Paolo Maldini

Paolo Maldini, record player of AC Milan

Paolo Cesare Maldini ( born June 26, 1968 in Milan ) is an Italian former football player at the position of the defender. He played from 1984 to 2009 for the Italian Serie A club AC Milan.

Career

In the club

The son of former Italian football player and football coach Cesare Maldini played from the age of 10 for the Italian giants AC Milan. In the season 1984/85 Maldini made his Serie A debut on January 20, 1985 while playing for AC Milan against Udinese Calcio. Maldini came off the bench in this game at halftime for the injured Sergio Battistini. During the 1984/85 season Maldini attended a game in the Italian league.

In the 1985/86 season Maldini became a regular player at AC Milan. He has since been used mostly as a central defender or left-back. The Scudetto in the 1987/88 season was the first title, Maldini won with his club. From the late 1980s played Maldini at AC Milan on the side of Franco Baresi, Marco van Basten, Roberto Donadoni, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard. Since then, Maldini won with AC Milan numerous national and international titles. So far, Maldini was with AC Milan seven times Italian champion, once Italian Cup winner and five -time winner of the Supper Italiana. Beyond that, Maldini won with his club two European Champion Clubs' Cup, the Champions League three times, five times the UEFA Super Cup, two-time World Cup and once the FIFA Club World Cup.

In 1994, Maldini, who with his club in the same year won the Scudetto and the UEFA Champions League, was chosen by World Soccer magazine's player of the year. He is the first defensive player to receive this award. After the retirement of Franco Baresi end of the season 1996/97 Maldini was captain of AC Milan. March 11, 2007 Maldini played his 600th Serie A use in the city derby against Inter Milan. He is of his missions ago Most games of the series A. His last game, at the same time the 902 in the jersey of Milan, he played on 31 May 2009 away against Fiorentina ( 2-0 ).

16 December 2007 Maldini was in the context of the FIFA Club World Cup in Yokohama known to want to end his career in 2008, revised his decision, two days after the departure of AC Milan in the knockout stages of the Champions League against Arsenal on 7 March 2008 and extended his contract with Milan until June 30, 2009. on 17 April 2009 Maldini finally announced that he would not renew his contract with AC Milan again and ended his career at the end of the season 2008 /09. He had also stated that he would continue to be active in the business of football, but not as a coach.

In the National Team

Maldini announced on 31 March 1988, Azeglio Vicini 's 1-1 draw against Yugoslavia, his debut in the Italian national team. He was from 1994 to 2002 captain of his country and with 126 caps until 2009, when it replaced Fabio Cannavaro, Italy's most capped player.

Highlights in Maldini's international career were the runners-up at the 1994 World Cup ( losing to Brazil) and Euro 2000 ( losing to France). In the 1990 World Cup in their own country Italy failed in the semifinals to Argentina and finished the tournament in third place. Overall Maldini took with Italy at four World Cups (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) and three European Football Championships (1988, 1996, 2000 ) in part.

In the years 1996-1998 Maldini played under his father Cesare Maldini in the Italian national team. After the hapless course of the 2002 World Cup for Italy (Italy failed in the second round of South Korea) Maldini retired from the national team. The return to the Italian national team for the Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup he refused each.

Achievements

As a national player

World Cup bronze medalist: 1990
Vice World Champion: 1994
European runners-up: 2000

With the club

Italian Champion: 1987/88, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1998/99, 2003/ 04
European Champion Clubs' Cup: 1988/89, 1989/90
UEFA Champions League: 1993/94, 2002/ 03, 2006/ 07
UEFA Super Cup: 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007
World Cup: 1989, 1990
Italian Super Cup winner: 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2004
Italian Cup Winners: 2002 /03
FIFA Club World Cup: 2007

Personal Awards

Ritter ( 1991) and Officer (2000) Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Trofeo Bravo: 1989
All- Star Team of the World Cup: 1990, 1994
World Soccer Player of the Year: 1994
Vice World Footballer of the Year: 1995
All- Star team EURO: 1996, 2000
World Cup Team of the Century: 2002
UEFA Team of the Year: 2003, 2005
Inclusion in the FIFA 100: 2004
Serie A Defender of the Year: 2004
FIFPro World XI: 2005
UEFA Defender of the Year: 2007

Services

Maldini was eight times ( 1989, 1990, 1993-1995, 2003, 2005, 2007) in the finals of the European Champions' Cup and the UEFA Champions League. He thus holds together with Francisco Gento 's record of final appearances in this European Cup competition. Gento played a total of another European Cup final more since 1971 he also in the European Cup winners reached the final.
In the 2002/ 03 Champions League season, he set the record for most appearances in a season with 19 games.
Maldini is the player with the longest operation time with the Football World Championships ( 2217 minutes ).
After retiring as a footballer with AC Milan will wear the number of Maldini ("3" ) should not be assigned to another player, unless one of the sons of Maldini is a professional player at AC Milan.

Private life

Maldini has five siblings. He is married (his wife Adriana is ex-model ) and has two sons. His private life he shields; He lives quietly in Milan. He remodeled occasionally for fashion labels ( Armani, Versace, H & M).

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