Franco Baresi: Virdis’s heartbreaking tribute brings Milan fans to tears: “You won”
Pietro Paolo Virdis, a legendary Milan forward, paid tribute to his captain, Franco Baresi—who passed away Friday morning after a long illness—with a heartbreaking Instagram post. The former Rossoneri striker’s message went viral on social media, moving thousands of Rossoneri fans who are mourning the death of the legendary No. 6.
“When fans come to eat at my restaurant, the most common question is: ‘Who’s the best player you’ve ever played with or against?’… and my answer is always the same: Franco Baresi… because nothing and no one has ever been above you… you led a team with few words, but with so much class and charisma… you’re among the very few people whose role replaces their name without needing to say it: ‘The Lawyer,’ ‘The President,’ ‘THE CAPTAIN’… my captain, our captain…”
“There are moments in life that mark a watershed between what was and what is… you are that… you embody everything that was beautiful about soccer: passion, integrity, the ideal… a jersey that’s like a second skin, not just a piece of clothing that changes depending on the number of zeros on the price tag. You were an example for us ‘peers’ and a mentor for the young players who gradually joined us, regardless of their position. Your story should be told in soccer academies, with videos on loop that show who you are and what you will always be…”.
“For me, it’s like the end of an era… unassuming, reserved, attentive, charismatic… with that quiet, understated charm that only we knew in the locker room. A guiding light for everyone—players, coaches, executives… We spoke on my birthday… we were waiting for you to regain your strength so we could meet for dinner… despite the hardships of the journey, you never wavered even a millimeter in your hope and conviction that you’d win—even if it came down to overtime or a penalty shootout… and as far as I’m concerned, you won anyway… certainly not this battle against an opponent who was too strong and underhanded… too strong even for someone like you… but in my eyes, you’ve won the immortality that belongs to the greats… to the number ones… or rather, to No. 6 FOREVER… GOODBYE, MY CAPTAIN.”
