20 ICONS WHO DEFINED AN ERA
PAOLO MALDINI
1985-2009 GAMES 902 CLUB MILAN
BEFORE Following in a father’s footsteps is never easy, but when your old man is Cesare Maldini – he of four Scudetto-winning Milan teams between 1955 and 1962, and the first Rossoneri skipper to lift the European Cup in 1963 – well, expectations weigh a bit heavier. Despite Maldini Snr’s feats – he departed for Torino in 1966 having achieved iconic status – it could be argued that his most enduring legacy was actually his son, Paolo.
LEGACY Just like his dad, Paolo was a gifted defender: elegant, versatile, accomplished on the ball and an intelligent reader of the game. Regarded as a generational talent in Milan’s youth setup, he was handed his senior debut at the age of just 16, coming on in a 1-1 draw at Udinese in January 1985.
“He was very young, so I tried to give him advice,” legendary centre-back Franco Baresi said of the teenage starlet. “But he needed very little, as he was already a great player.” The following season, Maldini was promoted to the senior team permanently, with fellow defender Alessandro Costacurta joining the ranks a year later. Together with Baresi and right-back Mauro Tassotti, they would form arguably the most celebrated backline in the history of European football. While naturally right-footed, Maldini was so comfortable with his left that he made the No.3 spot his own, even inheriting his father’s old shirt number.
Before Maldini’s first full campaign, Milan had not won a major title for six years – their last league crown coming in 1978-79 – and twice been in Serie B. The Rossoneri promptly sealed four Scudetti and three European Cups in the next nine seasons.
Maldini received particular acclaim for his display in the 1994 Champions League Final. With both Baresi and Costacurta out of the showpiece against Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona Dream Team, he deputised at centre-back as the Italians won 4-0. “He looked like he had played there all his life,” remembered Ronald Koeman, Barça’s beleaguered sweeper that evening in Athens as Daniele Massaro, Dejan Savicevic and Marcel Desailly ran riot.
Maldini remained a crucial cog in a winning machine long after the retirements of Baresi and Tassotti. He captained the Rossoneri to further Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007 to take his own total to five, putting him second behind Real Madrid’s Francisco Gento in the all-time rankings.
In 24 years at Milan – his only club – Maldini won seven Serie A titles, two Intercontinental Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Coppa Italia, not to mention each of those European Cup victories. The Rossoneri may have largely snubbed domestic cups, but his remains an astonishing haul earned from more than 900 appearances in red and black.
Tellingly, the San Siro giants have picked up only one Scudetto since his 2009 retirement. The No.3 jersey, worn with distinction by his father before him, was retired in his honour, and Milan insist that only a future Maldini can revive it (he has two sons: 18-year-old Daniel made his debut in February).
With the curtain falling on a stellar career during 2008-09, arguably the most significant send-off came not from Milan fans, but those of bitter rivals Inter. Ahead of Maldini’s final Derby della Madonnina, the Nerazzurri’s ultras unfurled a banner. “Per 20 anni nostro rivale, ma nella vita sempre leale,” it read. “For 20 years our opponent, but in life, forever loyal.” Now that’s respect.
BEST MOMENT That imperious performance at centre-half which helped a depleted Milan obliterate the Barcelona of Koeman, Hristo Stoichkov, Romario and Pep Guardiola in the 1994 Champions League Final.
BOBBY CHARLTON
1956-73 GAMES 758 CLUB MANCHESTER UNITED
BEFORE Old Trafford had recently been rebuilt following Second World War bombing; on the pitch, manager Matt Busby was hard at work assembling a youthful squad.
LEGACY Charlton had not long left school. Yet at 19, he netted 10 league goals in 14 games for Manchester United in his maiden senior campaign of 1956-57, helping the club retain their title. The 1958 World Cup beckoned; so did European glory. But history’s wickedness meant things worked out rather differently.
“I’m quite sure that had it not been for the Munich air disaster, United would have won the European Cup in ’58,” Sir Bobby once told of the tragedy that killed eight United players and 15 other passengers. He was on the plane: United keeper Harry Gregg pulled him from the wreckage, and during the months and years that followed, the club, city of Manchester and English football mourned. It took a
