And so after Roberto Baggio managed it in the final of US 94, and a couple of unfortunates combined to facilitate their exit at the semi-final stage of Italia 90, another Italian etched his name in the book of Italian footballing disasters. This time it was Luigi Di Biagio whose penalty against the cross-bar sent the Azzurri crashing out of the biggest competition in the game. After the miss the Stade de France erupted into joyous celebration. A distinctly limited-looking French side has made it to the semi-finals of their very own Coupe du Monde and the way their luck is holding out so far, there's just no telling where it's all going to end.
Many outside observers would have expected it to end yesterday - the Italians came into this game having looked far more convincing in the earlier stages. The French public, though, were having none of it. Not being terribly adept at touting, the locals had brought in large numbers of English touts, but despite paying well above the odds to lay their hands on the goods, the spivs were finding business very sluggish and by kick-off time nerves were being lost and tickets sold for well below face value. The ticketless French, it appeared, reckoned there'd be at least one more big day out and were already looking forward to Wednesday night's semi-final back here in St Denis, and even beyond.
Inside the ground, Les Bleus were living up to expectations in every area of the pitch except up front. From all around this remarkable stadium the team were urged on, but as chance after chance went begging there were the first mutterings of doubt from the stands.
Worse still, elements of the crowd began to come over all magnanimous. When Paolo Maldini skipped inside an opposing player and played a wonderful through ball for Vieri a collective "ooh la la" was uttered by a crowd who'd presumably all chained their bikes, complete with strings of onions, to the railings just outside the Stade.
Having survived sudden death extra-time intact, however, the venom returned for the penalty shoot-out. Roberto Baggio could scarcely have heard himself think "fer chissakes don't do it again Bob" as he stepped up to slip Italy's first spot kick low to Fabien Barthez's left and Demetrio Albertini certainly couldn't have heard his own self-reproach in the midst of the cheering that greeted his miss. As Di Biagio fell to the ground, head in hands after his attempt, Italy's fifth had come back off the crossbar, the cheer that went up must have been heard in Marseille.
"Another exit from a World Cup because of a penalty shootout," pondered Cesare Maldini in the post-match press conference. "Perhaps there is a curse on us." Not just one, Cesare old pal. If the Stade de France was anything to go by yesterday, plump for 80,000 and you'd be a good bit closer to the mark.
