(ANSAmed) – ROME, JUL 25 – Italian soccer great Roberto
Baggio, the winner of the 1993 Ballon d’Or, visited the Italy
Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka to take part in a panel discussion
dedicated to the diplomacy of sport and organized in cooperation
with the Italian trade agency ICE.
Baggio was welcomed by a crowd of fans from all over Japan when
he arrived at the Italy Pavilion.
The former soccer player is famous across the country.
Fans welcomed Baggio chanting his nickname “divine ponytail’
(divin codino in Italian), due the iconic ponytail which the
soccer legend sported throughout most of his career.
The public waited for him showing jerseys of soccer teams for
which the Caldogno-born footballer played such as Juventus and
Inter.
Baggio then took part in the Kagami Biraki, a Japanese ceremony
which literally means ‘opening the mirror’ and traditionally
includes breaking open a sake barrel.
The ceremony was also attended by the Commissioner General for
Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, Ambassador Mario Vattani, the
President of the ICE Agency Matteo Zoppas, and Marco Rago, the
legal advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Vice President of the
OneWater Italian National Committee.
After breaking open the barrel, participants toasted with a
glass of sake, according to tradition. (ANSAmed).
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