The greatest footballers of all time - No. 11
Continuing with our series on the greatest footballers of all time, here’s No. 11 on our list.
No. 11 – Paolo Maldini
Yes, football often gets downright cruel – there are times one can’t help but curse luck. After a career filled with innumerable close finishes, Michael Ballack, quite ironically the number 13, would perhaps be foremost on the unlucky list. But there are times when the sport’s cruelty transcends acceptable borders. Andreas Escobar’s tragic murder after scoring an own goal is one that the whole world mourned together. But another such moment, although not very well-documented, came when Paolo Cesar Maldini, after calling it curtains at the ripe footballing age of 40 on an absolutely glittering career that spanned nearly a quarter of a century in the famous red and black of Milan, was inexplicably jeered by a section of the Curva Sud.
“Thank you, Skipper. On the pitch you were an infinite champion, but you failed to show respect towards those who made you rich,” was the message; the chants going around the stadium were, “There is only one captain”, referring to Franco Baresi, another legend in his own right. What does Maldini do? He just smiles, and does a lap of honour around the stadium he gallantly fought in through the ages. Professionality of the highest order, nay?
Paolo’s first appearance came in the 1984-85 season as a fragile 16-year-old. This was the start of a journey that would that would help Milan claim seven league titles and five Champions League medals. The domination began with the Arrigo Sacchi era, where Maldini, along with Baresi, Costacurta and Tassotti, formed a backline that was just to die for, and is still considered the best back four ever. Sacchi’s Milan would win two Europeans cups, and Capello’s Milan, also constituting the same defence, would humiliate Cruyff’s Barcelona in the final in 1994. As part of a team that would be consistent challengers for domestic honours from then on, Maldini would add to his Champions League medals in 2003, and vengefully, in 2007, against Liverpool.
Maldini, to put it clichédly, made defending look easy. Effortless, to be more precise. Since he relied on nothing extravagant other than a few customary slide tackles, one failed to notice his brilliance in reading the game and his positional sense when defending. These are qualities that come with age and experience. Maldini was a master at recognizing his growing weaknesses and, when he ultimately slowed down in his later 30’s, he moved from a lung-bursting left back’s role to become a more tactical centre back. Something that a certain Ryan Giggs is currently doing, albeit slightly up the pitch.
On the international front, there was considerable heartbreak for Maldini, as Italy were a penalty kick short of the World Cup in 1994, and were a few minutes away from winning the Euros in 2000. Maldini’s last major tournament was the 2002 World Cup in Asia, where a controversial loss to hosts Korea signaled the end. He knew he wouldn’t play for the national team again, and the picture of Maldini pulling out his headband while nearly in tears is still, for me, a vivid memory. His relative lack of international success is probably the reason why no major individual honour has ever come his way, except for finishing as the second best player in the world in 1995, after George Weah.
The Desailly’s, the Cafu’s , and the Nesta’s have all come and gone, but the number 3 Rossoneri jersey always had a familiar tone to it, and has currently been retired in Maldini’s honour, and will remain so, until one of his two kids, Daniel or Christian, make the Milan first team.
Almost a personification of the word ‘professionalism’, Maldini had the looks, but was never crazy about fame or being a poster-boy. He had emotions, but even on the largest of stages, was as cool as an ice-pack. An ageless enigma, Maldini will always be remembered as one of those gladiators you can tell your grandchildren about. ‘Legend’, although a slightly abused word, fails to adequately describe him.
Sir Alex Fergusson, another synonym to longevity, had this to say upon Maldini’s farewell – “When I think of the current generation, Lionel Messi is top-level. And, although he has never taken my breath away, Kaka has impressed, Zinedine Zidane was brilliant but without a doubt, Paolo Maldini has been my favourite. He has a wonderful presence, competitive spirit, athleticism, and although not the world’s greatest technically, he has influenced all the Milan teams during his wonderfully successful era.” Enough said.
And now, here’s a video compilation of some of Maldini’s greatest moments:
Here are the other players who have made it so far:
No. 20 – David Beckham; No. 19 – Oliver Kahn; No. 18 – Jurgen Klinsmann; No. 17 – Luis Figo; No. 16 – Romario; No. 15 – Marco van Basten; No. 14 – Eusebio; No. 13 – Lionel Messi; No. 12 – Zico
Read the detailed write-ups on all the players in this list here:
The greatest footballers of all time