Milanisti minta Berlusconi Mundur

Milan - Fans AC Milan mulai gerah dengan kondisi klubnya yang bukannya berprestasi tapi justru menunjukkan grafik menurun. Mengancam boikot, mereka meminta Silvio Berlusconi mundur dari jabatannya.

Ini bukan kali pertama fans Milan menyatakan ketidakpuasannya terhadap kondisi Rossoneri. Beberapa waktu lalu bahkan ada yang mengirim surat berisi peluru dan secarik kertas bertuliskan "untuk hasil-hasil negatif dan pilihan-pilihan yang salah" yang dianggap sebagai sebuah ancaman.

Mungkin merasa pihak klub tak bereaksi dengan sewajarnya menanggapi keterpurukan Diavolo Rosso, ancaman kedua pun dilancarkan. Sebuah petisi online kini tengah coba dikumpulkan demi menuntut Berlusconi menjual klub "Hitam-Merah" itu, kalau tak juga berpindah tangan mereka berencana melakukan boikot.

Berikut isi petisi yang ditujukan pada Berlusconi itu sebagaimana dimuat Goal, Kamis (3/7/2008).

Klub ini meratapi kurangnya sumber daya (pemain) dibanding (klub) Inggris dan Spanyol, jadi kami mengundang fans untuk mengajukan protes untuk perubahan yang lebih baik.

Kami berterimakasih pada presiden untuk pekerjaan yang telah dia lakukan, tapi selama dua tahun terakhir kami berhasil menang karena tim ini mendapatkan keajaiban dan bukan karena hal-hal lain.

Kami harus membuat diri kami sendiri didengar dengan serius dan kami butuh supaya Milan mengetahui kekecewaan yang kami rasakan. Milan layak mendapat

Milan layak dihormati, maka dari itu untuk keuntungan pihak klub, kami meminta presiden menjual demi mengembalikan harga diri di antara fans.

Setelah menjuarai Liga Champions, musim lalu prestasi Milan menukik tajam. Selain gagal mempertahankan tropi yang sama karena tersingkir di babak 16 besar, Paolo Maldini cs bahkan tak bisa berlaga di ajang paling bergengsi buat klub Eropa tersebut karena cuma duduk di posisi lima klasemen Seri A.

Berlusconi mulai berkuasa di Milan sejak 1986 setelah menanamkan modal melalui salah satu perusahaan investasi miliknya Fininvest. Di bawah kepemimpinannya Milan menjalani masa-masa terbaik sepanjang sejarah klub tersebut.

Prestasi yang paling mentereng adalah tujuh gelar scudetto, lima tropi Liga Champions dan tiga titel kejuaraan dunia (Piala Toyota/Kejuaraan Dunia Antarklub). Total 26 tropi berhasil diraih Milan selama Berlusconi berkuasa. ( din / din )

Alexandre Pato

Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva (born September 2, 1989, in Pato Branco, Paraná), better known as Alexandre Pato, is a Brazilian striker currently playing for Italian club AC Milan.

Early life

Alexandre started playing futsal at the age of 4. His ability soon became known all around the south Brazilian state of Paraná. After being praised by many of his managers, the teenager went to Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, to try out for Internacional. In 2001, at the age of 11, he moved there and started sharing housing with 83 other teenagers that, much like him, wanted to make a name for themselves in the Internacional first team.

In 2000, when Alexandre was 10 years old, x-rays from a broken bone revealed that he had a tumor in his arm. The doctors realized that the tumor would become cancerous in two months if not removed. Alexandre's family could not afford the surgery to remove the tumor, but the doctor, Paulo Roberto Mussi, was a family friend, and operated for free. This event was particularly significant because it occurred in a very crucial year when Alexandre was working towards a professional career with Internacional.

He adopted the nickname Alexandre Pato ("Alex the Duck"), after the city where he was born.

Club Career

International

Pato began his playing career at Internacional in Porto Alegre, where he played for both the youth and senior teams between 2001 and 2007. On his first team debut, at the age of 17, Pato helped Internacional to a 4-1 win over Palmeiras on November 26, 2006. He had created three of the goals and scored the other goal.

Pato scored Internacional's second goal of the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup on December 13 in the semi-final game against Al-Ahly Cairo, helping the team win 2–1 and a spot in the final. With this goal, Pato took Pelé's record as youngest scorer in the history of official FIFA competitions (17 years and 102 days, against Pelé's 17 years and 239 in the 1958 FIFA World Cup against Wales). He was substituted in the final of the competition, before team-mate Adriano Gabiru scored the winner, ensuring the title for Internacional.

Pato was linked to several high profile clubs including Benfica, Juventus, Inter, Chelsea and Arsenal.

A.C. Milan

Incumbent European champions A.C. Milan officially confirmed the signing of Pato on August 2, 2007. He stated before that Ronaldo and Kaká are his idols. The transfer fee paid amounts to the minimum fee clause in Pato's contract with SC Internacional for €22 million.

Due to Italian football regulations regarding non-EU minors, Pato was unable to play official matches for Milan until January 3, 2008, when the Italian transfer window and registration reopened. However, AC Milan was allowed to include the player in friendlies and training beginning September 3, 2007, one day after his 18th birthday. Pato made his non-competitive debut in a 2–2 draw against Dynamo Kiev on September 7, 2007 and scored a header. on January 4, 2008, Pato's transfer to Milan became official.

Pato scored his first Milan goal in his Serie A début against S.S.C. Napoli in a 5–2 home victory on January 13, 2008. He scored his first brace for Milan in a 2–0 victory over Genoa C.F.C. in San Siro on January 27, 2008.

International career

He helped Brazil win the 2007 South American Youth Championship, which qualified the country for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and has been selected by Dunga for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He scored his first goal for the senior team on his debut against Sweden at the Emirates Stadium on March 26, 2008.

Alberto Paloschi

Alberto Paloschi (born January 4, 1990 in Chiari, Province of Brescia) is an Italian striker who currently plays for Serie A club A.C. Milan.

Club career

Paloschi made his professional debut on December 20, 2007, scoring in the first leg of the Coppa Italia round of 16 against Catania, and scored a second goal in the return leg on January 16, 2008.

He made his Serie A debut on February 10 against A.C. Siena as a substitute for Serginho, and scored the match's only goal with his first touch eighteen seconds after coming onto the pitch. He started the next Serie A match on February 13 against A.S. Livorno Calcio.

On February 19 he scored AC Milan's only goal in the 2-1 loss against Sampdoria, at San Siro.

Andrea Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI, (born May 19, 1979 in Flero, Lombardy), is an Italian World Cup and Champions League winning footballer who currently plays for Serie A club A.C. Milan and the Italian national team.

Club career

Pirlo was born into a Sinti gipsy family in the province of Brescia, where his father owns two ironworks. His brother Ivan plays for a Serie C2 club in Brescia.

He played for hometown Brescia Calcio (1994-98 and 2001), Internazionale (1998-99 and 2000), Reggina Calcio (1999-2000) and now plays for AC Milan (2001-Present). With Milan, he won one Scudetto and two Champions League titles. He also won an Italian Cup and 2UEFA Super Cups with Milan in 2003 and 2007.

Pirlo started his career as an offensive midfielder until coach Carlo Ancelotti developed for him a deep-seated playmaking role at A.C. Milan. He led Milan in minutes played for the 2006-07 season with 2,782. In October 2007, he was nominated for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year Award.

International career

Pirlo played for Italy at the 2000 Summer Olympics, won the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics, played at the Euro 2004 and won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Pirlo captained Italy to an Under-21 European Championship in 2000.

Pirlo was a member of the Italian Squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In Italy's first match in the tournament, Pirlo scored the opening goal against Ghana, and subsequently set up a goal for Vincenzo Iaquinta to seal the 2-0 victory. He was named the "Man of the Match".

Pirlo played brilliantly throughout the semifinal against Germany, and he ultimately fashioned a key play at the very end of extra time to give Italy a dramatic victory. At the 119th minute, Pirlo received a ball deflected just outside the German penalty area and kept possession for just enough time to provide a defence splitting assist to Fabio Grosso, who scored the opening goal. Moments later, Alessandro Del Piero scored again, Italy won 2-0, and Pirlo was named Man of the Match once again.

In the final against France, his corner kick produced Marco Materazzi's equalizing header ten minutes after France had opened the score. The match went to a penalty shoot-out, in which he scored. His performance during the match resulted in his being named the FIFA Man of the Match for a third time, more than any other player over the course of the tournament. He was voted the third best player of the tournament behind Zinedine Zidane and Fabio Cannavaro.

Pirlo struck the first goal, a 25th minute penalty, in the Italians 2-0 victory over France in their final game of the group stages of Euro 2008 on June 17. During this game Pirlo picked up his second yellow card of the tournament. As a result he was suspended for the quarter final against Spain.

Honors

A.C. Milan

* Serie A
o Winner: 2004
o Runner-up: 2005

* Coppa Italia: 2003

* Supercoppa Italiana: 2004

* UEFA Champions League
o Winner: 2003, 2007
o Runner-up: 2005

* UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007

* FIFA Club World Cup: 2007

* Intercontinental Cup (runner-up): 2003

International

* FIFA World Cup: 2006

* UEFA Under-21 European Championship: 2000

* 2004 Olympic Bronze Medal

Individual

* 2006 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament

* FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball Award: 2006

* 2006 FIFA World Cup Final Man of the Match

* 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Top Scorer

* FIFPro World XI: 2006

Kaká

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (IPA: [xi'kaʁdu i'zɛksõ du'sɐ̃tus 'leitʃi]; born April 22, 1982 in Brasília), better known as Kaká, is a Brazilian midfielder who plays for Italian Serie A club A.C. Milan and the Brazilian national team. He was the recipient of both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2007, and was named in the 2008 Time 100

Early life

Kaká was born to Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite and Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite. He has a younger brother, Rodrigo (known as Digão), who has followed in his footsteps by playing football for Milan. When he was seven, his family moved to São Paulo. His school had arranged him in a local youth club called "Alphaville," who qualified to the final in a local tournament. There he was discovered by São Paulo FC who offered an assignment.

At the age of 18, Kaká suffered a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spinal fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church.

Club career

Kaká began his club career with São Paulo at the age of eight. He signed a contract at 15 and led the SPFC youth squad to Copa de Juvenil glory. Kaká made his senior side debut in January 2001 and scored 12 goals in 27 appearances, in addition to leading São Paulo to its first and only Torneio Rio-São Paulo championship. He scored 10 in 22 matches the following season, and by this time his performance was soon attracting attention from European clubs. Kaká made totally 146 appearances for São Paulo scoring 58 times.

AC Milan, fresh from winning the 2003 Champions League, brought him aboard in 2003 for $8.5 million, a fee described in hindsight as "peanuts" by club owner Silvio Berlusconi. Within a month, he cracked the starting lineup, and has remained there since. His Serie A debut was in a 2–0 Milan win at A.C. Ancona. He scored 10 goals in 30 appearances that season, as Milan won the Scudetto and the European Super Cup. Kaká was a part of the five-man midfield in the 2004–05 season, usually playing in a withdrawn role behind striker Andriy Shevchenko. He scored 7 goals in 36 domestic appearances as Milan finished runner-up to Juventus. Despite Milan losing the 2004–05 Champions League final to Liverpool F.C. on penalties, he was nonetheless voted the best midfielder of the tournament, and also finished ninth, with 19 votes, in the running for the 2005 Ballon D'Or.

The 2005–06 season saw Kaká score his first hat-tricks in domestic and European competition. On April 9, 2006, he scored his first Rossoneri hat-trick against Chievo Verona. All three goals were scored in the second half. Seven months later, he scored his first Champions League hat-trick in a 4–1 group stage win over RSC Anderlecht. The football world was beginning to take notice of a superstar in the making. Following Rui Costa's departure to Benfica at the end of the season, and despite the insistence of many Milan fans, Kaká turned down the chance to switch from his number 22 to the now-vacant number 10, a number typically associated with world-class playmakers. (The number was eventually claimed by teammate Clarence Seedorf.)

Shevchenko's departure to Chelsea FC for the 2006–07 season allowed Kaká to become the focal point of Milan's offense as he alternated between the midfield and striker positions. He finished as the top scorer in the 2006–07 CL campaign with ten goals, which proved a catalyst in steering Milan back to European success. One of them helped the Rossoneri beat Celtic FC 1–0 after extra time in the quarterfinals on a 1–0 aggregate, and three others proved fatal for Manchester United in the semifinals despite Milan losing the first leg. Following the convincing 3–0 second-leg defeat at the San Siro on May 2 that knocked out the English champions, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson declared that Kaká was one of the two best players in the world, alongside his charge Cristiano Ronaldo. The previous month, a panel of experts set up by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport proclaimed Kaká as the world's best footballer. Shevchenko also included his endorsement, while suggesting that Kaká deserved to win the Ballon D'Or.

Kaká added the Champions League title to his trophy case for the first time when Milan defeated Liverpool F.C. 2–1 in Athens on May 23, 2007. Though he went scoreless, he won a free kick that led to the first of Filippo Inzaghi's two goals, and provided the assist for the second. For his stellar play throughout the competition, he was voted the Vodafone Fans' Player of the Season in a poll of over 100,000 UEFA.com visitors. In June 2007, German football publication Kicker named him the world's best player, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho finishing second and third, respectively, while he was also given this honor by UK publication The Times. On August 30, 2007, Kaká was named by UEFA as both the top forward of the 2006–07 CL season and Club Footballer of the Year.

He played his 200th career match with Milan in a 1–1 home draw with Calcio Catania on September 30, 2007, and on October 5, he was named the 2006–07 FIFPro World Player of the Year.

On December 2, 2007, Kaká was officially announced as the European Footballer of the Year, becoming the eighth Milan player in history to receive the honor. He finished with a decisive 444 votes, far ahead of runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo. Upon accepting the award in Paris, he said, "It was an exceptional year and the Ballon D'or crowns an extraordinary 2007...I want to thank God who allowed me to be here today. I thank my wife, my parents and Milan, the team that allowed me to win. I also thank my teammates, both at Milan and Brazil, and all of the fans." On 29 February, 2008, Kaká agreed to an extension with Milan which will keep him with the Italian club through 2013.

Due to his contributions on and off the pitch, Time magazine named Kaká in the Time 100, a list of the world's 100 most influential people, on 2 May 2008.

National team

Kaká made his debut for Brazil in January 2002 against Bolivia. He was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, but played only 25 minutes, all of which were in the first round match against Costa Rica. During the final against Germany, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was reportedly about to send Kaká on as a substitute, but he never made it into the game as the referee did not notice him waving on the sidelines to enter the pitch.

In 2003, Kaká was the captain for the Gold Cup tournament, where Brazil finished as runner-up, as did Kaká with a second-best three goals. He was also named as one of the competition's top eleven players by position. On June 29, 2005, he scored in a 4–1 defeat of Argentina in the 2005 Confederations Cup final, with a powerful shot into the upper right-hand corner of the net. He finished in joint tenth place in the voting for the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award, and finished two spots higher the following year.

Kaká started in his first FIFA World Cup Finals in 2006, scoring his first and only goal in a 1–0 victory over Croatia in Brazil's opening match. He was also named Man of the match. He was unable to keep up the momentum for the remainder of the tournament, as Brazil was eliminated by France in the quarterfinals. On September 3, 2006, he scored again for Brazil, receiving the ball off a deflection from an Argentina corner kick and taking the ball down three quarters of the field to score.

On May 12, 2007, citing an exhaustive schedule of Serie A, Champions League and national team play, Kaká openly bowed out of the 2007 Copa América, which Brazil eventually won. "I haven't had a break for three seasons. I won't have the form to achieve what is expected of me at an international level." Brazil coach Dunga took the optimistic route, declaring that while he was disappointed about Kaká's decision, his absence would subsequently free up a roster spot for a less frequently used player. Kaká, however, did play 70 minutes of Brazil's 1–1 friendly draw with England on June 1, but only 30 in a goalless draw with Turkey on June 5.

Personal life and religion

A devout evangelical Christian, Kaká became engrossed in religion at the age of 12: "I learnt that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not." He removed his jersey to reveal an "I Belong to Jesus" T-shirt and openly engaged in prayer moments after the final whistle of Milan's 2007 Champions League triumph. Kaká previously sported the same shirt during Milan's 2004 Scudetto celebration and after Brazil's defeat of Germany in the 2002 World Cup final, and had the same phrase, along with "God Is Faithful," stitched onto the tongues of his boots. During the postmatch celebration following Brazil's 4–1 win over Argentina in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final, he and several of his teammates, among them backup keeper Gomes and defender Lúcio, wore T-shirts with "Jesus Loves You" printed on them in various languages.

Kaká is a member of the organization Atletas de Cristo ("Athletes of Christ"). His goal celebration consists of him pointing to the sky as a gesture of thanks to God, and he is proud that he was a virgin when he married. His favourite music is gospel music, and his favorite book is the Bible. Since November 2004, he has served as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations' World Food Programme, the youngest to do so at the time of his appointment.

Kaká was sworn in as an Italian citizen on February 12, 2007. He features prominently in Adidas advertising and also has a modeling contract with Armani, but the latter prevented him from appearing in a photo collection alongside his Milan teammates that was published by Dolce & Gabbana in early 2007. He married his childhood sweetheart Caroline Celico on 23 December 2005 at the evangelical Reborn in Christ Church in São Paulo, Brazil. Their first child, Luca Celico Leite, was born in Milan, Italy on June 10, 2008 .

Nickname

His nickname is pronounced as it is spelled, with stress on the second syllable. It is a common term of endearment of "Ricardo" in Brazil. In Kaká's case, however, it was born from younger brother Rodrigo, who is now known as Digão, calling him "Caca" due to his inability to pronounce "Ricardo" when they were young; it eventually evolved into Kaká. He is occasionally called "Ricky Kaká" by the European media.

Honours

Club and national team

* Copa de Juvenil: 2000
* Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 2001
* Supercampeonato Paulista: 2002
* Serie A: 2004
* Italian Super Cup: 2004
* UEFA Champions League: 2006-07
* UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007
* FIFA Club World Cup: 2007
* FIFA World Cup: 2002
* FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005


Individual honors

* Revista Placar Bola de Ouro: 2002
* Campeonato Brasileiro Bola de Prata (best player by position): 2002
* CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2003
* Serie A Young Footballer of the Year: 2003
* Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2006, 2007
* Serie A Footballer of the Year: 2004,2007
* UEFA Champions League Best Midfielder: 2005
* UEFA Team of the Year: 2006, 2007
* FIFPro World XI: 2006, 2007
* UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 2006-07
* UEFA Champions League Best Forward: 2006-07
* UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2007
* FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2007
* Ballon d'Or: 2007
* FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2007
* Toyota Award: 2007
* FIFA World Player of the Year: 2007
* World Soccer Player of the Year: 2007
* Onze d'Or: 2007
* World‘s best Playmaker: 2007
* IAAF Latin Sportsman of the Year: 2007

Runner-up

* Copa dos Campeões: 2001
* Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 2002
* Campeonato Paulista: 2003
* CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2003
* Intercontinental Cup: 2003
* UEFA Champions League: 2004-2005
* Serie A: 2004-05

Franco Baresi

Franco Baresi (born May 8, 1960 in Travagliato, province of Brescia) is an Italian youth team coach and former football defender with A.C. Milan, acknowledged as one of the greatest defenders ever to play the game. Baresi was colloquially called "piscinin", Milanese dialect for "little one". He is the younger brother of Inter Milan legend Giuseppe Baresi.

Club career

Baresi led the AC Milan team and its defence for the best part of a decade; a period during which Milan's defence was considered by many observers to be one of the best back fours in the history of football, consisting of Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti. He is also one of the few players who spent his entire career at one club, AC Milan, for whom he played 532 games, scoring 16 goals.

He retired from playing in 1997 aged 37. With Milan, Baresi won six scudetti (Serie A league titles) and three European Cups. He mentored defensive partner Paolo Maldini in his later years, whose career has followed a similar path. His #6 jersey was retired by the club, a rarity for Italian football. After a short spell as Director of Football at Fulham, Baresi returned to Milan as a youth team coach in 2002.

International career

Baresi played in two World Cups for Italy. Baresi was part of the 1982 World Cup squad in Spain aged 22 as substitute of another great defender, Gaetano Scirea, but didn't play. His international debut came later that year in a match against Romania. He also missed the 1986 tournament and made his World Cup debut in 1990 when Italy were the hosts. The Azzurri lost to Argentina in the semi-finals, but went on to beat England in the third place play off. He was rather unlucky to have been playing at a time when Scirea was still active in the Italian National Team as both of them were world class defenders and legends in the game, hence his few caps which most were gained when Scirea had retired from the Azzuri.

In the 1994 World Cup he was one step closer to lifting the trophy, losing to Brazil in the final. Despite missing four matches after being injured in Italy's group match against Norway, he underwent emergency surgery and returned to captain the team in the final. He missed the first penalty in the shootout after the 0-0 full-time and extra-time score.

He was also a member of the Italian squad that finished fourth at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

Honours

On March 4, 2004, at a gala ceremony in London, to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the international governing body of football revealed the FIFA 100. The list contains choice of the "greatest living footballers", Baresi was one of many from the legendary Milan teams of the 1990's to be included.

Coaching career

In 2002, Baresi was appointed head coach of AC Milan's Primavera Under-20 squad. In 2006, he was moved by the club to coach the Berretti Under-19 squad, with his former fellow Filippo Galli replacing him at the helm of the Primavera squad.

Honors

Club

* AC Milan:
o European Cup: 1989, 1990, 1994 (now called: UEFA Champions League).
o Intercontinental Cup: 1989, 1990.
o European Supercup: 1989, 1990,1994.
o Italian Championship:1979, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996.
o Italian Super Cup: 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994.
o FIFA World Cup: 1982

Honours

Individual honours

* 1989
o European Silver Ball Footballer of the Year France Football
* 1990
o Top Scorer Italian Cup : (4 goals) Total (14 goals) Italian Cup.
o Italian League The Best Player of the Year.
o Best Silver Player World of the Year IFFHS : 1989
* 1999
o Player of AC Milan of the Century Club.
* 2004
o Named in FIFA 100

Paolo Maldini

Paolo Maldini (born 26 June 1968 in Milan) is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club A.C. Milan. The son of Cesare Maldini, he has spent his entire career with Milan, and is the most-selected player in both the history of the club and Serie A. He played at the left back position for the majority of his career and has played the centre back position since 2002, but he made several appearances at left back in the 2007-08 season.

Club career

Maldini made his league debut on 20 January 1985, at the age of sixteen, against Udinese Calcio as a halftime substitution for the injured Sergio Battistini. It would be his only league appearance of the campaign, but he was in the starting eleven the following season.

The 1987–88 Scudetto marked Maldini's first major trophy, and the first of seven league titles, with the club. He was also part of AC Milan's undefeated "Dream Team" from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

In addition to winning his third Champions League and reaching the 1994 FIFA World Cup final, Maldini became the first defender ever to win World Soccer magazine's annual World Player of the Year Award. During his acceptance speech, Maldini called his milestone "a particular matter of pride because defenders generally receive so much less attention from fans and the media than goalscorers. We are more in the engine room rather than taking the glory." He then singled out Milan captain Franco Baresi as a player who "really [deserved] to receive the sort of award I have received."

Maldini played his 600th Serie A match on 13 May 2007, in a 1–1 draw at Calcio Catania. On 25 September 2005, Maldini broke Dino Zoff's Serie A appearance record after playing his 571st league match against Treviso F.B.C.; seven days earlier, he had played his 800th game in all competitions for Milan. On February 16, 2008, Maldini reached 1,000 senior games with AC Milan and Italy when he entered as a substitute against Parma.

Maldini has participated in eight UEFA Champions League finals during the course of his career, which is more than any other active player, and close to the record held by Francisco Gento. He has lifted the trophy five times, the latest coming in Milan's 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the 2007 CL final on 23 May 2007, in Athens. In an interview with ESPN that aired prior to the broadcast of the 2007 final, he labeled the 2005 final, which Milan lost on penalties to Liverpool in extra time after blowing a 3–0 lead, the worst moment of his career, even though he had scored the fastest-ever goal in a European Clubs' Cup final just 51 seconds into the match, in the process also becoming the oldest player ever to score in a final.

Maldini announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2007-08 season, saying that he would do so with "no regrets." However, following Milan's elimination from the Champions League by Arsenal F.C. in March, Maldini stated that he would possibly delay his retirement for at least a further year. He signed an extension on June 6 that will keep him at Milan for the 2008-09 season.

Milan plan to retire his number 3 shirt, but it will be bequeathed to one of his sons if he makes the club's senior side. His eldest son, Christian, is twelve years old and is currently playing for the Milan youth squad.

International career

Maldini is Italy's most capped player with 126 appearances, and all seven of his career international goals were scored in home matches. He spent over half of his 16 years as an international as team captain, and is also one of three current Milan players who have earned the most caps for their national teams, along with Cafu and Dario Šimić.

However, he never won a major title with the Azzurri. After Italy finished third as the host nation in the 1990 World Cup, Maldini played in his first and only World Cup final in 1994, which Italy lost to Brazil on penalties. Maldini also played a part in the less successful 1998 and 2002 World Cup campaigns, being eliminated in the quarterfinals and last 16, respectively.

Maldini was also a finalist in Italy's Euro 2000 squad that lost to France in the final. He had previously taken part in Euro 1988 and Euro 1996, while Italy failed to qualify for Euro 1992.

Honours

* Serie A

* Winner (7):

* 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004

* Runner-up (3):

* 1990, 1991, 2005


* Coppa Italia

* Winner (1):

* 2003

* Runner-up (2):

* 1990, 1998


* Supercoppa Italiana

* Winner (5):

* 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2004

* Runner-up (3):

* 1996, 1999, 2003


* UEFA Champions League

* Winner (5):

* 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007

* Runner-up (3):

* 1993, 1995, 2005


* UEFA Super Cup

* Winner (5):

* 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007

* Runner-up (1):

* 1993


* Intercontinental Cup

* Winner (2):

* 1989, 1990

* Runner-up (3):

* 1993, 1994, 2003


* FIFA Club World Cup

* Winner (1):

* 2007


International

* FIFA World Cup

* Runner-up: 1994
* Third place: 1990
* Apperances: 1990 1994 1998 2002

* UEFA European Championship

* Runner-up: 2000

Personal

* FIFA 100 (125 greatest living players)

* The 100 Greatest Players of the 20th Century - World Soccer Magazine

* World Soccer Player of the Year 1994

* 1994 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament

* Serie A Defender of the Year: 2004

* UEFA Champions League Best Defender: 2007

* Most Outstanding Young Football Player in Europe (Bravo Award) 1989

* UEFA Team of the Year: 2003, 2005

* FIFPro World XI: 2005

* FIFA World Player of the Year (runner-up): 1995

* Most Capped Player for Azzurri