Paolo Maldini is a former Italian Footballer who played for AC Milan and the Italy national team. Paolo predominantly played as a left-back and center-back for his teams. He is highly regarded as an all-time great and the best defender of all time. Paolo Maldini greatly impacted playing for AC Milan and his national team.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Paolo Cesare Maldini |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 26 June 1968 |
| Age | 54 (as of November 2022) |
| Place of birth | Milan, Italy |
| Place of residence | Milan, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight (in prime) | 85 kg |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Hair Colour | Brown |
| Eye Colour | Blue |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Wife | Adriana Fossa |
| Parents | Maria Luisa De Maldini (mother), Cesare Maldini (father) |
| Siblings | Alessandro Maldini, Pier Cesare Maldini, Valentina Maldini, Donatella Maldini, Monica Maldini |
| Profession | Former Professional Soccer Player, Business Owner |
| Teams played for | A.C. Milan (1985-2009) |
| National Team | Italy (1988-2002) |
| Position | Defender |
| Shirt number | 3 |
| Net worth (approx.) | $25 million |
Background And Early Life
Paolo Maldini was born on 26th June 1968 in Milan. Paolo’s Father, Cesare Maldini, was a professional football player who played for AC Milan like his son and was also a defender. Cesare was a brilliant player and ended his Football career as a legend. Maria Luisa Maldini, the mother of Paolo Maldini, married Cesare in the year 1962, and the two have given birth to six children, three sons, and three daughters.
Growing up, Cesare significantly impacted Paolo’s life, and he always wanted to become a footballer like his Father. From a very young age, he started playing football under the guidance of his Father. Along with Paolo, his younger brother, Pier Cesare Maldini, has also played professional football.
Impact Of His Father, Cesare Maldini
Cesare Maldini had a significant impact on Paolo Maldini’s life. Paolo learned football from Cesare, his football coach, in childhood. Apart from Football, Paolo learned much about life from his Father, as both were very close. Cesare died in 2016, and his wife Luisa Maldini, mother of Paolo Maldini, died later in the same year.
Club Career
Maldini played for AC Milan’s youth squad in the 1984-85 season and also won the Coppa Italia Primavera. In 1985, Maldini made his league debut for AC Milan at 16, replacing injured Sergio Battistini in a match against Udinese, and it was his only appearance in the season.
In the 1985-86 season, Maldini was a member of the starting eleven, aged only 17. Carrying his Father’s legacy, Maldini chose the same jersey number (3) as his Father. In the late 80s, and into the early 90s, Paolo played under the much-reputed manager Arrigo Sacchi.
Maldini played all his 25 seasons of club football with AC Milan and won numerous trophies with this club. Maldini got a lot of offers from different clubs during his years, but he chose to stay with AC Milan and retired there in 2009 at the age of 41.
Maldini won 26 trophies as a player over his career of 25 years for AC Milan, one FIFA Club World Cup, two Intercontinental cups, five UEFA Super Cups, five UEFA Champions League, seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, and five Supercoppa Italiana Titles.
Maldini won the UEFA Club Football Awards Best Defender Trophy at 39 and a Serie A Defender of the Year award in 2004.
Maldini played his last game for AC Milan on 31st May 2009, which was also his 647th appearance for the club.
International Career
Paolo Maldini made his International debut for Italy in 1988 at 19. After losing the final of the FIFA World Cup in 1994, Maldini was eventually made the Captain of Italy’s side afterward in the same year. Maldini captained Italy for eight years and held the record for most appearances, with a staggering 75 games, as Italy’s Captain until Cannavaro overtook the record.
Maldini gave some extraordinary performances for Italy over his career but was unable to win a trophy, although he reached the final of both the FIFA World Cup and European Championship. Paolo Maldini played his last international match in 2002 and ended his International career with seven goals and 127 appearances.
Career Statistics
Paolo Maldini made 1027 appearances in his 25-year career and made a colossal impact as a defender for his team. In 2012, he was included in the Italian Football Hall Of Fame.
Love Life
Paolo Maldini is married to Adriana Fossa, and the two have been married for almost 28 years and still going strong. The two met at a famous nightclub in 1988, fell in love, and dated for six years, and then they finally married in 1994.
Adriana Fossa worked as a model and actress until her first child was born in 2002. She quit modeling right after her first child, and with the support of her husband, Adriana Fossa has achieved a lot in the field of business, and she is a very successful businesswoman now.
Net Worth
Paolo Maldini’s net worth is $25 Million, including his earnings from football and advertisements and his earnings as technical director of AC Milan.
Children
Paolo Maldini and Adriana Fossa have two children, Christan Maldini and Daniel Maldini. Christian Maldini played for AC Milan’s youth team, whereas Daniel played for AC Milan’s senior team, which makes it the 3rd consecutive generation of Maldini to have played for AC Milan.
Sweet-Years
Paolo Maldini has his fashion brand, which he runs with his old on-field rival and friend Bobo Vieri. The brand is known as Sweet-Years and has been successfully running for 19 years.
The Sweet Years started as a streetwear brand that has now expanded to all types of fashion products, and it includes perfumes, jewelry, bags, footwear, socks, eyewear, beachwear, and undergarments. Since 2009, The brand has expanded globally and is currently functioning in several countries.
The brand made headlines in 2009 when it launched its range of condoms.
In 2022, The Sweet Years is still running strong.
Social Media Presence
Paolo Maldini has 2.2 Million followers on Instagram and 4 Million followers on Instagram. Maldini still has a huge fan following on social media, considering he retired 13 years back.
Life After Retirement
In 2018, Paolo Maldini was appointed as Sporting Strategy and Development Director for AC Milan, marking his return to the club after 11 years. In 2019, Maldini was promoted to technical director, and since taking on the charge as technical director, Milan has already won its first Serie A title in 11 years.
Paolo’s contract as technical director in AC Milan was renewed on 1st July 2022 for two more years, and currently, he is working as a technical director for AC Milan.
