In a 2014 FIFA poll, Baggio was voted the ninth-greatest number 10 of all-time, and later that year he was ranked 24th in The Guardian's list of the 100 greatest World Cup players of all-time, ahead of the in Brazil | He was quiet, polite, respectful, humble |
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After injuries, disappointing results, and several managerial changes throughout the season, including , , and , Baggio struggled to gain playing time, and was used out of position as a winger, often as a substitute | In 2010, he was named one of the club's 50 greatest legends |
One of the highlights of the season involved Baggio scoring four goals in open play against in a 5—0 Juventus home win.
5At the age of 16, Baggio made his debut with Vicenza on 5 June 1983, a 1—0 home loss against , in the final league match of the season, coming on as a second-half substitute | Despite rumours that the substitutions had created a rivalry between the players, Baggio and Del Piero remain friends |
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Of his other penalties, 8 were scored in Serie C from 8 attempts , 8 in European competitions from 9 attempts , and 17 in the Coppa Italia from 20 attempts | Baggio scored 5 goals and provided 10 assists in 23 appearances during the , as Inter finished in eighth place, missing out on a European spot |
Although Baggio initially struggled with injuries at the beginning of his first season with A.
25" Reflecting on Baggio's performance at the 1994 World Cup in 2001, Stefano Bozzi of stated: "At the USA 94 World Cup, [Baggio] single-handedly hauled Italy to the final | La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italian |
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Baggio began to draw the attention of larger Italian clubs, in particular Serie A side , and his playing style was compared to that of his idol | " Regarding this contrast and Baggio's overall career, Tim Collings of The Guardian described him as "Italy's greatest player of fantasia" in 2004 but also wrote: "Baggio's record, as a player for club and country, fails to match his reputation |
Outside of professional football [ ] Personal life [ ] After his career threatening injury in 1985, Baggio, formerly a Roman Catholic, converted to Buddhism, practicing , and is a member of the Buddhist organisation.