Roberto Baggio At 50: 10 Perfect Goals

9. BRESCIA Vs. Lazio (Serie A, 2002/03)

It may seem that a player as richly talented as Roberto Baggio deserved better than to spend the final years of his career slumming it at perennial-strugglers Brescia, but Lombardy proved a haven for the legendary number 10, where he was allowed to cast his magic with unbridled joy, free from the politics and power-plays which had bedeviled his time at the peninsula's leading lights.

Things didn't get off to the greatest of starts at Baggio's new club, as injuries once again derailed his performances. However, once he got going, there was no stopping the beautiful Buddhist, and soon the goals began to flow as Brescia negated all expectations with consecutive finishes in the top half of Serie A. It wasn't just the quantity of Baggio's contributions which caught they eye, but their considerable quality.

Franceso Totti is often regarded as Italian football's greatest proponent of the 'cucchiaio' - the chipped shot, or 'spoon' - but Roberto Baggio was already a master of cutlery before his Roman counterpart was at the table, as this golden goal against Lazio demonstrated.

Following a pin-point through-ball by forgotten Ghana great Stephen Appiah, the Griffone's talismanic number ten needed just a single touch to loft the ball gorgeously over a hapless Angelo Peruzzi. It was a spoon to make you swoon.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.