Dino Baggio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dino Baggio

Baggio in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth	(1971-07-24) 24 July 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth	Camposampiero, Italy
Height	1.88 m
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1976–1984	Tombolo
1984–1990	Torino
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1989–1992	Torino	28	(2)
1991–1992	→ Inter Milan (loan)	27	(1)
1992–1994	Juventus	49	(1)
1994–2000	Parma	172	(19)
2000–2005	Lazio	44	(1)
2003	→ Blackburn Rovers (loan)	9	(1)
2004	→ Ancona (loan)	9	(1)
2005	Triestina	13	(0)
2008–2009	Tombolo	1	(0)
Total		351	(26)
National team
1990–1992	Italy U21	18	(1)
1991–1999	Italy	60	(7)
Honours Men's Football Representing  Italy UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 1992 FIFA World Cup Runner-up 1994
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Dino Baggio, born on July 24, 1971, is a famous Italian former football player. He played as a defensive midfielder.

He played for many Italian teams during his career. He won the UEFA Cup three times. Twice with Parma and once with Juventus. He also played for Blackburn Rovers in England.

Dino Baggio played 60 games for the Italian national team. He scored seven goals between 1991 and 1999. He helped Italy reach the final of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He also played in UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Even though he shares a last name with Roberto Baggio, they are not related. Roberto Baggio was also a famous Italian footballer.

Club Career

Early Years: Torino and Inter

Baggio with Inter Milan in 1991

Dino started playing football at age five. He was in Tombolo, Italy. Scouts from Torino noticed him when he was 13. He then joined their youth team.

He made his first professional appearance at 19. This was in Italy's top league, Serie A, against Lazio. He quickly became a regular player. He was known as a promising young talent. He was a strong and hardworking defensive midfielder. He could play in different positions.

With Torino, he won the 1989–90 Serie B title. This is Italy's second-highest league. He also won the Mitropa Cup in 1991. In 1991, he was loaned to Inter Milan for one season. He played 27 games and scored one goal for Inter.

Becoming Famous: Juventus

After the 1991–92 season, Juventus bought Dino Baggio. He cost 10 billion Italian Lire. At Juventus, Dino played alongside Roberto Baggio. They shared the same last name but were not related. Dino was often called "Baggio 2" to tell them apart.

Juventus fans were not happy at first. Dino had played for their rivals, Torino. But his strong play soon won them over. He became a key player in the Juventus midfield. He helped Juventus win the UEFA Cup in 1993. He scored three goals in the two final games. He also helped Juventus finish second in Serie A in 1993–94.

Success with Parma

After his great performances, Parma wanted to sign Dino Baggio. He first said no, wanting to stay at Juventus. Juventus even offered a young player, Alessandro Del Piero, to Parma instead. But Dino changed his mind and decided to join Parma. Del Piero stayed at Juventus and became a club legend.

Dino Baggio moved to Parma in 1994. He cost 14 billion Lire. In his first season, he won the UEFA Cup again. This was his second UEFA Cup title. He scored a goal in each final game against his old team, Juventus. He also reached the Italian Cup final that season. Parma finished third in Serie A.

In 1998–99, Dino won his third UEFA Cup. This was against Olympique Marseille. He also won the Italian Cup and the Italian Supercup. He stayed with Parma until 2000.

Later Career

In October 2000, Baggio moved to Lazio. He played less often there. In 2003, he was loaned to Blackburn Rovers in England. He played 9 games and scored one goal. His manager sometimes played him as a forward, which was not his usual position.

Later, he was loaned to Ancona in Italy. He played 13 games but Ancona finished last. He returned to Lazio but did not play in the 2004–05 season. He retired in 2005 after a short time with Triestina. In 2008, he briefly came out of retirement. He joined a local team called Tombolo, near his hometown.

International Career

Dino Baggio played for Italy's youth teams. He won the European U-21 Championship in 1992. He also played in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

He made his debut for the senior Italian team in 1991. He was 20 years old. This was in a 2–0 win against Cyprus. He often played in midfield with Demetrio Albertini. He scored his first goal for Italy against Portugal.

1994 FIFA World Cup

Baggio was part of Italy's team for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He scored an important goal against Portugal. This helped Italy qualify for the tournament. In the World Cup, he played with Roberto Baggio. They helped Italy reach the final. Italy lost to Brazil in a penalty shootout.

Dino scored two goals in the tournament. His first was a header against Norway. This won the game 1–0. His second goal was a powerful shot from far away. This was in a 2–1 win against Spain in the quarter-finals.

Euro 1996 and 1998 World Cup

Baggio continued to play for Italy in other tournaments. He played in UEFA Euro 1996, where Italy was knocked out early. He also played in every game for Italy at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. This was his last major tournament with Italy. Italy lost to France in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.

He played his last game for Italy in 1999. In total, Dino Baggio played 60 games for Italy. He scored 7 goals. He is remembered as a key player for Italy in the 1990s. He earned his spot over many other talented midfielders.

How He Played

Dino Baggio was a very complete and hardworking player. He was strong and could play in many midfield roles. His main position was as a defensive midfielder. He was excellent at stopping the other team's attacks.

He was tall, strong, and fast. He was good at tackling and had great stamina. He also had good technique and could pass the ball well. This helped his team start attacks after winning the ball. Many people thought he was one of the best Italian midfielders of his time.

Even though he mostly defended, he could also score goals. He often made late runs into the penalty area. He was good at heading the ball. He also scored powerful shots from outside the box. Sometimes, he even played as a striker because he had an eye for goal.

Honours

Torino

• Serie B: 1989–90
• Mitropa Cup: 1991

Juventus

• UEFA Cup: 1992–93

Parma

• Coppa Italia: 1998–99
• Supercoppa Italiana: 1999
• UEFA Cup: 1994–95, 1998–99

Italy U-21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 1992

Italy

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1994

Images for kids

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  Baggio with Inter Milan in 1991

See also

In Spanish: Dino Baggio para niños