Baggio: The Divine Ponytail Plot Synopsis
Baggio: The Divine Ponytail is a biopic on Netflix that follows the highs and lows of beloved Italian footballer Roberto Baggio. The film zips through key moments in his life, charting the rise of this infamous footballer all the way to the World Cup and his final playing days at Brescia.
Who is Roberto Baggio?
Roberto Baggio is a special player. From 490 appearances he scored 220 goals. He’s the only Italian to have scored in three separate World Cups and boasts a playing career that spans stints at Juventus, AC Milan and even Inter Milan. He’s also known as “Il Divin Codino” which translates to (yep, you guessed it) The Divine Ponytail for the hairstyle he wore most of his career. It also became synonymous with his talent and feeding into his Buddhist beliefs.
How does Baggio end?
The movie concludes with Baggio controversially excluded from Italy’s 2002 World Cup squad by coach Giovanni Trapattoni. This is a particularly bitter pill to swallow for Baggio, who was promised a position if he managed to return to match fitness. Baggio’s dreams of recovering and righting the horrors of 1994 hang heavy over him. He knows he’ll never be able to accomplish his lifelong dream. However, the football is overshadowed by the estranged relationship between Baggio and his father Florindo. At the end of the film we see the pair out hunting together; a throwback to the past and an earlier sequence in the movie. After reconciling their differences, the pair head to a gas station and prepare to go home. Baggio’s identity is revealed though, just as news about the World Cup squad breaks on TV. Numerous fans surround him, chanting Roberto’s name. Baggio looks at Florindo, who smiles warmly.
What was Florindo’s secret?
Roberto Baggio had been driven throughout the film by his lifelong promise to his Father, Florindo, about beating Brazil in the World Cup after the 4-1 hammering to Italy. He was 3 at the time and it turns out Florindo fabricated the whole incident. In reality, Roby was actually asleep and didn’t see any of the game. Florindo did this to give his son a purpose in life, recognizing the boy’s talent early on and channeling this in a way to make him the absolute best player he could be.
Why did Coach Trapattoni keep Baggio out the squad?
Giovanni Trapattoni’s controversial decision to leave Baggio out the squad comes down to match fitness. He did not believe Baggio had fully recovered from his serious injury and left him out the 23-man final list. Fans and pundits alike criticized this omission, especially after Italy were eliminated by South Korea in the round of 16. However, Trapattoni did give Baggio an International send-off during a friendly match against Spain on 28th April 2004. He wore the number 10 shirt for the final time, along with the captain’s armband too. Perhaps in a way this was Trapattoni’s way of atoning for his mistake of leaving Baggio out the World Cup. He may not have scored that game, but Roberto Baggio did leave a lasting impression on world football before hanging up his boots for the final time. To read our full thoughts on this movie, check out our spoiler-free review HERE!) Thanks for reading our Ending Explained article! What did you think of Baggio: The Divine Ponytail’s ending? Were you happy with how this film portrayed Baggio? Let us know in the comments below!
Click Here To Go Back To Our Movie Reviews!
