Shame in Milan: Franco Baresi’s mural in front of Casa Milan has been defaced
Franco Baresi, who recently passed away, is being honored in various ways in Milan, most notably with a mural located right in front of the headquarters of his beloved AC Milan. However, this tribute has been defaced by vandals, who used a can of black spray paint to cover part of his jersey, shorts, and a sock—but most notably, they completely obscured his face and the iconic number 6. The act of vandalism was discovered on Sunday by Alessandro Giungi, a city council member and president of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics Commission.
Giungi documented the incident and reported it on his social media channels, where the damaged state of the image of the historic Milan captain is clearly visible. “Vandalizing a mural commemorating Franco Baresi is such a cowardly and despicable act that it fills me with deep sorrow for the perpetrator of such a disgrace,” wrote the city councilor in his Instagram post.
The number 6, defaced by vandals on the mural, represents much more than just a number to the Rossoneri world. Baresi, who passed away on July 31 at the age of 66 after a long illness, wore that jersey for over 700 matches between 1982 and 1997, becoming the ultimate symbol of Milan and Italian soccer. The funeral took place at the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan, in a ceremony attended by numerous former teammates and figures from the world of soccer.
The Rossoneri club responded to the loss of its Captain with a series of heartfelt tributes. For the entire 2026–27 season, the jerseys of the First Team, Milan Futuro, and the Primavera will feature a special commemorative patch on the left sleeve bearing the words “6 forever,” with the font chosen directly from handwritten messages left by fans in a book displayed at Casa Milan in the days following his passing. This detail is no coincidence: the left sleeve is precisely where Franco wore the captain’s armband throughout his entire career with the Rossoneri.
The memory of Baresi has also transcended national borders. During the preseason friendly derby held in Perth, Australia, the match between Milan and Inter was entirely dedicated to his memory, in an atmosphere of deep emotion just a few days after his passing and the day after his funeral. This is a testament to how the figure of the Rossoneri captain was able to unite the entire world of Italian soccer—and beyond—beyond the confines of soccer rivalries.
