Chapter 44
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Ponytail Fantasy Star
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I met Roberto Baggio, Italy's fantasy star, during his playing days.
"I'm a bit flustered to meet so suddenly like this. From an English Premier League club, and the owner himself."
"That's how much we want you, Roberto. Italy's greatest fantasy star."
Baggio silently sipped his tea while gazing at me.
Even at second glance, he was stunningly handsome, like a sculpture. Signing him would rake in millions just from this season's jersey sales.
"I hate to say it, but do you know anything about me?"
"Of course. I know you very well."
"Publicly, I despise hearing about the World Cup or Juventus."
The 1994 USA World Cup.
Baggio had carried Italy to the final at the peak of his powers, only to fall from hero to villain with that heartbreaking penalty miss.
Afterward, he even won the Ballon d'Or as the world's best player and maintained world-class form, but now he was a pariah clashing with his coach, accused of showboating for himself instead of the team.
Complete misunderstanding.
"Roberto, you might not know this, but this is the second time I've seen you."
"Me?"
I could never forget.
I pulled out my wallet and showed him the laminated autograph the size of a business card.
[Roberto Baggio, AC Milan, 1996.]
"!"
"Remember? The friendly match in Seoul when the Korea FA invited you for Asia's first World Cup hosting. Even with your heavy legs, you kindly signed autographs for Korean fans at Shinnara Department Store."
"How did you..."
In '96, there was a friendly between AC Milan and the Korean national team, and Baggio, then with Milan, delivered fan service as excellent as his looks.
"It's true I went to Korea for fan service back then, but..."
"I remember your Energy Beat commercial too!"
"That one sticks out. The sports drink ad, right?"
Baggio had come in with a stoic face, ready to just say "politely decline," but as I spoke, his responses came one by one, and his eyes began to change.
Baggio's wife kept serving fruit and tea herself, and I laid out my pitch.
"Fiorentina, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan. You've graced every major Serie A club, Roberto. Now, I'd like to invite you to the English stage."
"I'm Italian. I've only played in Serie A, and in England, I'd be treated like an outsider."
"Paul Gascoigne, called England's greatest talent in 1992, only played in the Premier League as an Englishman before moving to Italy—and far from an outsider, he became a beloved superstar."
Baggio smiled silently and picked up a grape his wife had washed.
Something clicked as I spotted the beaded bracelet on his wrist.
"Not a rosary, but prayer beads."
"You know about them? These were a gift from Japan."
"I do. I'm not Buddhist myself."
Oddly for an Italian Catholic, Baggio was a Japanese Buddhist devotee, known for finding enlightenment and cultivating his mind through Buddha's teachings.
Though his hobby of air rifle hunting in the wild felt like random trivia.
"I heard you were a free agent and rushed here straight from Spain. I see this as 'fate.'"
"It's not that simple. My agent Vittorio is on his way after hearing."
"Perfect. Let's wait."
I had no intention of backing down.
Baggio quietly fiddled with his prayer beads, then stood.
"Shall we take a look outside?"
I rose with Baggio and headed out, whispering to Manager Jeong on the way.
"Do some PR for our company with Baggio's family. Ask if they're interested in CF modeling."
"Yes, sir!"
We stepped out together, and the ponytail naturalist Baggio, in slippers amid the sunny mountain villa, strolled around the grounds.
I followed quietly as he eyed the olive trees and grapevines, gradually heading toward a stream near the house and dipping his feet in.
Every solitary moment of his wistful face was photogenic.
I sat on the ground, treating it like admiring a model, and waited.
After a long silence, Baggio spoke.
"I know Korea and Japan are co-hosting the World Cup."
"In two years."
"I missed Euro 2000, so I desperately want to play in the 2002 World Cup for redemption. Dino Zoff abandoned me."
He brought up Dino Zoff, the Italy national team coach who snubbed him for Euro 2000 in favor of Del Piero—clearly harboring a grudge.
"Cesare Maldini would've used me."
Baggio fondly recalled Cesare Maldini, father of Milan legend Paolo Maldini and Italy's 1998 World Cup coach.
"Honestly, I've thought about returning to Milan with Cesare and my friend Paolo."
"But they didn't call?"
"..."
"Italy's fantasy star hits free agency, and no Serie A teams bid? That's Serie A's problem. England would never do that."
Baggio fell silent again.
I waited, hearing only birdsong and running water, until he spoke once more.
"If I demand a guaranteed 25-game minimum, can you meet it?"
"Roberto, our team plays 38 league games base this season, plus Super Cup, League Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Cup. If you're good, it'll be 45 full matches, not 25."
For a moment, Baggio smiled.
How low had his confidence plummeted? He was still top-class, yet living like a wounded hermit in seclusion?
Screeech—honk! Honk!
A white man came barreling up, shattering the serene nature with his horn.
"Baggio! England? What's this nonsense? Who's this Asian guy?"
"Ah, my agent?"
"Mr. Lee, this is Vittorio Antonini, my friend and agent."
"!"
The burly, bearded agent Vittorio eyed me and plopped down right away.
"I don't know how you heard and came from England, but we're not interested. Baggio will stay in Serie A."
"Vittorio, honestly, I'm a bit interested in England now."
"Baggio, let's talk inside!"
"Just say it here."
Vittorio sighed deeply at Baggio's firm words and sat beside me.
He pulled out a fax document stuffed into a folder.
"You're making a huge mistake. Italy hates agents being bypassed for direct player deals. You could be blacklisted from Italian transfers forever."
That'd make me famous.
That story of a star double-contracting with Juventus while his agent did Parma, getting banned from Italy.
"No Serie A team wants Baggio anyway, right?"
"What? This is from Brescia, and multiple clubs are interested."
"Not multiple— just Brescia. What's the offer?"
"No obligation to answer..."
"Double it, in US dollars. Not some cheap deal disrespecting a fantasy star with 1 year or 1+1 options."
"!!!!"
"To sign a legend, offer a contract worthy of one."
Baggio stood and slowly waded out of the stream.
He suggested talking inside, then swiftly negotiated with agent Vittorio.
Brescia's offer: $300k salary + $50k per goal, 2+1 option.
I countered with $1M base + $1.5M options including performance, 3-year deal—and got the stamp slammed down.
"This isn't double-dealing between agent and player. Blackburn just outbid Brescia, hijacking fair and square."
"With terms like that... you have nothing to complain about."
And so, Blackburn—and I personally—signed Roberto Baggio as a free agent.
Baggio's family saw us off.
"See you in England in a week."
"Looking forward to it. Let's make the entry ceremony spectacular."
I left in high spirits, clutching the freshly signed contract.
"Vice Chairman, you're incredible. I thought it'd take at least a week."
Manager Jeong in the passenger seat showered me with praise until his mouth went dry, joined by chauffeur Song Chajang.
"Baggio's still got it? I was stunned a guy with that face plays pro soccer. If not for that World Cup homerun..."
"Then we wouldn't have this contract~"
I pulled out the laminated Baggio autograph from my wallet again.
It really was like a lucky charm.
"Playing on emotions was a huge help, Vice Chairman."
"Dinner on me tonight. Anything you want."
"There's a famous seafood spot in Padova."
"Let's go."
I quietly tucked the autograph back into my wallet.
Truth is, I'd never actually met Baggio back then.
I was studying in England, rushed to Korea on hearing the news, but a delayed flight meant I arrived after it ended...
This was a signing his mom got for me from Baggio, who was with my dad, the World Cup organizing committee chair.
But it truly became a talisman, and I'll treat him with respect to the end, making him a Blackburn legend.
After checking the Italy office, time to prep the entry ceremony with Heynckes and Roberto Baggio.