ROME (AP) With six minutes left in the final game of a magnificent career, 80,000 fans stood and cheered Roberto Baggio.
Nearly everyone on the field joined the applause for one of the greatest players in Italian soccer history. Paolo Maldini, another giant in the game, hugged his former teammate.
''Leaving with the stadium on its feet is something that touches you deeply,'' Baggio said. ''And then the hug from Paolo, that was the most emotional one.''
Baggio, with his signature ponytail, was a dazzling passer whose vision on the field was unparalleled. He finished his career with Brescia, retiring as the ultimate fan favorite.
''I think Baggio ended his career as best he could, at the highest of levels,'' AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. ''What he did in the world of soccer is a positive example for everyone.''
Baggio's final league game last Sunday ended with Brescia losing 4-2 to AC Milan. His fans were holding out a slim hope that he would be selected for Italy's team at the European championships. But on Tuesday his name was not among the 23 on coach Giovanni Trapattoni's roster.
Baggio knew what was coming and had already said goodbye twice. Besides Sunday's game, Baggio also appeared in a special national team farewell last month. Baggio left the field in tears.
At 37, with graying hair and ailing knees, Baggio would give anything to be on the national team again, and Tuesday's announcement was the last in a long string of rejections.
Trapattoni left him off his 2002 World Cup squad amid widespread fan opposition. Throughout the summer of 2000, Baggio couldn't find a big Italian club that wanted him and signed with Brescia as the season started. At Inter, his previous club, Baggio was often relegated to the substitutes bench as part of a feud with coach Marcello Lippi.
But, mostly, it is a career with high points. His 205 goals rank him fifth on the career list in Italy's top league. He is fourth among national team scorers with 27 goals in 56 appearances. In 1993, he won the Golden Ball award as Europe's best player. In 1995, he won his first Italian league title with Juventus, and followed with a championship a year later with AC Milan.
Baggio has two big regrets: his six knee operations and a missed penalty kick at the 1994 World Cup. His three goals in five games led Italy to that World Cup final against Brazil in Pasadena, Calif., but he sent the penalty shot over the bar in the shootout that decided the title.
Still, he knows he was fortunate to play as long as he did, especially after all the injuries.
''Considering that I could have never played again after my first operation and here we are after 19 years, I would say that it went well,'' he said.
Baggio nearly scored in his last game when one of his trademark curling free kicks struck the post and bounced wide. A few minutes later, he exited to the long standing ovation.
''I had the shivers. It was something incredible, an emotion I've never felt before,'' Brescia teammate Paolo Castellini said. ''For someone like Baggio, a cornerstone of a generation, it was deserved.''
Baggio's final goal came a week earlier, when he scored once and set up another goal in a 2-1 win against Lazio in his last home game. He ended the season with 12 goals, none penalty kicks. Only nine players were ahead of him in the season scoring standings.
Brescia coach Giovanni De Biasi hopes Baggio will reconsider and possibly play again.
''We'll see if he rethinks it with time,'' De Biasi said. ''Anyway, it was a great year for him and the ovation today was deserved. It was a great tribute to a great player, an extraordinary champion.''
Nearly everyone on the field joined the applause for one of the greatest players in Italian soccer history. Paolo Maldini, another giant in the game, hugged his former teammate.
''Leaving with the stadium on its feet is something that touches you deeply,'' Baggio said. ''And then the hug from Paolo, that was the most emotional one.''
Baggio, with his signature ponytail, was a dazzling passer whose vision on the field was unparalleled. He finished his career with Brescia, retiring as the ultimate fan favorite.
''I think Baggio ended his career as best he could, at the highest of levels,'' AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. ''What he did in the world of soccer is a positive example for everyone.''
Baggio's final league game last Sunday ended with Brescia losing 4-2 to AC Milan. His fans were holding out a slim hope that he would be selected for Italy's team at the European championships. But on Tuesday his name was not among the 23 on coach Giovanni Trapattoni's roster.
Baggio knew what was coming and had already said goodbye twice. Besides Sunday's game, Baggio also appeared in a special national team farewell last month. Baggio left the field in tears.
At 37, with graying hair and ailing knees, Baggio would give anything to be on the national team again, and Tuesday's announcement was the last in a long string of rejections.
Trapattoni left him off his 2002 World Cup squad amid widespread fan opposition. Throughout the summer of 2000, Baggio couldn't find a big Italian club that wanted him and signed with Brescia as the season started. At Inter, his previous club, Baggio was often relegated to the substitutes bench as part of a feud with coach Marcello Lippi.
But, mostly, it is a career with high points. His 205 goals rank him fifth on the career list in Italy's top league. He is fourth among national team scorers with 27 goals in 56 appearances. In 1993, he won the Golden Ball award as Europe's best player. In 1995, he won his first Italian league title with Juventus, and followed with a championship a year later with AC Milan.
Baggio has two big regrets: his six knee operations and a missed penalty kick at the 1994 World Cup. His three goals in five games led Italy to that World Cup final against Brazil in Pasadena, Calif., but he sent the penalty shot over the bar in the shootout that decided the title.
Still, he knows he was fortunate to play as long as he did, especially after all the injuries.
''Considering that I could have never played again after my first operation and here we are after 19 years, I would say that it went well,'' he said.
Baggio nearly scored in his last game when one of his trademark curling free kicks struck the post and bounced wide. A few minutes later, he exited to the long standing ovation.
''I had the shivers. It was something incredible, an emotion I've never felt before,'' Brescia teammate Paolo Castellini said. ''For someone like Baggio, a cornerstone of a generation, it was deserved.''
Baggio's final goal came a week earlier, when he scored once and set up another goal in a 2-1 win against Lazio in his last home game. He ended the season with 12 goals, none penalty kicks. Only nine players were ahead of him in the season scoring standings.
Brescia coach Giovanni De Biasi hopes Baggio will reconsider and possibly play again.
''We'll see if he rethinks it with time,'' De Biasi said. ''Anyway, it was a great year for him and the ovation today was deserved. It was a great tribute to a great player, an extraordinary champion.''
