Paolo Maldini
Il Capitano: AC Milan and Italy legend, five-time Champions League winner, and one of the greatest defenders of all time.
via Wikipedia: Paolo Maldini · see source
Paolo Cesare Maldini (born 26 June 1968) is an Italian football executive and former professional footballer who most recently served as the president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation. He spent his entire career playing as a left-back or as a centre-back for AC Milan and the Italy national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. As the Milan and Italy captain for many years, he was nicknamed "Il Capitano". Maldini held the record for appearances in Serie A (647), until he was surpassed by Gianluigi Buffon in 2020. He also holds the joint-record for most European Cup/UEFA Champions League final appearances (8) alongside Paco Gento. From 2018 to 2023 he worked at AC Milan as sporting director and is a co-owner of USL Championship club Miami FC.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Paolo Cesare Maldini
- Born
- 26 June 1968
- Birthplace
- Milan, Italy
- Height
- 1.86 m / 6 ft 1 in
- Position
- Left-back, centre-back
Lore & Background
Maldini was a one-club man, spending all 25 seasons of his playing career in Serie A with Milan and retiring at the age of 41 in 2009. He won 26 trophies with Milan: the European Cup/UEFA Champions League five times, seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana titles, five European/UEFA Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup. Maldini won the Best Defender award at the UEFA Club Football Awards at the age of 39, as well as the Serie A Defender of the Year Award in 2004. Following his retirement, Milan retired his number 3 shirt. Maldini made his debut for Italy in 1988 and played for 14 years before retiring in 2002 with 7 goals and 126 caps. He held the record for appearances with Italy, until he was surpassed by Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon. Maldini captained Italy for eight years and held the record for appearances as Italy's captain with 75, until he was again surpassed by Cannavaro and Buffon. With Italy, Maldini took part in four FIFA World Cups and three UEFA European Championships. Although he did not win a tournament, he reached the final of the 1994 World Cup and Euro 2000 and the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1988. He was elected into the all-star teams for all of these tournaments. Maldini came second to George Weah for FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995. He also came third in the Ballon d'Or rankings in 1994 and 2003. In 2002, he was named in the FIFA World Cup Dream Team. In 2004, Pelé named him in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. He was ranked 21st in World Soccer magazine's list of the 100 greatest players of the 20th century. He was also named in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team in 2020. Maldini held the record for most appearances in UEFA Club competitions, with 174, until he was surpassed by Iker Casillas in 2017. He holds the record for appearances with Milan (902) and is one of the few players to have made over 1,000 career appearances. In December 2012, he was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.
Reader's Guide
Maldini began his youth career at AC Milan in 1978 at age 10, initially playing as a right midfielder or winger. He was moved to right full-back at age 14, and occasionally played on the left. He made his league debut for Milan on 20 January 1985 at age 16, and became a starter the following season at right-back, wearing the number 3 shirt. He scored his first Serie A goal on 4 January 1987. Under Arrigo Sacchi, he won his first Scudetto in 1987–88, and back-to-back European Cups in 1988–89 and 1989–90. Under Fabio Capello, he was part of Milan's unbeaten 1991–92 Serie A title team, and won three consecutive league titles. He helped Milan reach three consecutive Champions League finals, winning in 1994 against Barcelona. He became the first defender to win World Soccer magazine's World Player of the Year in 1994.
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