Franco Baresi

The sweeper who led Milan from Serie B exile to three European Cups.

Franco Baresi (born Franchino Baresi on 8 May 1960) is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time, spending his entire 20-year professional career with AC Milan. Initially nicknamed "Piscinin" (little one) by fans, he evolved into a leader who captained the club for 15 seasons. Despite being rejected by Inter Milan's youth team in favor of his brother Giuseppe, Franco became the heart of the Rossoneri, guiding them through relegation and back to European glory. In 1999, a fan poll by the club's magazine named Paolo Maldini as Milan's Player of the Century, and upon his retirement in 1997, the club retired his iconic number 6 shirt.

Quick Facts

Birth name: Franchino Baresi
Born: 8 May 1960
Birthplace: Travagliato, Brescia, Italy
Died: 31 July 2026
Place of death: Rozzano, Milan, Italy
Height: 1.76 m / 5 ft 9 in
Position: Centre-back

Lore & Background

Baresi's career was defined by resilience during Milan's darkest hours. After joining the youth system as a youngster, he made his Serie A debut on 23 April 1978 at age 17. When Milan faced relegation in 1980 due to a match-fixing scandal and again after finishing third-last in 1981–82, Baresi refused to leave. He won the Serie B title twice with the club, including the 1982–83 campaign that secured their return to Serie A. Appointed captain at age 22 following the departures of Aldo Maldera and Fulvio Collovati, he held the armband for a record 15 seasons. His loyalty was absolute; even as a World Cup winner in 1982, he stayed with Milan through their struggles, eventually leading them to six Serie A titles and three European Cups alongside managers Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello.

Reader's Guide

Fans should note Baresi's unique scoring record: despite being a central defender, he scored 31 goals for Milan, with 21 coming from penalties. He was the top scorer of the Coppa Italia in the 1989–90 season, netting a hat-trick of penalties against Messina, though the team finished as runners-up. His international career included a 1982 World Cup win where he did not play a single match, and a 1994 World Cup final appearance where he missed a penalty in the shoot-out loss to Brazil. He also earned honors at Euro 1980 (fourth place), Euro 1988 (semi-finals), and the 1990 World Cup (third place), where he was named to the FIFA All-Star Team. In his final season (1996–97), he scored his last goal in a 2–1 win against Padova on 27 August 1995, before retiring at age 37.