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AC Milan Legend Franco Baresi (Img: Dynamite News)
New Delhi: One of the best defenders in the history of football and the legend of AC Milan and Italy, Franco Baresi passed away at the age of 66 years old.
In a statement issued on Friday, AC Milan mourned its former captain stating, "All of the history of AC Milan cries with the loss of Franco Baresi." His legacy and integrity will forever be an integral part of the club’s identity, according to the club.
He played for 20 seasons at AC Milan in a career of which he became one of the club’s most decorated players. He helped the club win six Scudettos and three European Cups, and was the captain of Rossoneri for 15 seasons until his retirement in 1997.
In appreciation of his outstanding performance, AC Milan decided to retire his distinctive number 6 shirt. This made Franco Baresi the first player to have this honor bestowed on him by the club.
In the international circuit, Baresi had 81 appearances for the Italian national team. He played in the side which won the 1982 FIFA World Cup and then led the Azzurri team to the final of the 1994 World Cup.
Though he missed a penalty in the shootout loss to Brazil, Baresi was well commended, considering the fact that he completed the match without an injury just 25 days after undergoing a knee surgery.
Blessed with good positioning skills and leadership abilities, Baresi re-defined the concept of defending by being good at both defending as well as distributing the ball accurately.
He played along with some of the best defenders ever in Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti and helped AC Milan have a 58-game unbeaten streak in Serie A under Fabio Capello.
