Football fans across the globe are gearing up for an epic match between Argentina and France. Countries, including Brazil, Portugal, and England have fallen by wayside on their path to world domination. Many football legends have dropped in at the Middle East for a showpiece event on Sunday between Lionel Mess and Kylian Mbappe.

One of the iconic players who turned up at Qatar today used to be star players in Italy’s national team. He didn’t get an opportunity to watch Roberto Mancini’s team in action after Italy was unsuccessful in qualifying less than a year after grabbing a win in Euros.

However, he is no stranger to disappointment on the pitch either. The legendary player has won many individual and club awards, yet he is popular for missing out on a penalty in World Cup 1994 final against Brazil. In 56 games, he has scored 27 goals, while netting 278 times in 605 different club games.

The iconic player is none other than Roberto Baggio. He is now 55 years old, the former Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Juventus star had been mobbed by supporters as he reached Qatar. He used to sport a beard and long dark locks. But he was unsurprisingly looking a tad greyer almost 30 years on from his unpopular miss.

Baggio had helped Italy finish third at the World Cup 1990, required to score his penalty against Brazil, in the final shootout in the USA 1995 to keep the hopes of the national team alive. However, even though he won the Ballon d’Or the previous year, he ended up blasting his spot-kick over the bar for giving Brazil their 4th World Cup win.

Baggio still admits that he hasn’t forgotten the moment when he skied the dream wide of Italy. It was a childhood dream for him that ended absurdly and hasn’t been able to get over it.