Latest news with #RobertoBaggio
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I've been to a World Cup final in the USA – here's what England fans can expect (hopefully)
A YEAR today, thousands of English fans will hope to be in uncharted territory - a World Cup final in America. There will be a scramble for tickets to watch the showpiece at the Met Life Stadium. Advertisement 8 Me, aged ten, with my dad before the 1994 World Cup final in the Rose Bowl, Pasadena 8 Our view from behind the goal as the anthems were played 8 I was a Brazil fan for the tournament and boy, did I look cool 8 We were behind this goal when Roberto Baggio skied his decisive penalty over Credit: AFP Three Lions fans might not know what to expect, but I can give them an idea as I have been to a World Cup final in America and witnessed one of football's most iconic moments. And things were very different 31 years ago. For a start, there were very few English supporters at the tournament as the national team failed to qualify. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL That - along with the scheduling of Wigan borough's school holidays - gave us our chance. My dad and I were members of the England Travel Club and in pre-internet days, every FA was allocated World Cup tickets, whether they had qualified or not. The English FA doled them out through the Travel Club - and we cleaned up. It was part football trip, part brilliant family holiday. Advertisement Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS We saw Brazil beat the USA in San Francisco (and Tab Ramos nearly take Leonardo's head off), Sweden beat Romania on penalties in the quarters, Romario win the semi-final for Brazil against the Swedes and then the final, Brazil v Italy. I became Brazilian for two weeks - just call me Gradinho. Donald Trump reveals he's keeping Club World Cup trophy after gatecrashing Chelsea celebrations as Blues get replica The USA has much more of a football - or soccer - culture now. Advertisement In 1994, an old couple heard our accents and politely asked what we were doing in America. My dad's mate, Phil, replied: "We're here for the football". That confused them as the NFL season had not started. Know-it-all ten-year-old me leaned over to them and said: "He means the soccer." If anything, that confused them even more! Advertisement It did not permeate all parts of US society, although the stadiums were pretty much full - certainly more packed than at Euro 96 two years later. However, that created a problem for dad's pal Phil. Four years earlier, at Italia 90, tickets had been in plentiful supply from the touts and not too highly priced either. Dad and Phil managed to get to two quarter finals and the memorable semi in Turin where Gazza and the rest of the England fans ended up in tears. But in '94, although we were warned to stay away from 'scalpers' there was barely a ticket tout in sight and Phil, who had not been so lucky in the Travel Club draw, had to scour local newspaper adverts to try to get final tickets for himself and two sons. Advertisement He managed it, too, but not before a hair-raising trip to a rough part of LA and an impromptu auction with another hopeful fan who, he claimed, had a gun. Another oddity for an English football fan was sitting on bleachers in the stadium rather than seats - especially at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, just outside Los Angeles. 8 Brazil's star man Romario with the World Cup after his side's win on penalties Credit: AFP 8 The Los Angeles Times has Brazil's victory on its front page the next day Advertisement 8 The final itself was the worst match of the tournament - but what an occasion! It was packed and boiling hot - Loads of the 94,000-strong crowd were supporting Brazil - although we were sat next to a Scottish Italy fan who waxed lyrical about reserve defender Luigi Apolloni, of Parma. Advertisement He did actually get on too, after 35 minutes and helped Italy keep Romario quiet. After a forgettable 120 minutes, it went to penalties. We were behind the goal that Roberto Baggio skied his spot-kick over, nearly hitting us (OK, maybe not, we were a bit far back for that). After the match, we even got to Disneyland to watch the parade for a new film called the Lion King. A dramatic end to a brilliant trip - but things will be different next year. Advertisement 8 My ticket to the 1994 World Cup final Thanks to the MLS, Lionel Messi et al, the US public seem to be more into football and there should be more of a buzz throughout the country. And Kane will not sky his penalty in the final over the bar. Then, the fans in New Jersey will be watching Three Lions kings... Advertisement
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I've been to a World Cup final in the USA – here's what England fans can expect (hopefully)
Scroll down to see how much the ticket cost! AMERICAN DREAM I've been to a World Cup final in the USA – here's what England fans can expect (hopefully) A YEAR today, thousands of English fans will hope to be in uncharted territory - a World Cup final in America. There will be a scramble for tickets to watch the showpiece at the Met Life Stadium. Advertisement 8 Me, aged ten, with my dad before the 1994 World Cup final in the Rose Bowl, Pasadena 8 Our view from behind the goal as the anthems were played 8 I was a Brazil fan for the tournament and boy, did I look cool 8 We were behind this goal when Roberto Baggio skied his decisive penalty over Credit: AFP Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka - New Jersey boys on the biggest stage. Three Lions fans might not know what to expect, but I can give them an idea as I have been to a World Cup final in America and witnessed one of football's most iconic moments. And things were very different 31 years ago. For a start, there were very few English supporters at the tournament as the national team failed to qualify. Advertisement That - along with the scheduling of Wigan borough's school holidays - gave us our chance. My dad and I were members of the England Travel Club and in pre-internet days, every FA was allocated World Cup tickets, whether they had qualified or not. The English FA doled them out through the Travel Club - and we cleaned up. It was part football trip, part brilliant family holiday. Advertisement CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS We saw Brazil beat the USA in San Francisco (and Tab Ramos nearly take Leonardo's head off), Sweden beat Romania on penalties in the quarters, Romario win the semi-final for Brazil against the Swedes and then the final, Brazil v Italy. I became Brazilian for two weeks - just call me Gradinho. Donald Trump reveals he's keeping Club World Cup trophy after gatecrashing Chelsea celebrations as Blues get replica The USA has much more of a football - or soccer - culture now. Advertisement In 1994, an old couple heard our accents and politely asked what we were doing in America. My dad's mate, Phil, replied: "We're here for the football". That confused them as the NFL season had not started. Know-it-all ten-year-old me leaned over to them and said: "He means the soccer." If anything, that confused them even more! Advertisement It did not permeate all parts of US society, although the stadiums were pretty much full - certainly more packed than at Euro 96 two years later. However, that created a problem for dad's pal Phil. Four years earlier, at Italia 90, tickets had been in plentiful supply from the touts and not too highly priced either. Dad and Phil managed to get to two quarter finals and the memorable semi in Turin where Gazza and the rest of the England fans ended up in tears. But in '94, although we were warned to stay away from 'scalpers' there was barely a ticket tout in sight and Phil, who had not been so lucky in the Travel Club draw, had to scour local newspaper adverts to try to get final tickets for himself and two sons. Advertisement He managed it, too, but not before a hair-raising trip to a rough part of LA and an impromptu auction with another hopeful fan who, he claimed, had a gun. Another oddity for an English football fan was sitting on bleachers in the stadium rather than seats - especially at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, just outside Los Angeles. 8 Brazil's star man Romario with the World Cup after his side's win on penalties Credit: AFP 8 The Los Angeles Times has Brazil's victory on its front page the next day Advertisement 8 The final itself was the worst match of the tournament - but what an occasion! It was packed and boiling hot - as it will be next year - and it kicked off at 12.30pm local time (which contributed to the lack of quality). Loads of the 94,000-strong crowd were supporting Brazil - although we were sat next to a Scottish Italy fan who waxed lyrical about reserve defender Luigi Apolloni, of Parma. Advertisement He did actually get on too, after 35 minutes and helped Italy keep Romario quiet. After a forgettable 120 minutes, it went to penalties. We were behind the goal that Roberto Baggio skied his spot-kick over, nearly hitting us (OK, maybe not, we were a bit far back for that). After the match, we even got to Disneyland to watch the parade for a new film called the Lion King. A dramatic end to a brilliant trip - but things will be different next year. Advertisement 8 My ticket to the 1994 World Cup final Thanks to the MLS, Lionel Messi et al, the US public seem to be more into football and there should be more of a buzz throughout the country. And Kane will not sky his penalty in the final over the bar. Then, the fans in New Jersey will be watching Three Lions kings...
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The downfall of Brescia & potential rebirth in Serie C
They were founder members of Serie A and once boasted some of Italian football's most famous names, but now Brescia have been wiped out of existence after a financial crisis. How did such a historic club fall so far, so quickly? And what happens next? Advertisement BBC Sport examines the Lombardy team's demise and possible immediate revival. The highs of Baggio, Guardiola & Pirlo Roberto Baggio and Pep Guardiola represented the club in Serie A [Getty Images] Brescia were founded in 1911, when professional football in Italy was in its early stages, and earned promotion to the top flight two years later. When Serie A was formed in 1929 to implement a stronger two-tier structure throughout the country, they were among the 18 clubs included. A solid 10th-placed finish in that debut campaign was an early sign of the relative anonymity to follow. The industrial town of Brescia, population 200,000, has always been in the shadows of regional powerhouse Milan, 50 miles to the west, and the same was true on the football field. Advertisement So, for the next nine decades Brescia were remarkably unremarkable: a mid-size provincial club plodding along between relegations and promotions, never winning anything but always on the scene, with no major trophies and their sole 'achievement' was holding Italian football's longest unbroken spell in Serie B (1947 to 1965). An exceptional burst into the spotlight came at the turn of the century, when divinely pony-tailed genius Roberto Baggio - one of Italy's greatest players - ended his injury-hit career with a successful four-season spell at Brescia. The flamboyant forward was briefly joined by another iconic veteran, Spain's Pep Guardiola, along with rising midfield star Andrea Pirlo, who was born locally and came through the club's youth system to launch his legendary career. Inspired by Baggio, Brescia flourished. Finishing eighth in 2001 was the club's best season and led to a spot in that summer's Uefa Intertoto Cup, a now-defunct tournament for Europe's mid-ranking teams. Advertisement Stepping onto the continental stage for the first time, Baggio's penalty was not enough to avoid defeat by Paris St-Germain on away goals in one of three finals - the other two 'champions' were Aston Villa and Troyes…yes, three champions…it was a strange tournament. Baggio retired in 2004, Brescia were relegated a year later, and that was that: the club's brief flirtation with the elite was finished and the previous routine of relegation-promotion-relegation was resumed. Until now. Points deduction, relegation & Sampdoria's gain Massimo Cellino purchased Brescia in 2017 [Getty Images] In the summer of 2017, the club was taken over by businessman Massimo Cellino. Advertisement His first football club ownership was Sardinian club Cagliari, where he earned the nickname 'Manager Eater' after hiring and firing 36 coaches in 22 years. Cellino then turned his attention to English football, taking over at Leeds United in 2014. But, a controversial and divisive figure, he sold up in 2017 after being banned by the Football Association for 12 months for breaching the rules on football agents. Instead he purchased Brescia, who had spent the past six years in Serie B. A promotion and immediate relegation quickly followed, as well as 24 coaching changes in eight years, with 13 of the incumbents lasting fewer than 100 days in charge. Advertisement Then, in May, it was revealed an investigation into financial irregularities at the club had been taking place, including missed payments to players, staff and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). It led to a four-point deduction, sending Brescia - who had finished 15th - into the relegation zone and handing a reprieve to Sampdoria, who survived via a relegation play-off that was abandoned in the second leg because of crowd trouble. On Thursday, the FIGC formally upheld its decision on Brescia, banning Cellino - as well as his son, and board member, Edoardo - for six months and revoking the club's licence to operate at professional level. Brescia had effectively been wiped out of business, apparently left with the only option of reforming the club in the amateur, regionalised Serie D. Advertisement But that is not where the story ends. Feralpi to the rescue? Even before Brescia's fate was formally announced last week, hopes had been building that resurrection was already around the corner. The town is home to Feralpi, a leading steel manufacturer, whose president Giuseppe Pasini has been working with town mayor Laura Castelletti and another local company, A2A, to ensure professional football continues. They are planning to form effectively a 'new' club, operating as a separate legal entity from the old Brescia that was banished last week by the FIGC, and similar to the process that revived another Italian club, Vicenza, in 2018. Advertisement The deadline to complete all the paperwork and register for next season's Serie C is 15 July, so time is tight. The old club's Rigamonti Stadium is owned by the town council, but they signed a lease until 2028 with Cellino, who insisted that contract remains in place and has reportedly failed to return the keys. But the council countered that by saying missed payments and the club's disqualification by the FIGC invalidates the terms of the lease, and on Saturday locksmiths were sent in to reclaim the site. At the moment, things look on track for Feralpi's takeover. It will be a new club, playing in Serie C, but for fans of Brescia that's far better than the alternative - nothing.
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
The downfall of Brescia & potential rebirth in Serie C
They were founder members of Serie A and once boasted some of Italian football's most famous names, but now Brescia have been wiped out of existence after a financial did such a historic club fall so far, so quickly? And what happens next?BBC Sport examines the Lombardy team's demise and possible immediate revival. The highs of Baggio, Guardiola & Pirlo Brescia were founded in 1911, when professional football in Italy was in its early stages, and earned promotion to the top flight two years Serie A was formed in 1929 to implement a stronger two-tier structure throughout the country, they were among the 18 clubs included.A solid 10th-placed finish in that debut campaign was an early sign of the relative anonymity to follow. The industrial town of Brescia, population 200,000, has always been in the shadows of regional powerhouse Milan, 50 miles to the west, and the same was true on the football for the next nine decades Brescia were remarkably unremarkable: a mid-size provincial club plodding along between relegations and promotions, never winning anything but always on the scene, with no major trophies and their sole 'achievement' was holding Italian football's longest unbroken spell in Serie B (1947 to 1965).An exceptional burst into the spotlight came at the turn of the century, when divinely pony-tailed genius Roberto Baggio - one of Italy's greatest players - ended his injury-hit career with a successful four-season spell at flamboyant forward was briefly joined by another iconic veteran, Spain's Pep Guardiola, along with rising midfield star Andrea Pirlo, who was born locally and came through the club's youth system to launch his legendary by Baggio, Brescia flourished. Finishing eighth in 2001 was the club's best season and led to a spot in that summer's Uefa Intertoto Cup, a now-defunct tournament for Europe's mid-ranking onto the continental stage for the first time, Baggio's penalty was not enough to avoid defeat by Paris St-Germain on away goals in one of three finals - the other two 'champions' were Aston Villa and Troyes…yes, three champions…it was a strange retired in 2004, Brescia were relegated a year later, and that was that: the club's brief flirtation with the elite was finished and the previous routine of relegation-promotion-relegation was now. Points deduction, relegation & Sampdoria's gain In the summer of 2017, the club was taken over by businessman Massimo first football club ownership was Sardinian club Cagliari, where he earned the nickname 'Manager Eater' after hiring and firing 36 coaches in 22 then turned his attention to English football, taking over at Leeds United in 2014. But, a controversial and divisive figure, he sold up in 2017 after being banned by the Football Association for 12 months for breaching the rules on football he purchased Brescia, who had spent the past six years in Serie B.A promotion and immediate relegation quickly followed, as well as 24 coaching changes in eight years, with 13 of the incumbents lasting fewer than 100 days in in May, it was revealed an investigation into financial irregularities at the club had been taking place, including missed payments to players, staff and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).It led to a four-point deduction, sending Brescia - who had finished 15th - into the relegation zone and handing a reprieve to Sampdoria, who survived via a relegation play-off that was abandoned in the second leg because of crowd Thursday, the FIGC formally upheld its decision on Brescia, banning Cellino - as well as his son, and board member, Edoardo - for six months and revoking the club's licence to operate at professional had effectively been wiped out of business, apparently left with the only option of reforming the club in the amateur, regionalised Serie that is not where the story ends. Feralpi to the rescue? Even before Brescia's fate was formally announced last week, hopes had been building that resurrection was already around the town is home to Feralpi, a leading steel manufacturer, whose president Giuseppe Pasini has been working with town mayor Laura Castelletti and another local company, A2A, to ensure professional football are planning to form effectively a 'new' club, operating as a separate legal entity from the old Brescia that was banished last week by the FIGC, and similar to the process that revived another Italian club, Vicenza, in deadline to complete all the paperwork and register for next season's Serie C is 15 July, so time is old club's Rigamonti Stadium is owned by the town council, but they signed a lease until 2028 with Cellino, who insisted that contract remains in place and has reportedly failed to return, external the the council countered that by saying missed payments and the club's disqualification by the FIGC invalidates the terms of the lease, and on Saturday locksmiths were sent in to reclaim the the moment, things look on track for Feralpi's will be a new club, playing in Serie C, but for fans of Brescia that's far better than the alternative - nothing.
Forbes
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Roberto Baggio: Why The 1994 World Cup Star Returned To The U.S.
When it came to sports in the nineties, Michael Jordan ruled basketball, Pete Sampras was the master of the tennis court, and billions worshipped soccer playmaker Roberto Baggio. This week, Baggio, a multiple Serie A champion and Ballon d'Or winner, finally stepped foot back onto American soil nearly three decades after he led Italy to the 1994 World Cup final in California, this time as an official ambassador for Lega Serie A. Luigi Riva and Roberto Baggio #10 of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 1994, United States. (Photo by ... More) The former Juventus, Fiorentina, and AC Milan playmaker began his visit to New York at Serie A's Manhattan office, where calcio aficionados and commercial partners celebrated him for his outstanding 21-year career, which included World Cup appearances at Italia '90, USA '94, and France '98. 'It was truly special to feel the passion for calcio here in New York,' Baggio told guests. 'To return to the U.S. after so many years and see how much love there is for Italian football is quite moving. I want to thank Lega Serie A for bringing me here and for the important work they're doing to grow the game and reconnect fans abroad with our footballing culture.' The following day, Baggio, a devout Buddhist known for his humility and gratitude, took the time to visit the Bronx for a community event with Street Soccer USA, a nonprofit organisation that makes social change. The 58-year-old spent the day with underprivileged children, sharing anecdotes and promoting equity through sport. 'Watching these kids play with joy and freedom reminded me of why I fell in love with the game in the first place,' Baggio said. 'Street Soccer USA is clearly doing incredible work, and I'm honored to be part of this experience. Initiatives like this, supported by Lega Serie A, show how soccer can truly make a difference in people's lives.' Renowned for his dribbling, finishing ability, and free-kick taking, Baggio is widely regarded as Italy's best-ever player, having scored 27 times for the national team, with 205 Serie A goals to his name all attained during the golden era of European soccer. For his efforts, the Caldogno-born attacker later became the first-ever inductee into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2011, beating the likes of Paolo Maldini (2013) and Franco Baresi (2013). Lawrence Cann, Founder and CEO of Street Soccer USA, was thrilled to welcome the Divine Ponytail back to New York. 'Having Roberto Baggio join us in the Bronx was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for the kids in our community," said Cann. 'To see a global legend not just show up, but truly engage—that's what Street Soccer USA is all about: connection, opportunity, and the belief that every young person deserves a shot, on and off the field.' If soccer were categorized into decades, Johan Cruyff would have ruled the 1970s, Diego Maradona the 1980s, and Baggio the 1990s. During the 1994 World Cup, Baggio netted five times during the knockout stages to propel Italy into the Final against Brazil in Pasadena. Despite missing his spot kick in the penalty shootout (and dubbed The Man Who Died Standing for doing so), the overwhelming majority of fans accepted he was the best player of the tournament ahead of Romario. Indeed, Baggio is still widely regarded as your favourite soccer player's favourite soccer player. Accordingly, Inter Miami's Lionel Messi was thrilled to be pictured next to one of his childhood heroes recently at the FIFA World Club reigning World Cup champion remarked on Instagram following the meeting with Baggio, 'What a wonderful visit! Thank you, Roberto, for this special and meaningful gift and for the wonderful conversation we shared. You're a star and a historic football legend. It will always be a pleasure to welcome you whenever you want to come and see us!' In 1990, Baggio's transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus set a world record transfer fee of $11M (£8M). Who's to say what Baggio's market value would have peaked at had he played nowadays? Undoubtedly, somewhere close to Messi's 2017-18 of $211M valuation. Big money was never the driving force behind Baggio signing for perennial strugglers Bologna in 1997 - a move which yielded 22 goals and Italian national team selection for France '98 - and his decision to join Brescia in 2000, the club he single-handedly kept in Serie A for four consecutive seasons. Baggio The Magnificent Philanthropy was always one of the Baggio tenets. In 2010, the United Nations acknowledged him for his fundraising efforts for the Haiti earthquake, the same year he was awarded the Man of Peace title by the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates for his contributions to social peace and justice. Fifteen years on, Baggio is again prepared to exploit his legendary status for good, uniting fans in the land that was as cruel as it was kind to him 29 years ago. 'We're proud to work with Serie A USA to create moments like this.' Lega Serie A's North American community outreach program, 'Serie A Calcio in the Community', partners with nonprofit organizations like Street Soccer USA, which operates in more than 20 cities across the U.S., using soccer-based programming to tackle issues of homelessness, social isolation, and lack of access to opportunity.
