Franco Baresi, former AC Milan and Italy defender, dies aged 66
Legendary AC Milan and Italy defender Franco Baresi has passed away at the age of 66. Baresi is remembered as an icon of Italian football, having spent his entire 20-year career at AC Milan and captaining the national team.
Why it matters
Baresi's death marks the loss of one of the most influential figures in the history of European football, known for his loyalty and defensive prowess.
Former AC Milan and Italy defender Franco Baresi, one of the most recognisable players of the golden era of Italian football in the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 66, his former club said on Friday.
“The entire history of AC Milan is in tears following the passing of Franco Baresi. His example and integrity will be forever etched into the Club’s DNA, just as his iconic number 6 shirt is,” a club statement on X read.
Last year Baresi’s former club, where he served as honorary vice-president, said he had undergone surgery to remove a pulmonary nodule, and had been prescribed recovery treatment by a cancer specialist.
In February, Baresi was one of the torchbearers for the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony for the Milano Cortina Winter Games, appearing alongside former Inter Milan and Italy defender Giuseppe Bergomi, his long-time rival on the pitch.
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