played by the Italian national team, known as the Azzurri, at the tournament. That changed in Italy’s third, and final, Group A match, against Czechoslovakia. Not only did Baggio start for Italy, he scored an individual goal regarded as one of the greatest in World Cup history. Italy was leading 1–0 when, in the 78th minute, Baggio exchanged passes with teammate Giuseppe Giannini, drifted through Czechoslovakia’s defense with balletic control, and calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper. Italy won the match 2–0 and eventually finished third in the tournament, after being defeated by Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, in the semifinal. Baggio scored another goal against England in the third-place playoff. (Watch Baggio’s goal against Czechoslovakia here.)

Gitanjali Roy
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