TF90M’s Italian Correspondent Marzia Hazra pays tribute to the footballing legend and Italian icon Paolo Maldini.
25 years, 25 titles and more than 1000 senior team appearances the time has come for one of the game’s greats to put an end to what has been a truly extraordinary career in every sense of the word. At 40 years of age AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini bows out of the game with the utmost of class.
The son of Cesare Maldini did what no one thought was possible – overshadowing his legendary father. The Milan defender reached icon status a long time ago and has now retired as a true legend. His electric pace, skill to execute precision tackles, leadership abilities and most of all his gentleman manners both on and off the pitch has seen the Milan No 3 earn the praise and respect of the entire world of football.
Paolo Maldini made his debut on January 20, 1985 as he came off the bench for Sergio Battistini against Udinese. In the season of 1987-1988 Maldini won the first of his seven Scudetti and was part of the Milan “Dream Team” that dominated the Italian top flight during the late 80s and early 90s. The No 3 has participated in no less than eight European cup finals where he walked off as a winner on five occasions. On top of that he has won the World Club Cup, two Intercontinental Cups, five European Super Cups, one Coppa Italia and five Italian Super Cups.
Despite Maldini’s success at Milan things haven’t gone as fluently on the international level. Back in 1988 the stopper was capped in the under-21 side by his father Cesare Maldini and scored five goals in 12 outings. Maldini went on to captain the side that came so close to winning the 1994 World Cup but unfortunately Italy lost on penalties in the final against Brazil. The defender did, however, make it into the “Team of the Tournament” – the same honour his father received 32 years previously during the 1962 World Cup.
In 2000 Italy were incredibly close to winning the European Championship but a late goal from David Trezeguet saw Maldini’s dreams of national glory shattered. Two years later, after Italy’s elimination in the final 16 the captain decided to retire from La Nazionale after a record 126 appearances in the Azzurri shirt – for whom he was honoured with the captain’s armband on 74 of those occasions.
On May 24th Maldini made his 901st appearance in the Milan shirt as he bid farewell to the San Siro which had been his home for a quarter of a century. Although there was love beyond belief for the much adored captain Maldini’s final farewell was tainted by a minority group of Ultras in Curva Sud that disgraced the captain who for once lost his composure and let his displeasure show through as he left the stadium without speaking a word.
Maldini would get the finish he deserved away from home as Milan played Fiorentina in the final game of the season on May 31st. When the clock reached 90 minutes the Rossoneri players slowly walked up to their captain and embraced the man that had come to personify the club as the Viola players awkwardly held on to the ball not really sure of whether the game was over or not. The Milan captain was clearly moved as he received a standing ovation, affection and respect that only a player of his legendary status deserves.
Maldini’s close friend off the pitch who also happens to be somewhat of a legend in his own club didn’t spare the words when it came to his feelings of respect for his former Azzurri teammate. The words spoken by Alessandro Del Piero are probably the words that pay Maldini the most justice;
“You really are number one. There are great players and world-class players and then there are those players who go beyond that. Paolo is the perfect example of all of this,” said Del Piero to Milan Channel.Milan plan to retire Maldini’s shirt which will only be bequeathed if one of his sons ever make it to the senior level at the club. The captain has had such an influence in football during his wonderfully successful era it is safe to say that the world of football will miss one of the greatest players that has ever graced the scene – a true legend in every sense of the word.
Grazie Capitano.
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