Albertini: Two Italy players ‘hid behind’ bench to avoid taking penalty in 1994 World Cup Final | OneFootball

Ex-Italy and Milan midfielder Demetrio Albertini says two Azzurri, playing for Inter and Milan, ‘hid behind the bench’ to avoid taking a penalty kick in the 1994 World Cup Final against Brazil.

Milan legend Albertini revealed that two of his Italy teammates were unwilling to step up for a penalty in the shootout of the 1994 World Cup Final against Brazil, which the Azzurri went on to lose.

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Brazilian players run to join their teammates as Italian midfielder Roberto Baggio bows his head after he missed his penalty kick giving Brazil a 3-2 victory in the shoot-out session (0-0 after extra time) at the end of the World Cup final, 17 July 1994 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Brazil won its fourth World Cup title after 1958, 1962 and 1970. AFP PHOTO/OMAR TORRES (Photo credit should read OMAR TORRES/AFP via Getty Images)

“I was 22 and had my whole career ahead of me. I had the recklessmess and, carefree attitude of the youngest in the group. Sacchi asked me if I felt up to taking a penalty, and I went without thinking,” Albertini told Gazzetta, via Calciomercato.com.

“While there were those who hid behind the bench just to avoid taking one. I’ll never say their names, but one played for Milan and the other for Inter.”

Nicola Berti was the only Inter player in that team, while Milan had two, Paolo Maldini and Roberto Donadoni. The latter had already missed a penalty in a World Cup semifinal defeat against Argentina four years earlier, during Italia 90.

FLORENCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 20: FIGC Technical Sector President Demetrio Albertini attends the Italian Football Federation ‘Panchina D’Oro’ Awards Ceremony at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on February 20, 2023 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Another painful moment in Albertini’s career came less than ten years later, also with the Azzurri: “The worst moment was losing the Euro 2000 Final against France with the golden goal. It really hurt to see the last real chance to win something with the national team slip away like that,” he said.

A former midfielder for Milan, Barcelona, Lazio, Atalanta and Atletico Madrid, Albertini won the Serie A title five times and the Champions League three times at Milan.

9 Dec 1992: AC Milan Players Demetrio Albertini, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco Van Basten form a wall in the European Cup match against PSV Eindhoven. AC Milan won the match 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Chris Cole/Allsport

Albertini made 79 appearances with the Italy national team, the last one in a friendly against England in 2002. The former midfielder scored three goals with the Azzurri.