Rome (AFP) – Franco Baresi, the iconic sweeper and captain who embodied AC Milan's dominance in the 1980s and 1990s and was widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in football history, has died aged 66.
Issued on: 31/07/2026 - 08:58
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A one-club man throughout a 20-year career, Baresi made 719 appearances for Milan between 1977 and 1997, becoming synonymous with the club's red-and-black colours and earning a place among the game's all-time greats.Baresi wore Milan's number 6 shirt with such distinction that the club withdrew the number after his retirement.Born in Travagliato, near Brescia, Baresi overcame personal tragedy at a young age after he and his brother Giuseppe were orphaned as teenagers. "What I went through made me become a little withdrawn. When I was on the pitch, I gave everything and perhaps expressed all the things I couldn't express away from football," Baresi would later say.While Inter Milan signed Giuseppe, Franco joined their local rivals, beginning a bond that would last a lifetime.Former Milan coach Nils Liedholm handed him his Serie A debut as a teenager and Baresi quickly established himself as a first-team regular.Despite a slight physique for a defender, he compensated with his exceptional technique, anticipation, tackling ability and leadership.Those qualities earned him the captain's armband at the age of 22, making him one of the youngest captains in Milan's history.His early years at the club included turbulent periods, with Milan relegated to Serie B twice in the early 1980s, first because of the Totonero betting scandal and later due to poor results.Baresi remained loyal, helping guide the club back to the top flight each time.In 1982, he became a World Cup winner with Italy, although he did not play during the tournament in Spain.Milan entered a golden era after Silvio Berlusconi bought the club in 1986 and appointed Arrigo Sacchi as coach.Alongside Dutch stars Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten, Baresi marshalled a formidable defence featuring Paolo Maldini, Mauro Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta."The Johan Cruyff of defenders," van Basten said of his former team-mate."He was calm and shy, but on the pitch he was a warrior and a winner. His hunger to win and quest for victory were unique."Under Sacchi and later Fabio Capello, Milan dominated Italian and European football. Baresi won three European Cups, in 1989, 1990 and 1994, and six Serie A titles.Individually, he finished runner-up in the 1989 Ballon d'Or voting, to van Basten, but would go on to be named Milan's player of the century.'Immense gratitude'
