Day 18: Italy lifts the penalty curse
26 June 2006, 19:24
Roberto Baggio was guilty of one of the most infamous penalty misses of all time. It was the final match of the 1994 World Cup. Italy and Brazil fought to a 0-0 draw. Things were eventually settled from the penalty spot. Baggio had carried the Italians on his back through the tournament, scoring five critical goals, but what we remember is that miss. It wasn’t even close.
That’s not the end of Baggio’s story. The “divine ponytail” led Italy in the 1998 World Cup, but missed a good chance against France in another match that went to decisive penalties. Italy were knocked out. No matter how many times Baggio missed (he scored a lot as well), Italian fans supported him. Perhaps, it was his sense of style they liked. Or perhaps, it was his devout Buddhism (a powerful exoticism for the Catholic country). Before the 2002 World Cup, fans were claiming that the 35-year-old Baggio had returned from an injury because of a miracle. It was divine intervention, they said. He was meant to play for Italy (He didn’t).
This brings me to Alessandro Del Piero, who 8 years ago waited in the wings for Baggio to go away. What’s with Del Piero’s shaved head? Is he a Buddhist? Anyone who has followed Italian soccer knows he has missed as many easy chances as Baggio (Remember the Euro 2000 final!) He has also fought through a lot of criticism, and in his twilight years, he has received a sort of canonization. He’s a lot like Baggio. But can he do what Baggio couldn’t and lift the Italian penalty curse?
Del Piero got the start today the against the Socceroos. It was rumored that coach Marcello Lippi consulted the stars before choosing him over the younger hothead Francesco Totti. Things seemed set up for Del Piero to be the hero, or the goat, but it wasn’t to be. It was Totti’s divine intervention that secured victory.
Totti is no Buddhist. He’s more of a pugilist. A Roman who speaks in a local, working class dialect, he is loved by the Roma supporters. But he has been ejected for spitting on players and diving. Today he kept his cool. The Italians had gone down a man. They couldn’t finish their chances. A loss on penalties after a 0-0 game seemed to be their destiny (again!). In the closing moments, Palermo defender Grosso dribbled into the penalty area and fell over a sprawling Socceroo. Penalty. Totti hesitated for a moment, then put it away, 1-0.
Del Piero’s resurrection will have to wait.
In the other match, a dull 0-0 draw ended with penalties. Ukraine converted three of four while the Swiss missed three straight.
Next: Ukraine v Italy
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No. Non sono buddista.
— del Piero · 29 June 2006, 17:03 · #