Paolo Maldini

Paolo Maldini

Paolo Maldini (born June 26, 1968 in Milan) is an Italian football player.

He is the son of Cesare Maldini, former player of A.C. Milan and ex-coach of the Italian national football team. Maldini plays as a defender and predominantly plays the position of left back (even though he is naturally right footed), although he sometimes plays at centreback, his original position in the team. Throughout his long career, he has remained a one club man with A.C. Milan, where he holds the current captaincy, and has currently made more appearances for the club (as well as any player in Serie A) after having passed Franco Baresi's record of 512.

Maldini is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders to have ever played the game, and was arguably the best at the peak of his career. He is well known for his influential captaincy, ice-cool
temperament, his outstanding ability to play with both feet and flawless defending. He is still playing at the very highest level, which is confirmed by his inclusion in the FIFPro World XI in 2005, his
nomination to the UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 most valuable defender title, second place in Golden Foot nominations in 2005, and a top-ten finish in the voting for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year.

Maldini's Serie A debut came on January 20, 1985 against Udinese. He has had a glittering career to date, winning many trophies with Milan (as of 2005, those include seven Serie A titles and four European Cups). Maldini was also part of AC Milan's undefeated Dream Team in the late 1980s to early 1990s.

Maldini is Italy's most capped player and captained the national team for more than half of his international career. However, he never managed to win a trophy at the international level despite playing in the 1994 World Cup final and the 2000 European Championship Final. He retired from the national team after 2002 World Cup finishing his successful career with 126 caps and 7 goals (64 caps as captain).Maldini also played in the 1990 and 1998 World Cups (coached by his father Cesare), Euro 88, and Euro 96.

Maldini also set two new records in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final by scoring after only 51 seconds against Liverpool F.C. in Istanbul and also by being the oldest to score in a Champions League Final. Paolo's father, Cesare, also captained A.C. Milan in the 1960s,lifting the European Cup in 1963. There was a public appeal in Italy,as well as an appeal from then national team coach Giovanni Trapattoni,for Maldini to come out of international retirement for the 2004
European Championship, but Maldini refused for "personal reasons".Maldini recently broke Dino Zoff's Serie A appearance record, making his 571st appearance against Treviso F.B.C.. He also recently played his 800th game in all competitions for Milan. In November 2005, he announced plans to retire from playing professional football at the end of the 2006/07 season, however he might re-consider it should he still be able to maintain his superb defensive skills. His contract with Milan ends in 2008.

When he retires from playing professional football no other player will wear the Number 3 shirt for AC Milan. Only if one of his sons will play professional football in the future at AC Milan they will get this
Number.

Maldini was the first defender to win the World Soccer's World Player of the Year Award, which puts him in the same class of Michel Platini,Paolo Rossi, and Zico. On receiving his award, Maldini said: "It's a great honor for me to know that so many people consider me so highly.It's a particular matter of pride because defenders generally receive so much less attention from fans and the media than goalscorers. We aremore in the engine room rather than taking the glory.

"I must admit that, for me, 1994 was the peak of my career so far. For any player to win the Champions Cup or to play in the World Cup Final would be enormous single matter of pride...but I was fortunate enough to be able to experience both those pinnacles of the game within a
matter of weeks. Of course, whatever success I may have achieved is not merely down to my own credit. There are other people and influences on my career it would be only fair to acknowledge. Everyone always asks me about my father, Cesare, who captained Milan to their first Champions
Cup victory in 1963 and is now our national under-21 coach. But I don't really remember him as a player. I played under his instructions in Milan youth teams when I was a boy but really I learned more from him about being a man, about a correct attitude to the game, than from a
technical point of view."Then, there has been my captain and colleague Franco Baresi. In my
opinion he has received far too little recognition for his influence within the club and within Italian and international football. He is the man of few words but 'talks' instead through his deeds out on the pitch. He really deserves to receive the sort of award I have received from World Soccer. But...thank you again!"