Franco Baresi, AC Milan captain and Italy World Cup winner, dies at 66

Franco Baresi, the former AC Milan and Italy captain widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest defenders, has died at age 66. AC Milan announced ... Read More

Italian footballer who captained AC Milan for 15 of his 20 seasons, a period of unprecedented success for the clubAt a time when Italian football was known for the excellence of its defensive systems, Franco Baresi, who has died aged 66 after a period of ill health, embodied its most prized qualities. Whether with AC Milan, his only club during his two decades as a professional, or Italy, with whom he reached the 1994 World Cup final, he was a stylish, quick-witted, unflappable and commanding presence, primus inter pares alongside distinguished colleagues.Captaining Milan for 15 of his 20 seasons at San Siro, he won the European Cup twice and the Serie A championship six times, a key figure alongside such glittering names as Gianni Rivera, Ruud Gullit, Paolo Maldini, Marco van Basten, Dejan Savićević, Carlo Ancelotti, George Weah and Zvonimir Boban. With his fellow centre-back Alessandro Costacurta, the right-back Mauro Tassotti and Maldini at left-back, he formed a legendary defensive line. Continue reading...

ROME, Italy (AFP) -- Italian defender Franco Baresi, the captain of AC Milan in the 1980s and 1990s when they won three European Cups and six Italian league titles, has died at the age of 66, the club announced on Friday. "Milan is in tears following the passing of Franco Baresi. His example and integrity will be forever etched into the Club's DNA, just as his iconic number 6 shirt is," AC Milan, of which Baresi became honorary vice-president in 2020, wrote on X. "We must be strong and gather every bit of energy, even at this saddest of times. "We lost Franco only a few months after his last public appearance in a packed San Siro, at the Milan Winter Olympics opening ceremony, an event on the world stage he helped make unforgettable. "In memory of Franco, we stand united, knowing he'll guide and push us throughout our Rossoneri journey. Forever. Because Baresi is forever." A World Cup winner with Italy in 1982 and a finalist at the 1994 World Cup, Baresi is regarded as one of the greatest sweepers in football history. AC Milan did not specify the cause of Baresi's death. He had undergone surgery in August 2025 to remove a lung nodule. "It will take me a little time to get all my strength back," he said shortly afterwards. Born in Lombardy in May 1960, Baresi joined AC Milan's youth teams in 1974, before moving up to the first team in 1978 ahead of his 18th birthday. He then became a starter at 18 and captain at 22, noticed for his technique, anticipation and tackling skills, as well as his notable leadership qualities. Baresi went on to form, alongside Paolo Maldini, Mauro Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta, a defence feared by every striker in Europe. He retired in 1997 after 719 matches with the Rossoneri, a record surpassed only by Maldini. In addition to his red and black club jersey, Baresi wore the blue of the Nazionale 81 times. But after a World Cup title from the bench in 1982, he did not make the trip to Mexico in 1986 following a disagreement with the national coach. Penalty shootouts, in the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup and then in the final in 1994, shattered his hopes of another triumph. He performed various roles for Milan in his retirement, the only time he spent away from them was a brief spell as technical director of English club Fulham. "Ultimately, it was only a month: before the end of August, I was already back in Milan," he told Gazzetta dello Sport in 2025. "I realised it wasn't the place for me, and in the end, I didn't even start working. The umbilical cord with Milan was never broken." However, he was never a man to feature in the gossip pages preferring to spend time abroad for the Milan Foundation which he found educational and rewarding. "With Fondazione Milan, I witnessed poverty in Kenya and Morocco," he told Gazzetta. "In Lebanon, I played football in the street with children. These are emotions that have completed me."

Italian soccer is in mourning following the death of AC Milan great Franco Baresi.

Franco Baresi, the World Cup-winning Italy defender and lifelong AC Milan captain, has died at 66. Baresi made 719 appearances, won six Serie A titles and three European Cups, and captained Milan for 15 seasons. Here is how the iconic sweeper changed defending, led Italy to the 1994 World Cup final, and made Milan retire his No. 6 shirt forever.

The Rossoneri's iconic defender was regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game