Franco Baresi facts for kids
Baresi in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Franchino Baresi | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 May 1960 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Travagliato, Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1977 | AC Milan | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1997 | AC Milan | 532 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1994 | Italy | 81 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2006 | AC Milan Primavera | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Milan Primavera (Berretti) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Franco Baresi (born May 8, 1960) is a famous Italian football player and coach. He spent his entire 20-year playing career with the Italian club AC Milan. He was a defender, usually playing as a sweeper or central defender. A sweeper is a defender who "sweeps up" any loose balls or attacking players who get past the main defense.
Many people consider Baresi one of the greatest defenders of all time. He was even ranked among the top 100 players of the 20th century by World Soccer magazine. During his time with Milan, he won many important trophies. These include three UEFA Champions League titles (Europe's top club competition) and six Serie A titles (Italy's top league). He also won a FIFA World Cup with the Italian national team.
Baresi was part of the Italian team that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 1990 World Cup, where Italy finished third. In the 1994 World Cup, he was the captain of the Italian team that reached the final. Even though Italy lost that final in a penalty shootout, Baresi's performance was outstanding.
Contents
Franco Baresi's Early Life
Franco Baresi grew up on a farm outside a small town called Travagliato in northern Italy. He did not start watching football on TV until he was 10 years old.
Playing for AC Milan
Franco Baresi started his football journey in the youth team of AC Milan. He played his first professional game for Milan in Italy's top league, Serie A, when he was just 17 years old in 1978. Interestingly, he had first tried out for Inter Milan, Milan's rival team, but they chose his older brother, Giuseppe, instead. So, AC Milan signed Franco. Both brothers later became captains of their respective teams. Their image, exchanging team flags before games, became a symbol of the Milan derby matches in the 1980s.
In his second season, Baresi became a regular starter. He helped Milan win the 1978–79 Serie A title. This was Milan's tenth league title.
Tough Times and Loyalty
After this success, AC Milan went through a difficult period. The club was sent down to Serie B (Italy's second division) twice in the early 1980s. Once, it was due to a match-fixing scandal in 1980. The second time was after finishing near the bottom of Serie A in 1982. Even though Baresi was part of the Italian team that won the 1982 World Cup, he chose to stay with Milan. He helped the team win the Serie B title in 1982–83, bringing them back to Serie A.
At just 22 years old, Baresi became Milan's captain. He kept this role for most of his career, becoming a true leader and symbol for the club.
The Golden Era of Milan
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Baresi was the heart of an amazing Italian defense. He played alongside other legendary defenders like Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, and Mauro Tassotti. Many people believe this defense was one of the best ever.
When famous Dutch players like Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard joined Milan, the club began a period of huge success. Between 1987 and 1996, Milan won many titles both in Italy and in Europe. Under coach Arrigo Sacchi, Milan won the Serie A title in 1987–88, conceding only 14 goals all season. They also won back-to-back European Cups (now called the UEFA Champions League) in 1988–89 and 1989–90. In the 1990 European Cup Final, Baresi led his team to a 1–0 victory, keeping a clean sheet.
Baresi continued to win four more Serie A titles with Milan under coach Fabio Capello. This included three titles in a row from 1991 to 1994. In the 1991–92 season, Baresi helped Milan go undefeated for an Italian record of 58 matches. Milan also reached three UEFA Champions League finals in a row from 1992 to 1995. Baresi won his third European Cup/UEFA Champions League title in 1993–94 when Milan beat FC Barcelona 4–0 in the final.
Retirement and Legacy
Franco Baresi retired at the end of the 1996–97 Serie A season, at the age of 37. In his 20 seasons with Milan, he won six Serie A titles, three European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, and many other cups. He scored 31 goals for Milan, mostly from penalty kicks.
To honor his incredible career, AC Milan retired his number 6 shirt. This means no other player at Milan will ever wear the number 6 jersey again. The captain's armband, which Baresi wore for 15 seasons, was passed on to Paolo Maldini. In 1999, Baresi was voted Milan's Player of the Century. He was also named one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers by Pelé in 2004.
Playing for Italy
Franco Baresi was first called up to the Italian national team at age 20 for the 1980 European Championship. His older brother, Giuseppe, was also on that team. However, Franco did not play in any matches during that tournament.
World Cup Success
At 22, Baresi was part of Italy's squad for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. The Italian team won their third World Cup title, but Baresi did not play in any games.
He returned to the national team for the 1988 European Championship, where Italy reached the semi-finals. Baresi became a key player, playing in every match. He made his first appearance in a World Cup match in the 1990 tournament, which was held in Italy. He played in every game as a starting defender. Italy finished in third place after losing to Argentina in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals. Baresi helped the Italian defense keep five clean sheets in a row, only letting in two goals throughout the tournament. His strong performances earned him a spot on the 1990 World Cup All-Star Team.
For the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Baresi became Italy's captain. He suffered an injury in Italy's second group match and missed most of the tournament. However, he made an amazing return for the final against Brazil, just 25 days later. He played a dominant defensive game, helping Italy keep a clean sheet. The match ended 0–0 after extra time and went to a penalty shootout. Unfortunately, Baresi missed his penalty, and Italy lost to Brazil.
After the 1994 World Cup, Baresi played one more game for Italy in September 1994. He then retired from the national team at age 34. He played 81 games for Italy and scored one goal. He is one of only seven players to have won gold, silver, and bronze FIFA World Cup medals.
How Franco Baresi Played
Franco Baresi is known as one of the greatest defenders in football history. He was a complete and consistent player, combining strength with elegance. He was fast, strong, and very focused, which made him good in the air despite not being very tall for a defender.
Baresi was excellent as a central defender and sweeper. He was great at reading the game and had excellent vision and ball skills. These qualities allowed him to play in a zonal marking system, where defenders cover areas instead of specific players. He was also known for raising his arm to signal an offside trap, a tactic where defenders move forward to catch attacking players offside.
Baresi's passing ability and ball control meant he could also start attacks from the back. He was a strong and accurate tackler, very good at winning the ball back. He was also known for his tactical intelligence and ability to anticipate plays. Throughout his career, he was praised for his professionalism, fitness, and leadership. He was a captain for both Milan and the Italian national team.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Franco Baresi became a coach. In 2002, he was briefly a director of football at the English club Fulham.
He later became the head coach of Milan's Under-20 youth team, called Primavera. In 2006, he moved to coach the Under-19 team, the Berretti squad. He eventually retired from coaching.
Franco Baresi's Family Life
Franco Baresi is the younger brother of Giuseppe Baresi, who was also a famous defender for Inter Milan. When they were young, both brothers tried out for Inter. Inter chose Giuseppe but rejected Franco, who then joined rival club AC Milan. Because Franco was the younger brother, he was first known as "Baresi 2." However, Franco's huge success and popularity later in his career meant that Giuseppe became known as "the other Baresi."
In 1981, Baresi had a serious blood infection that kept him from playing for almost four months. He even needed a wheelchair for a time. He helped with medical research for the disease while he was getting treatment.
Honours and Awards
AC Milan
- Serie A: 1978–79, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96
- Serie B: 1980–81, 1982–83
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994
- European Cup/UEFA Champions League: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94
- European Super Cup: 1990, 1994
- Intercontinental Cup: 1989, 1990
- Italy
- FIFA World Cup: 1982; Runner-Up: 1994; Third Place: 1990
Individual Awards
- Ballon d'Or Runner-Up: 1989
- Coppa Italia Top Scorer: 1989–90
- Guerin d'Oro: 1989–90
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1990
- AC Milan Player of the Century: 1999
- FIFA 100: 2004 (Named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest living footballers)
- Golden Foot: 2012 (Recognized as a "Football Legend")
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Franco Baresi para niños
