Franco Baresi was the heart of the Milan back line for so long that to this
day Billy Costacurta still seems to be busy looking round for him. The word ‘
influential’ barely does justice to his role in the Rossoneri’s most
successful side. No wonder they didn’t dare pass on the No 6 shirt after he
retired.

But success did not come overnight to the man known simply as ‘Il Capitano.’
Indeed, it was his battles with adversity which turned him into such an
uncompromising opponent. His performance in brushing off injury to return for
the World Cup Final in 1994 was typical of the man. Anyone who knew him would
have expected nothing less.

Just the name of Baresi’s birthplace, Travagliato, meaning troubled says
much about his upbringing. His mother died when he was 13 and his father
passed away four years later. Along with brother Giuseppe, he was effectively
brought up by his sister, Lucia. They were tough times just to keep the
family going.

And on the field of play life also liked to throw more difficulties than
rewards in the direction of the talented youngster. As a boy he was passed
over by Inter who preferred to sign up older brother Beppe. Even Milan turned
him down after two trials before he finally made it on the third attempt at
the age of 14.

It was 1978, as an 18-year-old, that he made his debut for the Rossoneri and
the following season he played a major part in taking Milan to their tenth
title. It was the end of Gianni Rivera’s era at the club. Little did they
suspect they had found another ‘bandiera’ - the Italian term for a player
who comes to symbolise the side he plays for.

After this impressive start there were more testing times to come as Milan
went through the ignominy of relegation for their part in a corruption
scandal rocking the Italian game in 1980. Two years later and the side from
the San Siro were back in Serie B again - this time just because they were
really not very good.

These were bleak times for the Lombardy giants which more recent converts to
that faith may not properly appreciate. Ambition at the Rossonero training
ground in those days was little more than dreaming of a UEFA Cup spot. It was
Inter, not Milan, who were lords and masters of the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

It says much about Baresi that he came through this and was still part of the
World Cup winning squad in 1982. Although his path to the first team was
blocked by that other elegant libero Gaetano Scirea, it was clear his time
would come. After the disastrous Mexican World Cup campaign in 1986 he got
his chance and never looked back.

It was at the same time that Silvio Berlusconi took over at Milan and the club
’s fortunes started to rocket. After a couple of strange signings things
started to click and his side swept all before them. Franco Baresi was the
conductor of some of the sweetest footballing music ever made. When the Milan
defence swarmed over an opposition striker it seemed as if they had extra
players on the pitch.

Baresi could time a tackle better than anyone in the game and combined that
with a sharp professional brain gave him the ability to foul and get away
with it. Add to that the invisible thread which seemed to link his arm to the
linesman’s flag and you had one of the most complete defenders the game has
ever seen.

Honours came flooding his way and few players have deserved them more. Six
League titles, three European Cups, three European Super Cups, two
Intercontinental Cups and four Italian Super Cups are a pretty impressive
haul. By 1997 he had realised the only way was down and decided to hang up
his boots after 716 games for his club and 81 for his country.

Looking back over his glorious career he had little doubt about the best and
worst moments. Everyone who watched him scale the heights of the world game
would have probably chosen exactly the same ones. As football coverage
threatens to reach saturation point Baresi was involved in some of the games
most gripping televisual moments.

"The most beautiful and exciting moments of my career were winning the first
European Cup and the first Intercontinental Cup," he said. "Knowing you are
the best team in the world is a truly exhilarating experience. But I also
think the Italy-Brazil World Cup Final was one of my best games, especially
since it came after an injury and not even I knew if I would make it through
the match," he added. "It is just a shame how the match finished. At that
moment I felt as if my world had fallen in. When you get to the World Cup
Final losing on penalties makes you feel powerless."

The tears he wept were shed by the whole of Italy and Milan supporters were
equally inconsolable when he announced his retirement a few years later.
There was not a dry eye in the house as he bid his farewell after 23
unforgettable years.

"Let us just say I’m giving up because I’m not as young as I used to be,"
he told his fans. "Now I have got a role as Vice-President with the task of
looking after the youth side and keeping an eye out for new talent. For the
time being I have no desire to be a Coach but in future who knows? I’m happy
with my new post and I’ll try to help the club even though I’m no longer
playing."

Nowadays Baresi is busy unearthing the new talent to make Milan a similar
force at the start of this decade as they were in the last. He should
certainly know a thing or two about what makes a great footballer. And if he
can discover just one player anything like himself the Rossoneri will have
plenty to thank him for.

STAR RATING 9/10 An inspirational leader and outstanding defender, he was the
lynchpin of one of the strongest defences in the history of the game. Fast,
powerful and intelligent he was the prototype of everything the modern
sweeper needs to be.

Franco Baresi
Club: Milan
Born: Travagliato (Brescia), 8/5/60
Position: Defender
Ht/Wt: 1.76m/70kg
Serie A debut: Verona 1-2 Milan, 23/4/78
International debut: Italy 0-0 Romania, 4/12/82
Club: Milan
International caps: 81
International goals: 1

Honours:
6 Scudetto (1979, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996)
3 European Cups (1989, 1990, 1994)
3 European Super Cups (1989, 1990, 1994)
2 Intercontinental Cups (1989, 1990)
4 Italian Super Cups (1989, 1993, 1994, 1995)
World Cup runner-up (1994)



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