Franco Baresi, the legendary AC Milan captain who spent his entire professional career with the club and became one of the most celebrated defenders in Italian soccer history, has died at the age of 66.
Baresi died Thursday at his home in Travagliato, near Brescia, according to MilanNews.it and statements published by AC Milan mourning the loss of the former captain.
“The history of Milan is in tears for the passing of Franco Baresi,” the club said in a statement. Milan said his example and character would remain a permanent part of the club’s identity, alongside the memory of his retired No. 6 shirt.
Born on May 8, 1960, in Travagliato, Baresi joined Milan’s youth academy at a young age and made his first-team debut on April 23, 1978, in a 2-1 victory away to Verona.
He remained with the Rossoneri until the end of the 1996-97 season, playing 20 consecutive seasons for the club and making 719 official appearances while scoring 33 goals.
At just 22, Baresi was handed the captain’s armband for the 1982-83 season. He kept it until his retirement, serving as Milan’s captain for 15 seasons and becoming the defining symbol of the club through both difficult and triumphant eras.
Baresi helped Milan win six Serie A titles, three European Cups, three European Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and four Italian Super Cups. He was a central figure in the dominant Milan sides coached by Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello, teams that helped redefine modern European football.
His career also included the lows of Milan’s two relegations to Serie B and the subsequent rebuilding of the club before its return to domestic and continental supremacy.
After his retirement in 1997, Milan retired his No. 6 shirt, an honor that underscored his status as one of the club’s greatest-ever players.
Baresi was also a World Cup winner with Italy in 1982 and later captained the national team, including during the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where he famously returned from injury to play in the final.
In a second statement, AC Milan described Baresi as “forever” and said his memory would continue to inspire the club and its supporters. The club did not immediately announce funeral arrangements.
