The EMPEROR of defending! Franco Baresi spent his ENTIRE 20-year career at AC Milan and became the greatest sweeper in football history. The Italian legend read the game so perfectly that he barely needed to tackle — he was ALWAYS in the right position. Milan retired the number 6 shirt in his honor. That tells you EVERYTHING about his greatness!
Career Highlights
- Spent his entire 20-year career at AC Milan — making over 700 appearances for the club
- AC Milan retired the number 6 shirt in his honor — the ultimate tribute to a club legend
- Won 6 Serie A titles and 3 European Cups/Champions League trophies with Milan
- Was the defensive leader of Arrigo Sacchi's revolutionary AC Milan team that dominated Europe in the late 1980s
- Despite being only 5'9", was one of the best aerial defenders in the history of Italian football
The Verdict
Baresi was the PERFECT defender — intelligent, composed, elegant, and impossibly consistent for 20 years. AC Milan retiring his shirt number tells you everything. He is one of the greatest players in Italian football history, and the greatest sweeper the game has EVER seen!
Tomorrow: #4 — Stay tuned for the next defensive legend!
