On This Day at the World Cup – July 17: Roberto Baggio’s Final Nightmare

July 17 will forever be a dark day in Italian football. It was the day Italy lost the 1994 World Cup final to Brazil after a penalty shootout in Pasadena.

Roberto Baggio, Italy’s star and the man responsible for hauling Arrigo Sacchi’s side to the final, missed the last spot-kick and in the process handed the trophy to the South Americans.

What often gets overlooked is that Daniele Massaro and Franco Baresi missed before Baggio, yet the abiding image of the competition is Baggio standing at the penalty spot, hands on hips, devastated.

Baggio scored five goals in the knockout rounds and after the tournament he would spend one more season at Juventus before signing for AC Milan in the summer of 1995. 

Baresi continued playing with Milan until he retired in the summer of 1997 while Massaro left San Siro for Japan in 1995.

Milan’s home now, as it was back then, is one of sport’s greatest cathedrals but its days are numbered with plans in place for a new stadium on the same site. Plan your trip to Milan with us and experience the majesty of the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza before it’s too late.