Franco Baresi

Lore & Background

Franco Baresi was born on a farm in Travagliato, near Brescia, and did not watch football on television until age 10. He was initially rejected by Inter Milan's youth team, who chose his brother Giuseppe instead, so AC Milan signed him. He made his Serie A debut at age 17 on 23 April 1978. After Milan's relegations in the early 1980s due to a match-fixing scandal and a poor season, Baresi stayed with the club, winning two Serie B titles and being appointed captain at age 22. He held the captaincy for a record 15 seasons.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Baresi anchored a renowned all-Italian defence alongside Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, Mauro Tassotti, and later Christian Panucci. Under managers Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello, Milan won multiple Serie A titles and European Cups. Baresi was runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 1989 and was named Serie A Footballer of the Year in 1989–90. He retired at the end of the 1996–97 season, and Milan retired his number 6 shirt.

Reader's Guide

Franco Baresi's significance lies in his unwavering loyalty to AC Milan during both relegation and triumph, and his role as the defensive linchpin of one of the greatest club sides in history. He won six Serie A titles, three European Cups, and numerous other trophies, while captaining the team for 15 seasons. His defensive partnership with Maldini, Costacurta, and Tassotti set standards for organization and discipline. Internationally, Baresi was part of Italy's 1982 World Cup-winning squad and captained the team to the 1994 World Cup final, though he missed a penalty in the shootout. He was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team in 1990. In 1999, he was voted Milan's Player of the Century, and in 2004 Pelé named him one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers. Baresi was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Did You Know?

• Baresi legally changed his name from Franchino to Franco in 1999.
• He was initially nicknamed 'Piscinin', Milanese for 'little one'.
• Baresi scored a hat trick of penalties against Messina in the 1989–90 Coppa Italia.
• He was suspended for the 1994 Champions League final, which Milan won 4–0.