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Final bow for Baggio

Giovanni Trapattoni will hand Roberto Baggio his 56th and final Italy cap against Spain next week.

By Paolo Menicucci

Veteran forward
Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni confirmed the involvement of the veteran Brescia Calcio forward to the press today, although he will not announce the rest of his squad for the match until Sunday.

Milestone
Baggio, now 37, has not played for his country since a UEFA EURO 2000™ qualifier against Belarus in March 1999. However, he has scored ten goals in 22 appearances this season and reached the milestone of 200 career goals in Serie A last month.

Retiring in the summer
"I have spoken with him and he's really enthusiastic about the idea," Trapattoni said. "It is a rightful recognition of a charismatic footballer who has honoured Italian football during his career." Baggio, who will retire in the summer, is expected to play the first 45 minutes of the match.

'Divine Ponytail'
Baggio, the European Footballer of the Year in 1993, has scored 27 goals in 55 internationals. Nicknamed 'The Divine Ponytail', his star shone brightest during the 1994 FIFA World Cup where his five goals carried Italy to the final, only for him to miss the decisive spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out defeat by Brazil.

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