Stories of the faithful: Franco Baresi or the footballer of the century and symbol of AC Milan. The famous defender was also an icon of Italian football

Legendary Italian defender Franco Baresi, who is considered one of the best footballing backs of all time, spent his entire playing career in the AC Milan jersey. In his jersey, of course, he won many trophies and was part of an era in which the Rossoneri conquered not only the Italian scene, but also the European one. AC Milan even named Baresi as their footballer of the century.

AC Milan alumnus Franco Baresi made his league debut in the red and black jersey in the 1977/78 season, at the age of 17. Interestingly, prior to his youth signing with AC, he was first rejected by Inter, who in turn chose his brother Giuseppe.

It should be added, both brothers then became captains of their respective teams, with the likenesses of both players then becoming a symbol of the Derby della Madonnina in the 1980s.

The following season, Baresi became a member of the starting line-up, winning his first Serie A title in the 1978/79 season.

80. the years – the club’s dark history

However, this success was followed by a dark period, as AC Milan were relegated to the second division twice in the 1980s. The first time was in 1980, when AC were relegated after being involved in a match-fixing scandal. The following year, AC were promoted to the top Italian competition, however, they finished the 1981/82 season in penultimate place and were relegated to Serie B once again.

It was during this period that Baresi showed his red and black heart. Although the Travagliata native was part of the Italian national team that finished fourth at the 1980 Euros and won the 1982 World Cup in Spain, he decided to continue to stay in Milan and bring it back to Serie A.

Baresi was thus appointed captain of AC Milan at the age of 22 and became a symbol and leader of the Italian big club. Although the Rossoneri failed to dominate Serie A in the 1980s, they did at least reach the Coppa Italia final in the 1984/85 season.

The end of the 1980s

In the late 1980s and first half of the 1990s, Baresi, along with Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, Mauro Tassotti and later Christian Panucci, was the heart of a remarkable Italian defence under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello.

It is the foursome of Baresi, Maldini, Costacurta and Tassotti that is still considered one of the best in football history. And when the Dutch attacking trio of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard joined the club in the late 1980s, Milan began a period of domestic and international triumphs.

AC finally won the domestic title again in the 1987/88 season. Baresi, meanwhile, was part of an impenetrable defensive wall that only conceded fourteen times in the entire season. The Milan giant was the rightful king of European football at the time. It was not for nothing that AC were nicknamed “The Immortals” and then “The Invincibles” in those days.

By the end of the 1980s, Baresi won the Supercoppa Italiana with AC (1988) and followed this trophy up with European Cup titles in 1988-89 and 1989-90. Italian Supercoppa, European, domestic titles, Intercontinental Cup championship – AC Milan was one of the very difficult teams to beat during the Sacchi era.

Baresi was nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 1989, and was named Serie A Footballer of the Year in the 1989/90 season. It should be added, AC Milan also reached the Coppa Italia final in the 1989/90 season.

90. years

Baresi then went on to win trophy after trophy with AC in the 1990s. In the 1993/94 season, the Rossoneri triumphed in the Champions League, beating the famous Barcelona with Johan Cruyff 4-0 in the final. However, overall they have been in the final three times – losing to Marseille in the 1992-93 season and to Ajax in the 1994-95 season.

In the 1991/92, 1992/93 and 1993/94 seasons, AC won three titles in a row under coach Fabio Capello. Especially the first mentioned season was worth it. AC did not lose a single game, and Baresi helped Milan to a record 58 matches without a single defeat.

And in the 1993/94 season, the Red and Black defence conceded only 15 goals. Baresi also won the Supercoppa Italiana three times in a row under Capello, in 1992, 1993 and 1994. Baresi won his sixth title with AC at the end of the 1995/96 season

End of career

Baresi ended his active football career at the end of the 1996/97 season. The Milan grand club had the number 6 retired in his honour. The only trophy he failed to win in the red and black jersey was the domestic cup. He scored a total of 31 goals for AC, even becoming Coppa Italia top scorer as a defender in 1989/90.

He wore the captain’s armband at Milan for 15 years, then passed it on to another legend – Paolo Maldini. Bottom line – with AC Baresi he won six titles, three European Cup/Champions League titles, two Intercontinental Cups, four European Super Cups and four Italian ones.

As far as the national team is concerned, Baresi was of course an integral part of the Italian national team. He made a total of 81 starts for them and, as mentioned above, he also celebrated a triumph at the 1982 World Cup. At the 1990 World Championships in Italy he won bronze, and in the 1994 World Championship Italy reached the final.

Baresi retired from the national team in September 1994 at the age of 34. It should be added that he also served as captain of the Italian national team for four years. After ending his active football career, he briefly took up coaching. Since 2020, he has been vice-president of AC Milan, for which he has played 719 matches.

In 1999, AC named him Footballer of the Century on the occasion of the club’s centenary celebrations. Baresi was also included in the FIFA 100 list in 2004, a selection of the 125 best living footballers chosen by Brazilian legend Pelé. In 2013, he was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

Sources: FIFA, AC Milan, Sempre Milan, Transfermarkt