Franco Baresi dies at the age of 66, as announced on Friday, July 31, marking the end of an era, as the Italian spent two decades at AC Milan.
Baresi death tributes are pouring in from all corners, with his former teammate Paolo Maldini among the ones paying their respect.
Franco Baresi Dies: How Great Was He as a Player?
Baresi played for AC Milan from 1977 to 1997, registering 702 appearances for the club. He was also capped 81 times for the Italian national team. Baresi won the Serie A title six times during a period when it was the best league in the world by far.
He also won three European Cups/Champions Leagues with Milan and was the captain of the legendary AC Milan team of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He played for two legendary Milan teams under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello that made history with their dominance in European football.
Baresi also won the World Cup with the Italian national team in 1982 and finished runner-up in 1994. His performance as a 34-year-old in the 1994 World Cup final remains one of the greatest by any centre-back in the tournament.
In the opinion of many football pundits, there has not been any centre-back better than Baresi in the history of the game, barring Franz Beckenbauer of Germany. In fact, a lot of people might have Beckenbauer and Baresi as the two centre-backs in their all-time team.
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What Made Him Exceptional as a Player
Franco Baresi dies at a time when Italian football is going through a crisis. The Italians have failed to qualify for three straight World Cups now and had Paolo Maldini step down as their technical director of football within a few days of his appointment.
Italy are sorely missing a player who can lead by example in the way Baresi did. Baresi was only 5 feet 9 inches tall, but made up for his lack of size with his exceptional anticipation and tackling skills.
He was a clean tackler and did not give away fouls cheaply. He can be called a sweeping centre-back, with exceptional ability to retain and recycle the ball.
Baresi played at a time when playing out from the back was not in fashion. Still, he managed to get the ball to the forwards of his team with consummate ease. He also had the ability to play the offside trap really well.
Moreover, Baresi also had the ability to inspire his younger teammates like Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta. Maldini spoke of his influence as a captain on his teammates in his tribute after Franco Baresi’s death.
There are very few players in the history of the game who have stood for sustained excellence in the way Baresi has. He is one of the finest centre-backs ever and also one of the most commanding captains seen on a football pitch.
However, he would have been much happier had the Italian national team been doing better than they are at the moment. Overall, Franco Baresi’s death signifies the end of a glorious chapter in football.
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