AC Milan, Italy Legend Franco Baresi Dies Aged 66

Baresi is widely hailed as one of the greatest defenders of all time.

Franco Baresi has passed away. | Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images

Franco Baresi, the legendary AC Milan and Italy center back, has died at the age of 66.

Baresi underwent surgery last year to remove a pulmonary nodule and was prescribed treatment by a cancer specialist. He appeared publicly in February as a torchbearer for the Winter Olympic Games in Milan.

“Milan is in tears following the passing of Franco Baresi,” a club statement read. “His example and integrity will be forever etched into the club’s DNA, just as his iconic number 6 shirt is.”

The Serie A side later added: “Announcing the loss of someone who embodied the heart and soul of AC Milan is incredibly difficult. But everyone at the club and all the Milanisti must live up to Franco Baresi’s memory.

“In memory of Franco, we stand united, knowing he’ll guide and push us throughout our Rossoneri journey. Forever. Because Baresi is forever.”

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Soccer Loses an All-Time Great

Baresli left an enormous mark on the game. | IMAGO/Buzzi

A product of the Milan youth academy, Baresi spent his entire 20-year senior career with the Rossoneri, wearing the captain’s armband for 15 of those years. His total of 719 appearances for the club sits behind only teammate Paolo Maldini in the record books.

“Today I feel the same way I did when, for whatever reason, you couldn’t take the field alongside us: what will we do without our Captain?” Maldini wrote on social media.

“You taught me to fight until the last breath, what it means to be loyal to the shirt, and the value of being a true leader. You did it by example, every day: few words, but countless actions.

“You protected me as a child, guided me as a boy, and inspired me as a man. You were the strongest player I’ve ever had the honor of playing with. A warm hug to your entire family, especially your wife Maura and your sons, Edoardo and Giannandrea. We will miss you, Captain. But the light of your star will continue to accompany us forever.”

Across his illustrious career, Baresi established himself as one of the greatest defenders of all time, while he is also fondly remembered as one of soccer’s best-ever in any position after lifting six Serie A titles and three European Cups/Champions Leagues.

His No. 6 shirt was retired in recent years, while Baresi also served as Milan’s honorary vice-president from 2020 as a mark of respect for his service, which also included stints in Serie B as he chose to remain loyal to the club in the face of their enforced relegation following a match-fixing scandal in the 1980s.

At international level, Baresi was just as influential. He was part of the squad that won the World Cup in 1982 and captained the team back to the final 12 years later, only to fall to Brazil.

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