IF ONLY JOHN WAYNE COULD HELP

Roberto Baggio, asked repeatedly about the unsuccessful penalty kick he took for Italy against Brazil in the 1994 finals, made a comparison to reel life.

“It’s like in the films with Indians,” he said. “Even though you know how it’s going to end, and you see it 10 times, you hope always that they will win.”

PUT A CORK IN IT

Sacre bleu!

The Croatian team is committing what some French citizens would no doubt consider a sacrilege: They mix their wine with Coca-Cola, and call the drink “bambus.”

TIME FOR ZEN SOCCER

Phil Jackson, recently departed coach of the Chicago Bulls, is supposed to interrupt his vacation in Istanbul to attend the World Cup final July 12 at Paris.