Editing Roberto Baggio (section)

=== Later career ===
Baggio was initially a regular squad member under [[Dino Zoff]], appearing as a substitute in two [[UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying]] matches, and in a 2–0 win against [[Wales national football team|Wales]] in 1998, setting up a goal for Vieri;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199809/05/35f17a03036fa/|title=Galles-Italia 0-2|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|access-date=29 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904183042/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199809/05/35f17a03036fa/|archive-date=4 September 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://it.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/55041--wales-vs-italy/|title=Galles-Italia (0-2)|publisher=[[UEFA]]|language=it|access-date=29 August 2014|archive-date=3 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903090425/http://it.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2000/matches/round=1165/match=55041/|url-status=live}}</ref> and in a 1–1 draw against [[Belarus national football team|Belarus]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://it.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/55050--italy-vs-belarus/|title=Italia-Bielorussia (1-1)|publisher=[[UEFA]]|language=it|access-date=29 August 2014|archive-date=3 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903090428/http://it.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2000/matches/round=1165/match=55050/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199903/31/37027b6305ff3/|title=Passo falso degli azzurri|website=rai.it|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|access-date=29 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904183036/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199903/31/37027b6305ff3/|archive-date=4 September 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Baggio made a starting appearance in a 0–0 friendly draw against Norway in 1999, creating several chances, helping to set-up a goal which was ruled offside, and hitting the post from a free-kick.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199902/10/36c1dcd506ce9/|title=Italia-Norvegia 0-0|website=rai.it|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|access-date=29 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722072916/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199902/10/36c1dcd506ce9/|archive-date=22 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.italia1910.com/partita.asp?d=10/02/1999|title=Italia-Norvegia: 0-0|publisher=Italia 1910|access-date=29 August 2014|archive-date=3 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903111557/http://www.italia1910.com/partita.asp?d=10/02/1999|url-status=live}}</ref> However, he was later dropped from the squad after Inter's poor 1998–99 season, and he was not called up for [[UEFA Euro 2000]] due to his limited playing time during the 1999–2000 season, and accusations made against his fitness. Zoff centred his squad around younger offensive players, such as Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero, [[Stefano Fiore]], [[Marco Delvecchio]], Filippo Inzaghi and [[Vincenzo Montella]]. Baggio was voted Italy's ''Player of the Century'' in 2000.<ref name="Baggio, una hola privata">{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Primo_Piano/2007/02_Febbraio/17/fetabaggio.shtml|title=Baggio, una hola privata|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=it|date=17 February 2007|access-date=6 February 2015|archive-date=6 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206211349/http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Primo_Piano/2007/02_Febbraio/17/fetabaggio.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

Baggio was controversially excluded from Italy's [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002 World Cup]] squad by coach Giovanni Trapattoni, who believed him to not have fully recovered from the serious injury he had sustained during the season. Although he was initially keen to include Baggio in the final 23-man list, he ultimately excluded him from the squad; Baggio had made a direct appeal to him prior to the tournament by writing him a letter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/online/calcio/baggioscrive/baggioscrive/baggioscrive.html|title=Baggio scrive al Trap "Portami ai Mondiali"|newspaper=La Repubblica|language=it|date=6 May 2002|access-date=6 May 2002|archive-date=13 August 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020813194208/http://www.repubblica.it/online/calcio/baggioscrive/baggioscrive/baggioscrive.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Fans and pundits criticised the omission, as Italy were eliminated by co-hosts [[South Korea national football team|South Korea]] in the round of 16.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brescia.corriere.it/notizie/sport/16_maggio_19/trapattoni-baggio-moreno-mondiale-corea-53c05998-1dcc-11e6-8d1a-6eb7d9c593f0.shtml |title=Trapattoni: "Nessun rimpianto per Baggio, senza Moreno avremmo vinto il mondiale" |publisher=Il Corriere della Sera |language=it |author1=Luca Bertelli |date=19 May 2016 |access-date=5 September 2018 |archive-date=13 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013174637/http://brescia.corriere.it/notizie/sport/16_maggio_19/trapattoni-baggio-moreno-mondiale-corea-53c05998-1dcc-11e6-8d1a-6eb7d9c593f0.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

Many fans hoped to see him play for Italy at [[UEFA Euro 2004|Euro 2004]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/primi_piani/calcio/2004/pp_1.0.362006415.shtml|title=Baggio: "All'Europeo da riserva"|trans-title=Baggio: "At the Euros even as a reserve"|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=it|author1=Diego Antonelli|date=27 April 2004|access-date=26 April 2015|archive-date=2 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802121126/http://www.gazzetta.it/primi_piani/calcio/2004/pp_1.0.362006415.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> or with the [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2004 Olympic]] squad that eventually managed a bronze medal,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2004/a/sezioni/sport/calcio/fuoriquota/fuoriquota/fuoriquota.html|title=Olimpiadi, Carraro possibilista Baggio fuori quota con l'Under?|trans-title=Olympics, Carraro possible Baggio over-age player with the Under-21 side?|newspaper=La Repubblica|language=it|date=9 January 2004|access-date=21 April 2015|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924112856/http://www.repubblica.it/2004/a/sezioni/sport/calcio/fuoriquota/fuoriquota/fuoriquota.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but this was not to be the case.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2003/febbraio/05/Baggio_scherza_sui_dubbi_del_co_0_0302051319.shtml|title=Baggio: Euro 2004?|publisher=Il Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=5 February 2003|access-date=8 July 2012|archive-date=1 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101095811/http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2003/febbraio/05/Baggio_scherza_sui_dubbi_del_co_0_0302051319.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> However, he was given an international send-off by Trapattoni at age 37 in a friendly match against Spain on 28 April 2004, in which he wore the number 10 shirt for the final time, as well as the captain's armband for part of the match. Although Baggio entertained the crowd with his creativity and skill, he was unable to score, despite winning a free-kick from which Vieri's equalising goal arose. The match finished 1–1 and Baggio was given a standing ovation after being substituted off for [[Fabrizio Miccoli]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2004/d/sezioni/sport/calcio/nazionale/italiaspagna/italiaspagna/italiaspagna.html|title=Baggio, lungo, emozionante addio ma Italia-Spagna è poca cosa|trans-title=Baggio, a long, emotional farewell but Italy-Spain amounts to little|newspaper=La Repubblica|language=it|date=28 April 2004|access-date=19 January 2015|archive-date=28 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128115229/http://www.repubblica.it/2004/d/sezioni/sport/calcio/nazionale/italiaspagna/italiaspagna/italiaspagna.html|url-status=live}}</ref> This was Baggio's 56th and final match for Italy, and it was the first time an Italian footballer's career had been celebrated this way since Silvio Piola retired.<ref name="Biografia: Roberto Baggio"/>

Baggio is the only Italian player ever to score in three World Cups with nine career World Cup goals, putting him equal with Christian Vieri and [[Paolo Rossi]] as Italy's top World Cup goalscorers.<ref name="Mondial"/><ref name="Italia">{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Mondiale_2010/Countdown_1.shtml|title=Italia: Speciale Mondiali|trans-title=Italy: World Cup Special|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=it|access-date=29 June 2012|archive-date=24 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524052125/http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Mondiale_2010/Countdown_1.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite his performances for Italy in the [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]], and [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998 World Cup]]s, he never played for Italy in the [[UEFA European Championship]]s,<ref name=oppression/> and is currently the Italian player with the most caps without playing in a European Championship.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ribecchini|first=Maurizio|date=3 June 2016|title=Calcio, Europei: quanti azzurri non vi hanno mai partecipato! Fra loro tre 'palloni d'oro'|url=https://news.superscommesse.it/calcio/2016/06/calcio-europei-tre-palloni-doro-italiani-non-li-hanno-mai-giocati-200289/|access-date=4 June 2021|website=SuperNews|language=it|archive-date=4 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604160218/https://news.superscommesse.it/calcio/2016/06/calcio-europei-tre-palloni-doro-italiani-non-li-hanno-mai-giocati-200289/|url-status=live}}</ref>