Baggio says he could retire at end of season

Former European Footballer of the Year Roberto Baggio says he could retire from the game at the end of this season.

"There is a good chance I could close my career at the end of this season," the former Italy international said in comments reported by Italian media on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old former Juventus, AC Milan and Inter striker is currently in the second season of a two-year contract with Serie A club Brescia and has repeatedly said that he hopes to make the Italy squad for next year's World Cup finals.

Italy need a point from their final group game against Hungary in Parma on October 6 to ensure a spot in the finals.

Asked about his chances of making Giovanni Trapattoni's final 22-man squad, Baggio, who has not appeared for Italy since March 1999 said: "I am not saying anything else about that. My views are well known -- let's see what happens in the end".

Baggio has played for Italy in three World Cups -- in 1990, 1994 and 1998 and he missed a penalty in the shootout against Brazil in the 1994 final.

Trapattoni has so far resisted calls for Baggio to return to the Italy squad, but has left the door open, saying that his performances will be monitored.

Nicknamed the "Divine ponytail", Baggio began his career with his local side Vicenza before making his name with Fiorentina.

His move to Juventus in 1990 began the most successul period of his career where he won the UEFA Cup and was named European Player of the Year in 1993. He won the Italian title with the Turin club in 1995.

Baggio then spent two, largely unhappy, seasons with AC Milan before he made a surprise switch to Bologna where he won back his place in the Italy squad for the 1998 finals.

A move to Inter Milan followed but he found his opportunities limited at the San Siro and he moved to unfashionable Brescia at the start of last season after turning down a number of offers from high-profile foreign clubs.