Franco Baresi: Paolo Maldini’s touching tribute: “How will we manage without our Captain?”

Franco Baresi has died; Milan has lost one of its legends, the symbol of the team that dominated the European and world stages in the ’80s and ’90s. Another icon of those years, Paolo Maldini, paid tribute to his captain in an open letter published on his Instagram profile.

“Today I feel the same way I did whenever, for whatever reason, you couldn’t take the field alongside us: how will we manage without our Captain? You taught me to fight until my last breath, what it means to be devoted to the jersey, and the value of being a true leader. You did so by example, every day: few words, but so many deeds.”

“You protected me when I was a child, guided me as a teenager, and inspired me as a man. You were the greatest soccer player I’ve ever had the honor of playing alongside. A warm embrace to your entire family, especially your wife Maura and your sons, Edoardo and Giannandrea. We’ll miss you, Captain. But the light of your star will continue to guide us forever.”

Franco Baresi won six Serie A titles, three European Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, and four Italian Super Cups. He is the second-most capped player in Milan’s history, just behind Paolo Maldini.

Milan’s statement accompanied the news with words filled with grief and pride: “It is not easy to announce the loss of a beat of our heart, of one of the breaths of our soul. But all of Milan and all Milan fans must strive to live up to Franco Baresi’s legacy; we must find the strength and gather all the energy we can, even amid the tears and emotion of a moment that weighs so heavily on us. Franco has left us, after giving us—just a few months ago—one last great, proud image of himself in a packed stadium, connected to the whole world, during the opening ceremony of the Milan Winter Olympics, which he made historic. Let us all unite in embracing the immense memory of Franco, knowing that he will always hold our hands and give us extra motivation for every moment of our Rossoneri lives. Forever. Because Baresi is forever.”