Italy legend Roberto Baggio admits he ‘wanted to die’ after missing a decisive penalty kick in the 1994 World Cup Final against Brazil: ‘If I had had a knife, I would have stabbed myself.’
Baggio spoke about the 1994 World Cup in his latest interview with The Athletic, in which he also discussed his life after retirement.
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The former striker played a key role in bringing Italy to the 1994 World Cup Final against Brazil, but his penalty shootout miss led to the Azzurri’s loss in Pasadena.
Baggio: ‘I would have stabbed myself’ after 1994 World Cup penalty miss
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Brazilian players run to join their teammates as Italian midfielder Roberto Baggio bows his head after he missed his penalty kick giving Brazil a 3-2 victory in the shoot-out session (0-0 after extra time) at the end of the World Cup final, 17 July 1994 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Brazil won its fourth World Cup title after 1958, 1962 and 1970. AFP PHOTO/OMAR TORRES (Photo credit should read OMAR TORRES/AFP via Getty Images)
Franco Baresi and Daniele Massaro had already missed their chances before Baggio and Brazil still had a penalty kick remaining after Baggio’s attempt.
Nevertheless, that error clearly dejected Baggio.
“If I had had a knife at that moment, I would have stabbed myself,” he admitted.
“If I had had a gun, I would have shot myself. At that moment, I wanted to die. That’s how it was.
Baggio: 1994 World Cup affected by heat
Italian former football player Roberto Baggio (R) and Argentine-born Italian former football player, David Trezeguet (L) gesture before the beginning of the Argentina 2023 U-20 World Cup final match between Uruguay and Italy at the Estadio Unico Diego Armando Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, on June 11, 2023. (Photo by Alejandro PAGNI / AFP) (Photo by ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP via Getty Images)
“The entire World Cup, not just our matches, was affected by the heat. It was mind-boggling,” he added.
“We had to exert ourselves beyond the limits of what was humanly possible to be able to play. But despite everything, we were driven by passion and the desire to achieve results, and many Italians who lived there as immigrants were proud of us. We felt it as a team. It was an extra push to overcome the obstacles.”
