Paolo Maldini

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/UEFA
Champions 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 Championship

runner-up

• 1986 - UEFA European Under-21

Championship runner-up

Individual

• 1988, 1996, 2000 - UEFA European

Championship Team of the Tournament

• 1989 - Bravo Award
• 1990, 1994 - FIFA World Cup All-Star

Team

• 1994, 2003 - Ballon d'Or: Third

place

• 1994 - World Soccer Player of the

Year

• 1994 - El País European Player of

the Year

• 1993–94 - UNICEF European Footballer

of the Season

• 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2002–03 -

ESM Team of the Year

• 1995 - FIFA World Player of the

Year: Silver Award

• 2002 - Premio Nazionale Carriera

Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea"

• 2002 - FIFA World Cup Dream Team
• 2002 - FIFA XI
• 2003 - UEFA Champions League Final

Man 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 the

Year

• 2008 - Premio internazionale

Giacinto Facchetti

• 2008 - FIFA Order of Merit
• 2009 - UEFA Champions League

Achievement Award

• 2009 - Marca Leyenda
• 2009 - Sports Illustrated Team of

the Decade

• 2009 - ESPN World Team of the Decade
• 2012 - Inducted into the Italian

Football Hall of Fame

• 2013 - World Soccer Greatest XI of

all time

• 2016 - One Club Man Award
• AC Milan Hall of Fame
• 2018 - Inducted into the Walk of

Fame for Italian sport

• 2018 - Gazzetta Sports Awards –

Legend

• 2020 - Ballon d'Or Dream Team
• 2021 - IFFHS All-time Men's Dream

Team

• 2022 - Globe Soccer Awards Sporting

Director of the Year

Team History

National Team

• 1986–1988 - Italy U21
• 1988–2002 - Italy