Great European Cup Players #2 Poalo Maldini

By: Rob | April 19th, 2008

Maldini lifts another Champions League trophy Yesterday, news came through that Poalo Maldini has a thigh injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. Although he has said he’s reconsidering his retirement, if he sticks to his guns, we may, sadly, have seen the last of Maldini playing football. Only fitting then that I should mark the occasion with a look back at the glittering carrer of one of the best defenders of all time.

Making his debut for Milan a full 13 months before I was born, against Udinese, Maldini has become an essential part of several sucsessful Milan sides. Here I am in my 22nd year, and I am still talking about him.

He broke into the Milan first team the year after his solitary showing against Udinese, and quickly established himself as the best Left-Back at the club. He soon became undroppable and established himself in the invincible Milan defence of the late 1980s.

He soon picked up his first Scudetto (of seven) in 1988. The Milan team of this period was absolutely unstoppable and Maldini was an integral part of that. A stylish footballer, who was impossible to beat, he was usually an integral part of Milan’s attacks as well, and although he has long lost his pace his reading of the game and intellegent play, mean that he remains an absolute joy to watch.

When Franco Baresi retired from that invincible Milan team, he left a big hole at centre-back. Alot of Milanista wondered, despite the talent of the rest of the defence, who would replace him, but the young left-back switched to centre-half where he remained for most of the rest of his carrer. He bacame the rock which around several Milan teams were built.

His record in Europe is astounding. He has played in 8 Champions League finals – more than any other active player, and only one shy of the record. He has lifted the trophy on five seperate occasions. In the 2005 final he became the fastest goalscorer in a Champions League final, and also the oldest player to score in the tournaments history. He still described the night as the worst of his carrer, after a stunning Liverpool comeback left him with just a runners-up medal. He got his revenge on the English club 2 years later.

He won 126 caps for his country, a record. Astonishing considering he retired from International duty back in 2002, after the World Cup in Japan and Korea. Its not unfair to suggest that he would have played an integral part of the 2006 winning side had he stayed on, and would have gained an insurmountable amount of caps.

He also has made 1,000 professional appearences, and holds the Serie A record (previously held by legendary Italian keeper Dino Zoff) for appearances made. He never won European Footballer of the Year (bafflingly) but upon being awarded World Soccer Magazine’s World Footballer of the Year, he proclaimed it a great hounor as defenders rarely get the attention.

Even now, in his 39th year, he has been Milan’s best player and the only one to come out of this season with real credit. Don’t think its a sympathy vote either – after the Arsenal-Milan game that ended Maldini’s Champions League carrer, both the English and Italian press enthused about his good performance.

Milan are to retire his number 3 shirt (it would be a bit odd after 20 years to see someone else wear it) unless one of his sons breaks into the Milan first team. His eldest Christian plays for the Milan youth side and Daniel is too good for Seedorf The future’s bright in the Maldini family

An absolute gentleman, and a credit to his sport, if this really is the end of Maldini’s carrer, I would like to be the first to say Arrivederci Poalo. You’ve been a hero to so many, and I’m sure you will continue to inspire.