AC Milan and Italy great Baresi dies aged 66

What the report says

BBC Sport reported that Franco Baresi, the former AC Milan and Italy defender widely regarded as one of football’s outstanding centre-backs, has died at 66. The report said AC Milan announced the death and paid tribute to a former captain whose conduct and influence it said would remain part of the club’s identity.

According to BBC Sport, Baresi played only for Milan during a senior career that ran from 1977 to 1997. He became captain at 22 and led the side for 15 seasons, making 719 appearances and scoring 33 goals. During that period he helped the club win six Serie A championships and three European Cups/Champions League titles, placing him among the defining figures of Milan’s most successful eras.

Baresi also won 81 caps for Italy. BBC Sport noted that he was in the squad that won the 1982 World Cup and later played in the 1994 World Cup final, when Italy were beaten by Brazil. His reputation was built on anticipation, organisation and leadership from defence, and his career is frequently cited in discussions of the greatest defenders in the game.

The BBC report added that Baresi became AC Milan’s honorary vice-president in 2020, and that the club later retired his number six shirt. It also said he had surgery in August 2025 to remove a lung nodule, and that his most recent public appearance was at San Siro during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in February.