Editing Roberto Baggio (section)

=== 1976–1985: Early career and Vicenza ===
[[File:Roberto Baggio - Lanerossi Vicenza.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Baggio on his debut with [[Lanerossi Vicenza|Vicenza]]]]

Baggio began his youth career after being noticed by his hometown youth team, Caldogno, at age nine. By the time he turned 11, he had scored 45 goals and provided 20 assists in 26 matches, also scoring six goals in one match. His talent was recognised by scout Antonio Mora, and he was acquired by the [[L.R. Vicenza Virtus|Vicenza]] youth team at age 13 for £300 (500,000 Lit). After scoring 110 goals in 120 matches, Baggio began his professional career with the Vicenza senior side in 1983, at age 15.<ref name="Fantasista Legends: Roberto Baggio">{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasista10.co.uk/roberto-baggio/|title=Fantasista Legends: Roberto Baggio|publisher=fantasista10.co.uk|access-date=26 May 2014|archive-date=28 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528011232/http://www.fantasista10.co.uk/roberto-baggio/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="battezzò">{{cite news |url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2004/02/15/la-samp-battezzo-il-codino.html |title=E la Samp battezzò il Codino |newspaper=La Repubblica |language=it |last=Mangini |first=Lorenzo |date=15 February 2004 |access-date=12 September 2018 |archive-date=19 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619190258/http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2004/02/15/la-samp-battezzo-il-codino.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the age of 16, Baggio made his [[Serie C1]] debut with Vicenza on 5 June 1983, a 1–0 home loss against [[Piacenza Calcio 1919|Piacenza]], in the final league match of the season, coming on as a second-half substitute. He scored his first goal in Serie C1 during [[1983–84 Serie C1|the following season]], on 3 June 1984, from a penalty in a 3–0 win against [[Brescia Calcio|Brescia]], the club with which he retired in 2004.<ref name="Baggio - Goals in Serie A"/><ref name="battezzò"/><ref name="golcalcio.it">{{cite web|url=http://www.golcalcio.it/Bag3002.htm|title=Roberto Baggio: Statistiche|website=gocalcio.it|language=it|access-date=30 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904011324/http://www.golcalcio.it/Bag3002.htm|archive-date=4 September 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/Itemid,3/action,detail/id,1376_02_1984_0152_0021_14595766/ |title=Inutile la vendemmiata del Vicenza sul Brescia |publisher=La Stampa Sera |page=7 |language=it |date=4 June 1984 |access-date=12 September 2018 |archive-date=19 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619213941/http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/Itemid,3/action,detail/id,1376_02_1984_0152_0021_14595766/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.storiapiacenza1919.it/part82.htm#ViPc |title=Le partite della stagione 1982/1983 |publisher=www.storiapiacenza1919.it |language=it |access-date=12 September 2018 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806172901/http://www.storiapiacenza1919.it/part82.htm#ViPc |url-status=live }}</ref> Baggio scored the first professional goal of his career in the [[Coppa Italia Serie C]] in a 4–1 away win over [[Legnano Calcio|Legnano]] on 30 November 1983.<ref name="Baggio - Goals in Serie A"/><ref name="golcalcio.it"/> He also made his [[Coppa Italia]] debut with the club on 31 August 1983, against [[U.S. Città di Palermo|Palermo]], and he scored his first [[1984–85 Coppa Italia|Coppa Italia]] goal in a 4–2 away loss to [[Empoli F.C.|Empoli]], on 26 August 1984.<ref name="Baggio - Goals in Serie A"/><ref name="golcalcio.it"/> During the [[1984–85 Lanerossi Vicenza season|1984–85 Serie C1]] season under manager [[Bruno Giorgi (footballer)|Bruno Giorgi]], he scored 12 goals in 29 appearances, helping the club to gain promotion to [[Serie B]]. Baggio began to draw the attention of larger Italian clubs, in particular Serie A side [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]], and his playing style was compared to that of his idol [[Zico (footballer)|Zico]].<ref name="Fantasista Legends: Roberto Baggio"/><ref name="battezzò"/> Baggio was also awarded the Guerin d'Oro in 1985 as the Best Player in Serie C1.<ref name="Roberto Baggio: Statistiche">{{cite web|url=http://www.robertobaggio.org/italian/statistiche.html|title=Roberto Baggio: Statistiche|website=robertobaggio.org|language=it|access-date=29 July 2014|archive-date=10 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810050521/http://www.robertobaggio.org/italian/statistiche.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the end of his final season at Vicenza, Baggio shattered both the [[anterior cruciate ligament]] (ACL) and the meniscus of his right knee while playing against [[Rimini Calcio|Rimini]] on 5 May 1985, while attempting a slide tackle. The injury occurred two days before his official transfer deal to Fiorentina had been finalised, and it seriously threatened his career, at age 18. Although several team doctors feared he would not play again, Fiorentina retained their faith in him, agreeing to commit to the transfer as well as fund the required surgery, one of many reasons for Baggio's attachment to the club.<ref name="Fantasista Legends: Roberto Baggio"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/accade-oggi/21-settembre-1986-roberto-baggio-esordisce-in-serie-a-880064|title=21 settembre 1986, Roberto Baggio esordisce in Serie A|publisher=Tutto Mercato Web.com|language=it|author1=Gaetano Mocciaro|date=21 September 2016|access-date=20 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922140647/http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/accade-oggi/21-settembre-1986-roberto-baggio-esordisce-in-serie-a-880064|archive-date=22 September 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>