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Franco Baresi dies at 66: Soccer world mourns legendary AC Milan and Italy defender who won 1982 World Cup originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Italian soccer is in mourning following the death of AC Milan great Franco Baresi.
Baresi represented Milan for the duration of a decorated professional career, spanning 20 years from 1977 to 1997.
He is widely regarded as one of the finest defenders of all time, a majestically composed centre-back who read the game with expert precision.
In an era dominated by physical defenders, Baresi stood above his peers despite being slightly built and 5ft 9ins tall. He was also comfortable playing as a sweeper and carrying the ball confidently into midfield, displaying a skillset that put him ahead of his time in many respects.
Baresi was also capped 81 times by Italy, meaning he was the bedrock of two of the finest defences in football for more than a decade.
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Franco Baresi dies at 66
Announcing news of Baresi's death, Milan paid tribute to "the Rossonero of the century".
"Announcing the loss of someone who embodied the heart and soul of AC Milan is incredibly difficult. But everyone at the club and all the Milanisti must live up to Franco Baresi's memory. We must be strong and gather every bit of energy, even at this saddest of times," the statement read.
"In memory of Franco, we stand united, knowing he'll guide and push us throughout our Rossoneri journey. Forever. Because Baresi is forever."
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Franco Baresi cause of death
Baresi's cause of death has not been confirmed.
Last year, he underwent lung surgery to remove a pulmonary nodule. He was then assessed by an oncology specialist, who recommended a course of immunotherapy as a means of cancer prevention.
In one of his last public appearances, he took part in the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February 2026 as one of the torchbearers.
Franco Baresi tributes
Fellow Milan icon Paolo Maldini was one of Baresi's great allies in their all-conquering defence and posted a tribute on Instagram.
Maldini wrote: "Today, I feel the same way I did whenever — for whatever reason — you couldn't take the field alongside us: how will we manage without our captain? You taught me to fight until my very last breath, and showed me the meaning of devotion to the jersey and the true value of leadership.
"You protected me when I was a child, guided me as a young man, and inspired me as an adult. You were the greatest footballer I ever had the honour of playing with."
Baresi's elder brother Giuseppe played for Milan's arch-rivals Inter and the tributes to Franco also spanned the divide of one of Europe's great football cities.
"Farewell to Franco Baresi, protagonist of the great clashes in the Milan derby and one of the figures who most defined the history of the rivalry," read a statement from Inter Milan.
"Captain, team man and flagbearer of AC Milan, he lived every match-up with Inter between competition and respect, within a challenge that wrote unforgettable pages of Italian soccer."
Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher has previously lauded Baresi as his favourite defender. Carragher posted on X: "It's always a sad day for football when one of the all-time greats pass away, and that's exactly what Franco Baresi was. I've always seen him as the greatest centre back I ever saw & the ultimate one-club man. RIP Capitano."
Franco Baresi career, trophies won for AC Milan and Italy
Playing alongside Maldini, Mauro Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta in its most famous iteration, Baresi was the leader of one of the finest defenses soccer has ever seen. First under Arrigo Sacchi — who pioneered their high-line approach — and then his successor, Fabio Capello, Baresi's Milan were the dominant force in the Italian and European game.
He won Serie A six times and lifted the European Cup/Champions League on three occasions. After the first of those continental successes in 1989, Baresi finished runner-up in the Ballon d'Or voting behind Milan team-mate Marco van Basten. Argentina great Diego Maradona that year described Baresi as the best defender he had faced.
Baresi was a member of the Italy squad that won the World Cup in 1982, although he did not play at the tournament. By the time the Azzurri finished third on home soil in 1990, he was integral.
Arguably Baresi's greatest feat in an Italy shirt came hand-in-hand with his biggest heartbreak.
He suffered a knee injury that required surgery during the opening match against the Republic of Ireland. Remarkably, he returned 29 days later to play 120 minutes in the final against Brazil, shackling the Selecao's formidable front two of Romario and Bebeto in a 0-0 draw. Baresi then stepped up to take Italy's first penalty in the shootout but missed as Sacchi's side eventually lost 3-2 on spot kicks.
That was his final outing in international football, but he played on for a further three seasons at Milan, bowing out on a total of 719 appearances for the club.
Milan retired his No. 6 jersey at the end of his playing career, making Baresi the first man to receive that honor in the club's history.
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