Former AC Milan defender Franco Baresi dies at 66

Franco Baresi attends an AC Milan Legends match. File | Photo Credit: Reuters Franco Baresi, the former AC Milan defender and World Cup winner with Italy, has died. He was 66. His death was announced on Friday (July 31, 2026) by Milan, the football club where he spent his entire 20-year playing career. No cause of death was given."The entire history of AC Milan is in tears," Milan said.In August 2025, Baresi underwent surgery to remove a pulmonary nodule and subsequently began a course of immunotherapy. His last public appearance was at the opening ceremony for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February, when along with former Inter Milan defender Giuseppe Bergomi, he carried the torch into the San Siro — the stadium he formerly played in. Franco Baresi of Italy in action against Brazil’s Romario at the 1994 World Cup | Photo Credit: Action Images “Announcing the loss of someone who embodied the heart and soul of AC Milan, is incredibly difficult,” the club said. "But everyone at the club and all the Milanisti must live up to Franco Baresi’s memory. We must be strong and gather every bit of energy, even at this saddest of times.”“His example and integrity will be forever etched into the Club’s DNA, just as his iconic number 6 shirt is,” Milan added. “The condolences AC Milan extends to Franco Baresi’s family at such a difficult time are shared by every Rossonero, who feels this loss as their own.”Baresi, who was widely regarded as one of the best defenders of all time, was a true one-club player. He progressed through the ranks at Milan and made his first team debut at the age of 17, in April 1978. He chose to stay with Milan even after it was relegated to Serie B — for the second time in three seasons — in 1982, just before he helped Italy win the World Cup that summer, and was given the captaincy at the age of just 22.Baresi made more than 700 appearances for the Rossoneri, captaining the team to global dominance in the late 1980s and early 1990s.With Milan, Baresi won three Champions League trophies, six Serie A titles, two Intercontinental Cups, three European Supercups and four Italian Supercups. As well as the 1982 World Cup, Baresi also helped Italy finish runners-up in the 1994 competition — although he was one of three Azzurri players to miss a penalty in the shootout defeat to Brazil in the final.Baresi finished runner-up to teammate Marco van Basten in the Ballon d’Or awards in 1989. When Baresi retired in 1997, Milan also retired his No. 6 jersey — which was a first for Italian football. The club also held a celebration match in his honor, featuring many football stars Baresi had played with and against.Baresi was made honorary President of Milan in 2020. It could have all been so different for Baresi and Milan, however. Baresi had trials at Inter when he was younger but he was rejected by the Nerazzurri, who opted to sign his older brother Giuseppe Baresi, with Franco Baresi going on to join the youth team of their fierce city rivals.Giuseppe also captained his team and the image of the two Baresi brothers exchanging pennants before kickoff became the symbol of the Milan derby throughout the late 80s. Published - July 31, 2026 02:17 pm IST