Baggio at Maracana in Italy-Brazil ‘Match of the Heart’

Rio de janeiro: Former Italian striker Roberto Baggio, named the best player in the world by FIFA in 1993, will be among the stars on the pitch at the Maracana on Thursday to participate in the “Match of the Heart,” an event inspired by the 1982 and 1994 World Cups to celebrate the friendship between Italy and Brazil and social inclusion, organisers said Wednesday.

According to Ansa News Agency, the event will commemorate memorable matches between the two nations. In 1982, Italy defeated Brazil 3-2 with Paolo Rossi’s hat-trick, which has been called the Most Beautiful Match of the Century, leading Italy to their third World Cup victory. In 1994, Italy lost to Brazil in the final on penalties, with notable misses from Baggio and Franco Baresi.

In Thursday’s event, sponsored by Enel Rio in collaboration with the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Baggio will be joined by fellow Italian football icons. These include 2006 World Cup winners Marco Materazzi and Fabio Cannavaro, along with Bruno Giordano, Angelo Di Livio, 1982 World Cup winner Alessandro Altobelli, and Marco Amelia.

The Italian team will compete against Brazilian legends such as Cafu, Zico, Rom¡rio, Careca, and G©rson. The match will be free to attend and, aside from featuring football stars, will include music personalities, influencers, and artists, highlighting sport’s ability to inspire and bring about change.