I remember the 1990 World Cup as the first time I really got to see top level professionals playing soccer on TV in the US. As it was, the broadcasters didn’t understand how the game worked and took commercial breaks in the middle of the matches like with football and basketball.
While they didn’t win it on their home turf, I was totally mesmerized as a young teenager watching the Azzurri beat my Yanks 1-0.
Schillachi was the surprise but the player I couldn’t stop watching was Roberto Baggio. Afterwards my best friends, a pair of Greek cousins, got me hooked on Serie A and the wonder teams from AC Milan. I keep watching Baggio though, and rooted for him in the 1994 World Cup once the US was ousted by Brazil. Missing that final penalty sits vividly in my memory and I felt terrible for him.
Anyways, on his birthday I think we should all give him a moment of our attention.
While they didn’t win it on their home turf, I was totally mesmerized as a young teenager watching the Azzurri beat my Yanks 1-0.
Schillachi was the surprise but the player I couldn’t stop watching was Roberto Baggio. Afterwards my best friends, a pair of Greek cousins, got me hooked on Serie A and the wonder teams from AC Milan. I keep watching Baggio though, and rooted for him in the 1994 World Cup once the US was ousted by Brazil. Missing that final penalty sits vividly in my memory and I felt terrible for him.
Anyways, on his birthday I think we should all give him a moment of our attention.