1990: Opportunity seized
At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, a young and talented Italy team was called on to deliver success in front of their home crowd and Roberto Baggio was one of the frontline choices for the Azzurri.
Despite not being considered a regular starter at first, Baggio came from the bench and convinced coach Azeglio Vicini, thanks to his creative skills and partnership with the eventual winner of the adidas Golden Boot, Salvatore Schillaci.
The 23-year-old scored a magnificent goal against Czechoslovakia in the group stage, with Italy not conceding until the semi-final against Argentina, where Diego Maradona would eventually stop the Azzurri. Baggio added another in the victorious third-place match against England, making clear that he was something more than just another Italian prospect.