Paolo Maldini - Legend

redout

Seriously, just how good is this guy ? Anyone who watched the Milan derby on sunday would tell you its hard to believe this guy is 40 ! I watched in disbelief as he handled Ibrahimovic and mostly Adriano with the youth and tenacity of a player 10 - 15 years his junior. The guy can read the game like a book. He played in arguably the greatest defence of all-time during his time with Milan. He has won the European cup five teams and played in eight finals so to put that another way he has won the same amount of European cups as Barcelona and Man Utd combined and played in more finals than the both combined ! He is to retire at the end of the current season and the club are supposedly retiring his famous no.3 shirt in a show of respect they also showed to his former defensive partner the great Franco Baresi. Italian defenders, a managers dream. The guy really is a once in a generation. Honour to have seen him play.

Tristram

Agreed.

mayordenis

I wasn't even born when he made his debut.

Diabhal Beag

How can anyone argue with the OP. Maldini is a special man with amazing fitness to last so long in a sport where 34 is the average retirement age.

eagle eye

Agreed he has been a superb defender throughout his illustrous and long career. I wonder how long more he can go on for. I remember the AC Milan back line with him and Baresi and Costacurta, and their young full back who is still playing, his name is, can't remember right now, begins with a p, played for Real and Roma. Anyone?

Tristram

Panucci.

One Cold Hand

eagle eye wrote: »

can't remember right now, begins with a p, played for Real and Roma. Anyone?

Panucci?

Yeah Maldini's a legend alright.
Tbh, don't really understand the whole 'retiring a jersey' thing. But meh...

V9

Maldini is without a doubt the greatest defender of the last 20 years, a classy, professional player, an outstanding role model for any young player.

He said this is gonna be his final season before the derby game on Sunday, I can imagine it'll be a very emotional night in the San Siro in the final home game.

I believe I read somewhere before that they are "holding" the shirt for his son, whos in the academy.

iregk

eagle eye wrote: »

I remember the AC Milan back line with him and Baresi and Costacurta

The P your talking about is Christian Panucci but he was by no means good. I remember the backline of Baresi, Costacurta, Maldini and Tasotti. Now that was a solid wall.

I've said it plenty of times before, there are many people on these boards who claim legend status over average joes. For me there are only a handful of real legends. Del Piero, Raul, Scholes, Giggs to name those at the top but for me there is one man that stands head and shoulders above them all. Maldini.

kryogen

cant argue with anything said about him, he is an absolute legend of the game and one of the best ambassadors the sport has ever known. He made his debut in 1984, thats before i was born!

And to be still one of the top defenders in the world today is no easy achievement, we will probably never see another Maldini unfortunately, one club, no bull****, immense talent and a true love for the game

Mitch Connor

Being carried by Sendros tbh.