Franco Baresi, AC Milan and Italy legend, dies aged 66

sportsJul 31, 202615280

Franco Baresi, former AC Milan and Italy centre-back, has died at the age of 66. AC Milan said on Friday "The entire history of AC Milan is in tears," adding "His example and integrity will be forever etched into the club’s DNA, just as his iconic No 6 shirt is." Baresi spent his entire 20-year playing career with Milan, captained the club for 15 seasons, and won six Serie A titles and three top European trophies before retiring in 1997. Milan retired his No 6 shirt, the first player in the club’s history to receive that honour. He earned 81 caps for Italy, was part of the 1982 World Cup squad and captained Italy to the 1994 World Cup final, a 1994 penalty shootout loss to Brazil in which he missed his spot kick; he famously played the full 120 minutes of that final just 25 days after knee surgery. Last year Milan said Baresi had undergone surgery to remove a pulmonary nodule and was receiving recovery treatment from a cancer specialist. Baresi anchored a celebrated Milan defence alongside Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti, helped perfect the high defensive line and offside trap that fuelled a 58-match unbeaten Serie A run under Fabio Capello, and is credited with redefining the sweeper role by combining defensive authority with the ability to launch attacks from deep.

Philippe Auclair

@philippeauclair.bsky.social

The rumours were, alas, true. A true giant of the game has gone, only 66 years old.

1224h ago

asnaturalasrain.bsky.social8

Did you ever see this magnificent prose poem by Pàdraig MacAoidh?

Quoting this

Joe Scaramanga7

As someone who always ended up playing CB, Baresi was the player that made me realise it wasn't a thankless job. He made me realise what a skill it was to be a good defender. What a player.

Jess6

Sad news to wake up to. What a giant of a defender. The partnership of Baresi and Maldini is the greatest CB pairing of all time. For those too young to understand, I encourage you to deep dive YouTube. Truly iconic. 66 is no age at all. RIP Legend. 🕊🔴⚫️

James Aithie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿6

Greatest centreback of all time. #RIP

Forza Bahab5

What a player. Astonishing defender and leader.

Mark S2

I remember Franco Baresi being in conversation with Joe Jordan about their time playing together for the Rossoneri on a feature on Channel 4's Gazzetta back in the day. For such a giant of the game, he came across as a really articulate & softly spoken man. What a player. It's so sad that he's died.

Peter Smith

@redpeter99.bsky.social

Sad news about Franco Baresi. Football isn't just about freescoring games it's also about defending. Baresi was one of the very best.

593h ago

Canaries Caption It5

Him and Maldini were the apex of the art.

Andy Beck2

A measure of how good someone is at something is how easy they make something look, Baresi made defending look very easy.

Den of Scholes2

He had that rare thing in football, he saw things two steps ahead. So he'd tackle a player and instead of just punting it, in his head he'd planned where he was passing the ball to after winning the challenge and where to be on the next phase. Only the best play with time AND vision.

Andy Muirhead

@andymuirhd.bsky.social

One of the greats has died. AC Milan and Italian Legend Franco Baresi. Grew up watching him on Football Italia on C4.

143h ago

Michael Martin

@tfmick1892.bsky.social

Very sorry to hear that Franco Baresi has died. One of the greatest defenders of all time for Milan and Italy. When you think of the locked door of classic Italian defending, Baresi always springs to mind. Seemed like a good man too in his media interviews. Ciao legend 🇮🇹

122h ago

Balderdash

@balderdash.bsky.social

Whenever the greatest players are discussed, it’s always attackers and midfielders. Defending is its own art form and Baresi was one of the very best. Captain of the best club side I’ve seen - 90’s Milan - Rest in peace Franco.

122h ago

DCB72

@deeceebee72.bsky.social

Ah fuck. That's no age at all. Rest In Peace Franco Baresi. A titan of the game.

93h ago

Gary Panton

@garypanton.co.uk

So sad to hear this. That whole generation of Italy/AC Milan players were absolute superstars when I was a kid. Baresi played in the first international match I ever went to, alongside Cosatcurta, Maldini, Signori, Donadoni, Lentini and Roberto Baggio. Just an incredible time to watch football.

94h ago

UwDienstwillige

@uwdienstwillige.bsky.social

"Franco Baresi speelde zijn hele carrière van 20 jaar voor AC Milan." Voetballers 2026, persconferentie na 14 transfer: "Ik ben bij de club van mijn hart en klaar om een mooi verhaal te schrijven."

83h ago

Neil Jackman

@neiljackman.bsky.social

The AC Milan team of 1989/90 is my favourite lineup (with the exception of Keegan's entertainers of course). What a team that was, and Franco Baresi was the brilliant general. One of the best defenders I've ever seen. Sad to hear of his passing.

82h ago

Anthony

@anthony76.bsky.social

RIP Franco Baresi, one of, if not the best, most cultured CB’s I’ve ever seen grace the game, rest well sir

72h ago

Jack

@jacklikesfilm.bsky.social

One of the all-time greats. Used to love watching that Milan side in the 90s so much. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

74h ago

EastStandUpper

@eaststandupper.bsky.social

Very sad news... whenever I get into debates about "old" football vs modern football, Baresi's name is the first I pull out. Made his debut in the late-70s and, other than teammate Paolo Maldini, has there been a better defender in world football? Not for me.

42h ago

Bob S.1

As they say, he was a Proper defender. Great anticipation and could tackle. Rarely saw an attacker get the better of him.

This is a dead platform1

Wasn’t the quickest but never out of position always walked off the pitch spotless smelling of Armani (we used to say)

Dexter Crisp

@dextercrisp.bsky.social

Saddened to hear about the passing of Franco Baresi at just 66. One of the all time great defenders in my book, 20 years at Milan, 15 as captain, all the way through their glory years in the 80s and 90s. RIP Franco.