20 years to life sentence: The kick heard around the world, I remember the day as if it were yesterday July 17 1994, my father and I did our morning ritual before the game, speaking & thinking about who may start for italy for the final against brasil. We then went to fortinos before the game to purchase a cake that said congratulations azzurri with the likes of Roberto baggio & gianluca pagliuca, how could we not be confident that italy would gain their 4th star? The game was finally on but felt like an eternity! Myself at the age of 7 with my eyes glued to the tv hoping & praying baggio would have a lucky break based on the huge impact il divino codino made on the pitch for italy in the world cup that year. At the end of 120mins it was to be decided in penalty kicks. My father and i both had the same mentality & emotions going throughout our body were gonna do it my father said were gonna eat our cake and go to st clair he also said. Dunga the brasilian, scores. Baggio up next, i felt my heart beat in every spot on my body, my palms sweating, eyes glued, i look at my dad and i ask dad what do you think he replies fili we got it, its baggio a grin then appeared on my face saying to my self baggio, will win for italia Baggio crouches over, places the ball on the spot, stands upright, takes steps back. The camera, just before baggio shooting, focuses on his hamstring and my father and i notice a blue bandage, fear arose, as the fear increased we both looked at eachother, my father closes his eyes in worry. Baggio runs up to the ball to kick it... You know the rest. Baggio to myself, my father & my brothers will always be the end all and be all of italian soccer, remember the miss of 94 also reminds us of how much the man has done for us in previous cups before (1990) In 2006 the ghosts were gone! We won our 4th cup in Penalty kicks! That day will be forever remembered! 20 years from 1994 have passed and how fitting is it that brasil is the host nation? Many say, including myself how fitting will it be for a brasil v italy final and for italia to gain our 5th cup in brasil facing brasil!? Time will tell! Forza italia! baggio forever! Our 20 year sentence is over, now lets bring it home azzurri!
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 18:20:44 +0000
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