Paolo Maldini is a former professional footballer from Italy. He currently serves as the technical director for AC Milan. He also spent the entirety of his professional football career at AC Milan, making 647 appearances and 29 goals. In 1993 and 2003, he came in third in the voting Ballon d’Or. He is widely considered one of the best defenders of all time.
Player Profile, Personal Life, and Youth Career
Paolo Cesare Maldini was born on June 26, 1968, in Milan, Italy. He stands 186 cm tall. His parents are Cesare Maldini and Maria Lusisa de Mezzi. In 1994, he married Adriana Fossa. They have two sons together. His sons Christian and Daniel Maldini also play professional football.
He started his youth career with AC Milan in 1978.
Professional Career
In 1985, he made his senior debut for AC Milan. In his time with Milan, he helped them win seven Serie A titles. In the 2002-2003 season, he also helped them win the Coppa Italia.
Concurrent with his career with Milan, Maldini also played for the Italian National Team. In 1990, they finished third at the FIFA World Cup. In 1994, they were the FIFA World Cup runners-up. In both those years, he was named to the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team. In 1994, he was also named the World Soccer Player of the Year.
He retired from professional football in 2009. The club later inducted him into the AC Milan Hall of Fame.
Career Highlights:
AC Milan
- 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94,1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04 - Serie A
- 2002–03 - Coppa Italia
- 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2004 -Supercoppa Italiana
- 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, 2002–03,2006–07 - European Cup/UEFAChampions League
- 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007 -European/UEFA Super Cup
- 1989, 1990 - Intercontinental Cup
- 2007 - FIFA Club World Cup
Italy
- 1994 - FIFA World Cup, runner-up
- 1990 - FIFA World Cup, third place
- 2000 - UEFA European Championshiprunner-up
- 1986 - UEFA European Under-21Championship runner-up
Individual
- 1988, 1996, 2000 - UEFA EuropeanChampionship Team of the Tournament
- 1989 - Bravo Award
- 1990, 1994 - FIFA World Cup All-StarTeam
- 1994, 2003 - Ballon d’Or: Thirdplace
- 1994 - World Soccer Player of theYear
- 1994 - El País European Player ofthe Year
- 1993–94 - UNICEF European Footballerof the Season
- 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2002–03 -ESM Team of the Year
- 1995 - FIFA World Player of theYear: Silver Award
- 2002 - Premio Nazionale CarrieraEsemplare “Gaetano Scirea”
- 2002 - FIFA World Cup Dream Team
- 2002 - FIFA XI
- 2003 - UEFA Champions League FinalMan of the Match
- 2003, 2005 - UEFA Team of the Year
- 2003 - UEFA President’s Award
- 2004 - Serie A Defender of the Year
- FIFA 100
- 2005 - FIFA FIFPro World XI
- 2007 - UEFA Club Defender of theYear
- 2008 - Premio internazionaleGiacinto Facchetti
- 2008 - FIFA Order of Merit
- 2009 - UEFA Champions LeagueAchievement Award
- 2009 - Marca Leyenda
- 2009 - Sports Illustrated Team ofthe Decade
- 2009 - ESPN World Team of the Decade
- 2012 - Inducted into the ItalianFootball Hall of Fame
- 2013 - World Soccer Greatest XI ofall time
- 2016 - One Club Man Award
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
- 2018 - Inducted into the Walk ofFame for Italian sport
- 2018 - Gazzetta Sports Awards –Legend
- 2020 - Ballon d’Or Dream Team
- 2021 - IFFHS All-time Men’s DreamTeam
- 2022 - Globe Soccer Awards SportingDirector of the Year
Team History
National Team
- 1986–1988 - Italy U21
- 1988–2002 - Italy
