Roberto Baggio, one of Italy's most iconic footballers, has opened up in a rare and revealing interview, offering his candid thoughts on the state of the Italy national team, his legendary career, and the personal struggles that have shaped him. In a conversation with Corriere della Sera to promote his new autobiography, Luce nell'oscurità, the 1993 Ballon d'Or winner didn't hold back when diagnosing the root of Italy's current footballing woes.

"Kids don't play on the streets anymore," Baggio said, pointing to a fundamental shift in how young players develop. "When I was growing up, football was everywhere—in every alley, every courtyard. You learned creativity, resilience, and instinct from hours of unstructured play. Now, everything is too organized, too structured. We're losing that raw, natural talent." It's a sentiment that resonates deeply with fans who remember the days when Italian football was defined by technical brilliance and improvisation.

The interview also delved into one of the most painful moments in football history: Baggio's penalty miss in the 1994 World Cup final shootout against Brazil. More than three decades later, the wound remains fresh. "I felt the guilt for every Italian. I wanted to disappear. I felt infinite shame—one of those things that stays with you even as the years go by," he recalled. "Over time, you learn to live with it, but it's a wound that never closes completely." Baggio admitted that the miss still haunts him, especially during sleepless nights. "Sometimes, I think about it while I'm awake in bed. I picture myself scoring, and then I fall asleep."

What helped him through that darkness? Two things, he says: his faith and his family. "I believe in the strength that each of us carries inside, even when we don't see it, even when we think we have no more," Baggio explained. "I don't think of an external God who decides everything for us, but of an inner strength that must be sought and respected." He also spoke briefly about his Buddhist beliefs, calling them a refuge. "It's formed me as a person by leading me to work on certain aspects of my character that I hadn't paid attention to before. It gave me strength when I needed it most."

Beyond the personal reflections, Baggio touched on his relationships with fellow legends like Diego Maradona and Alessandro Del Piero, as well as his family life. For fans of the beautiful game—and for anyone who laces up their boots in the spirit of play—Baggio's words are a powerful reminder that football's soul is found not just in stadiums, but in the joy of a street game, where every miss is a lesson and every goal is a dream realized.