Franco Baresi: Milan Honors the Rossoneri Legend—A Final Farewell at Sant’Ambrogio
Even a bustling metropolis like Milan is capable of coming to a standstill in the face of grief: On the morning of Tuesday, August 4, thousands of people gathered in the Sant’Ambrogio area and at the historic basilica well before the start of the funeral for the legendary captain of Milan and the Italian national team, who passed away on Friday at the age of 66.
Fans (not just of Milan), enthusiasts, and many prominent figures from the world of soccer bid a final, heartfelt farewell to one of the most iconic figures in the history of Italian soccer. A tribute that was already shaping up to be grand, silent, deeply heartfelt, and worthy of a man who embodied the spirit of sportsmanship for decades.
The Milan City Council has already announced that the historic Rossoneri captain will be interred in the Famedio of the Monumental Cemetery, the pantheon reserved for Milan’s most illustrious citizens (Baresi was originally from Travagliato, in the Brescia area, but as a soccer player he became one of the symbols of the city of Milan): an extremely rare honor that attests to his greatness, which extends far beyond the realm of soccer.
At the same time, the idea of dedicating the Curva Sud of the new San Siro stadium to him is taking shape—a symbolic gesture that would make the bond between Baresi and the Rossoneri fans eternal. The legendary captain never wore the jersey of any club other than Milan: from his arrival in the youth academy in 1974 until his retirement in 1997, he spent 33 years as a player in the red-and-black jersey, experiencing the thrills of Scudetti and cup victories during the Sacchi and Capelli era, but also weathering difficult seasons such as those in the early 1980s.
As expected, Ruben Amorim’s team was unable to attend the funeral: the Australian tour, featuring a friendly match against Inter scheduled for Wednesday at Perth’s Optus Stadium (with 60,000 spectators expected), made it impossible to alter the schedule.Representing the club were owner Gerry Cardinale, president Paolo Scaroni, the Rossoneri executives who remained in Italy, and a large delegation of former players.
