Many people wanted to be present for this occasion, both for the inauguration and the Salesian celebration, and to see, shake hands and have a word with the legendary striker. Also present, Fr. Juan Carlos Pérez Godoy, Councilor for the Mediterranean Region, these days on an Extraordinary Visit to the "San Marco" Province of Northeast Italy (INE).

The new football field boasts a synthetic turf made of recyclable plastic and LED lighting. Those whom Baggio called "modern heroes," private entrepreneurs who decided not to look the other way, and the city administration, stepped in to make it happen.

Organized by the Salesian Youth Sports Club "Concordia Football" with the Salesian "Don Bosco" Institute in Schio, the inauguration is part of the 120th-anniversary celebrations of the institute, which will blow out 121 candles tomorrow, Oct. 27.

"What has been inaugurated is not an empty container, but a place at the center of which are young people. May they, in this house, be able to discover their most hidden talents," said the Mayor.

A celebration within a celebration that the Rector of the center, Fr. Enrico Gaetan, wanted to define as "the fulfillment of a dream cradled for years, of which Roberto Baggio was the icing on the cake. Our goal is to offer young people a space that is increasingly within their reach for their formation and growth. The football field is the first step in a larger project. The school is now completed and the oratory will be finished next spring."

No one expected such a large crowd, not even the president of the society, Andrea Perezzan, who also served as moderator for the event. The champion's eyes twinkled, "I got excited entering the field because I felt like playing. If only I had more knees..." Baggio confessed, with some nostalgia toward his 22-year career played at the highest level.

Among the highlights was the reading by the youth and very young players from the football nursery, which also has 90 players, of the letter Baggio addressed to the youngsters a few years ago. Then the youngsters asked the champion questions, which he answered, testifying with great humility. "The true beauty is to feel joy for what you do. To feel the pleasure of playing because football is something wonderful. It is important to feel privileged, when you play sports, because many people cannot do it."

"You cannot think," he stressed further, "that you can achieve your objectives if you do not also go through failures. Passion, perseverance, and determination make all the difference. You have to learn from sacrifices and failures. I missed a penalty that caused us to lose the World Cup...."

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the memorial plaque was unveiled for future memory, blessed by Fr. Pérez Goody. The celebration then continued with the inaugural game, the presentation of the teams in the arena, a toast, and an informal moment for greetings and informal exchanges with the guest of honor.

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