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Your Favorite Azzurri Moment

April 29th, 2006 | By: Jay | 17 Comments »

So…a few weeks back we dredged all the demons out of the closet and discussed our worst memories. It only seems fair that we tilt the scale back the other way, and so I ask you, what are your favorite Azzurri moments?

There’s something kind of special about every tournament in the first match– that first game when the players take the pitch in the ubiquitous blue kits, those famous names rolling off the announcers tongues (Maldini, Baresi, Baggio, Buffon ad nauseum)… I’d have to say my favorite and worst moment happened in the same tournament - World Cup ‘94. (editorial note: I first started following the Italian national team after an extended visit to relatives in Milan back in ‘91. So, I missed out on the magic of ‘82.) At any rate, in ‘94 Italy was about to tank at the hands of Nigeria in the second round on a brutally hot day in Boston…until the man with the magic ponytail latched onto a cross in the 89th minute to tie the match. Baggio would go on to bury a penalty in Golden Goal time and everything else the Little Prince did from then on I watched intensely. So there you have it.

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Comments

By rinaldo | April 30th, 2006 at 2:34 am

Hey mine too…i’ll never forget that baggio double against nigeria (the second goal wasn’t a golden goal, btw…the golden goal rule debuted at euro’96; italy has never scored a golden goal to the best of my knowledge).

In close second would come del piero’s goal against mexico in 2002.

Posted from India

By Zero | April 30th, 2006 at 4:55 am

For me too, the one moment that gave me the strongest emotions was the goal of Roberto Baggio aginst Nigeria in the 1994 WC, I sitll remember Bruno Pizzul were saying “Allright, it’s over we’ll leave this WC without anithing to remember” then after just one second Baggio scored the 1-1 goal.

Posted from Italy

By justin | April 30th, 2006 at 5:49 am

ya i remember that game against nigeria well, great memories, but I think my favorite azzurri game was in euro 2000 semifinal against Holland. went to penalties after we withstanded a siege on our net (i think we played with 10 men most of that match, correct me if im wrong) and then Toldo made some unreal saves and we actually won a penatly shootout. great game

Posted from Italy

By Weekend’s Best - FIFA World Cup 2006 - World Cup 2006 Blog | April 30th, 2006 at 2:31 pm

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Posted from United States

By swthrhs | April 30th, 2006 at 2:50 pm

Bruno Conti skinning Brazilians in 82; Romeo Benetti burying it against Hungary in 78. Italy fighting back against France, again in 78. Anything with Gentile in 82.

Posted from Greece

By QStel | April 30th, 2006 at 3:37 pm

My favorite Italy moment was Euro 2004, when they didn’t go past the group stage because they spent more time fuzzing with their hair than actually playing or training…

Posted from France

By Bense | April 30th, 2006 at 4:07 pm

Seeing Baggio play was always a pleasure.

I’d say, the greatest Italy moment, even though Germany lost it, was in 1970, semis in Mexico.

This was really a Jahrhundertspiel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jahrhundertspiel

Posted from United States

By justin | April 30th, 2006 at 5:42 pm

the hair always has to look great, doesnt matter whats goin on

Posted from Italy

By Baggio4ever | May 4th, 2006 at 4:20 pm

Okay, I know Italy kicked france’s but a zillion times, but you had your revenge in 98 and in 2000. So enough with the hair. Or I’ll start dissing on Barthez