The coach the great Roberto Baggio perhaps adored most during his playing career has shared more glowing memories of the pair, on the day of Il Divin Codino’s 49th birthday.
Carlo Mazzone coached Baggio at Brescia, where he played for four seasons, at the end of a career which provided the football world with excitement, enchantment and spectacle – always with the Number 10 on his back like an indelible tattoo.
Speaking to the Italian blog Giovaninrete, Carlo said of Baggio:
He’s always there in my heart. He was a champion on and off the field, a fabulous guy.
He never tried to use the influence of the press for only himself, and didn’t have any trouble playing on that [Brescia] team. He taught a lot to his companions: first as men, then as players.
Unfortunately he always had trouble with injuries in his career, but he always followed the advice of doctors and trainers.
Mazzone also had the fortune of coaching another of Italy’s finest fantasisti whilst with Roma: Francesco Totti – and said that had he’d been able to play both Baggio and Roma’s Number 10 in the same team:
Maybe less of my hair would have fallen out! I have great memories of these two. Exceptional. They made me grow old less.
Mother Nature has rewarded them. They are two football stars – two twin brothers, really.
