Roberto Baggio 1993

Key men… Baggio with strike partner Gianluca Vialli

in the UEFA Cup final that spring.

Baggio apologised to the fans at an emotional press conference. Despite earlier promises of loyalty, he could not turn down – and the fans knew it –the golden multi-million offer which had come his way from Turin.

In the World Cup in the summer of 1990, Baggio established himself ahead of Gianluca Vialli as the preeminent Italian talent, partly thanks to a marvellous solo goal against Czechoslovakia before things started to go sour. Baggio’s one stroke of ill luck was to arrive at Juventus with the club in transition. The boardroom was changing, so was the team, and the financial powerbase. As the Italian economy went into recession, so FIAT could no longer afford quite the same money to rebuild the team. A lot of money was spent still, out on ill-fitted players. Baggio’s career has been one long success, though not everyone has been confident his

natural talent would shine through

Only this past year have Juventus begun to look like a club regaining confidence and strength. Much of that is due to Baggio’s attacking leadership. His class has shone through at domestic and international level. That is why he has become only the second Italian –after Paolo Rossi – to win the Wor ld Soccer World Player of the Year award.

As for Alex Ferguson, his victory represents a prize not only for his own perseverance under enormous pressure, but the massive following Manchester United possess around the world. Ferguson had been a success in his own right in Scotland, winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup with Aberdeen and managing his country at the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico.

But Manchester United represented perhaps the ultimate challenge in British club football: the club with a magical name, a great history and a hunger for success which only the English league title would ever really satisfy. More than 25 years had passed since United had last finished on top of the table.

Ferguson worked hard, spent heavily, kept his cool and was duly rewarded at the end of last season.

United’s success transcended the domestic football world. News spread around the globe and brought a bright new lustre back to the game in England.

Ferguson has not been able to capitalise on the league success in Europe this season. It takes a little extra something to win a continental prize – that little extra something possessed by Italy’s Parma.

Their victory in the Cup Winners’ Cup was remarkable because, less than a decade ago, Parma were in the Italian third division.

They were brought up into the top-flight sunshine thanks to the foundation work laid by Arrigo Sacchi later of Milan, now of Italy – and Nevio Scala is a more-than-worthy successor as coach.

Scala has developed a well-disciplined side capable of striking for success thanks to the cream topping provided by the likes of Colombia’s Faustino Asprilla and Sweden’s Tomas Brolin.

That Parma should now be laying a serious challenge to Milan’s hegemony in the Italian championship stakes is no surprise. The likes of Verona and Cagliari have proved, over the years, that even the greatest giants can be caught off guard.

That is why, after all, Parma are where they are now – on top of the Wor ld Soccer world…

Top 10 Players of 1993

Player Club

Country % of vote 1) Roberto Baggio Juventus Italy 13.5 2) Dennis Bergkamp Internazionale Netherlands 11 3) Ruud Gullit Sampdoria Netherlands 9 4) Romario Barcelona Brazil 7.5 5) Faustino Asprilla Parma Colombia 7 6) Ryan Giggs Manchester United Wales 6.5 7) Eric Cantona Manchester United France 6 8) Frank Rijkaard Ajax Netherlands 5.5 9) Michael Laudrup Barcelona Denmark 5.25 10) Rai PSG Brazil 5

Unlucky…Bergkamp finished runner-up for the second year in a row

Other World Soccer Award winners 1993

Cup Winners’ Cup winners…Parma’s Tomas Brolin in action in the final

TEAM OF THE YEAR: Parma

Manager prize… Alex Ferguson just edged out Parma’s coach Nevio Scala and Norway’s Egil Olsen

MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Alex Ferguson, Manchester United