Cesare Maldini

Cesare Maldini

Maldini in 1969
Personal information
Full name Cesare Maldini
Date of birth (1932-02-05)5 February 1932
Place of birth Trieste, Italy
Date of death 3 April 2016(2016-04-03) (aged 84)
Place of death Milan, Italy
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Defender
Youth career
1950–1952 Triestina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1952–1954 Triestina 32 (0)
1954–1966 Milan 347 (3)
1966–1967 Torino 33 (0)
Total 412 (3)
National team
1960–1963 Italy 14 (0)
Teams managed
1970–1972 Milan (assistant manager)
1972–1974 Milan
1974–1976 Foggia
1976–1977 Ternana
1978–1980 Parma
1980–1986 Italy (assistant manager)
1986–1996 Italy U21
1996–1998 Italy
2001 Milan
2001–2002 Paraguay

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Cesare Maldini (5 February 1932 – 3 April 2016) was an Italian professional football manager and player, who played as a defender.

Father to Paolo Maldini, Cesare began his career with Italian side Triestina, before transferring to Milan in 1954, with whom he won four Serie A league titles and one European Cup during his twelve seasons with the club. He retired in 1967, after a season with Torino. Internationally, he played for the Italian national team, earning 14 caps and participating in the 1962 World Cup. He served as team captain for both Milan and Italy.

As a manager, he also coached his former club Milan on two occasions, as well as Italian sides Foggia, Ternana and Parma. He had a successful career in charge of the Italy under-21 side, winning the European Under-21 Championship a record three consecutive times; he later also coached the Italy senior team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and the Paraguay national football team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Early life

The son of Albino Maldini, a sailor, and Maria, Cesare Maldini was born in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.[1] Cesare Maldini's parents were ethnic Slovenians and their original surname was Mladič but they were forced to change it due to the Fascist law.[2] He married Maria Luisa (Marisa; née Mazzucchelli, 1939–2016[3]) in 1962; together they had six children: three sons and three daughters.[1] One of his sons, Paolo, also had a successful football career as a defender with Milan,[4] and also once held the record for the most caps for the Italian national team (now third behind Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro). The younger Maldini captained Milan to the UEFA Champions League title in 2003 and 2007, and won the trophy five times in total.[5] Maldini's grandsons Christian[6] and Daniel play football in the Milan youth teams.[7][8][9]

Club career

Maldini began his playing career with local side Triestina, in 1952,[1] and made his Serie A debut in his first season with the club, on 24 May 1953, in a 0–0 away draw against Palermo.[10] After two seasons with Triestina, Maldini transferred to A.C. Milan in 1954, where he went on to achieve notable successes both domestically and internationally in the team's starting line-up, also becoming an important figure at the club.[11] He made his debut with the club on 19 September 1954, in a 4–0 league win over his former side, featuring in a Milan team which included several important players at the time, such as Lorenzo Buffon, Francesco Zagatti, Nils Liedholm, Gunnar Nordahl, and Juan Alberto Schiaffino; he immediately broke into the first team and won his first league title in his debut season with the squad.[10][12] In total, he made 347 appearances for Milan in Serie A, scoring 3 goals,[13] and made 412 appearances for the club in all competitions.[12][14] Maldini won four league titles with Milan, and also later became the team's captain in 1961, a role which he held for several years, until he left the club, and was succeeded by Gianni Rivera. During his time with Milan, he also won a Coppa Latina, and went on to capture the club's first ever European Cup as team captain in 1963, as Milan defeated Benfica 2–1 at Wembley Stadium on 22 May, with two goals from José Altafini;[4][14][15][16] as a result, Milan became the first Italian side ever to win the trophy, while Maldini became the first Italian captain to lift the cup.[8][17] He made his final appearance for Milan on 22 May 1966, in a 6–1 home win over Catania, in Serie A.[10] In 1966 he moved to Torino for a season, before retiring in 1967;[7] he made his final Serie A appearance on 28 May, in a 2–1 away defeat to Napoli.[10]

International career

At international level Maldini earned 14 caps for the Italy national football team between 1960 and 1963, also serving as the national team's captain between 1962 and 1963,[18] but was less successful than with Milan. He made his debut on 6 January 1960, in a 3–0 win over Switzerland in the 1955–60 Central European International Cup,[18][19] and later took part in the 1962 FIFA World Cup with Italy, making two appearances in the competition.[16] The team suffered a disappointing and controversial first-round elimination, although he was named to the team of the tournament for his performances.[7][20] He made his final appearance for Italy in a European championship qualifier in Moscow, in 1963, as Italy suffered a 2–0 away defeat to the Soviet Union.[1]

Style of play

A commanding, elegant, and respected defender, with good physical attributes, excellent technique, passing range, and an ability to set the tempo of his team's play, Maldini was known for being strong in the air, and for his outstanding ability to read the game, time his challenges, and anticipate opponents; he is considered one of the greatest defenders of his generation, and one of Italy's best ever defenders. He was also highly regarded for his leadership, and consistency, as well as his discipline and class, both on and off the pitch; throughout his career, he only received five yellow cards and was only sent off only once. A tactically versatile player, although he was usually deployed as a centre-back, or as a sweeper, he was also capable of functioning as a full-back on either side of the pitch, or even as a defensive midfielder on occasion, due to his tendency to advance into midfield when in possession of the ball.[1][4][13][14][21][22] Despite his reputation as a consistently world-class defender, in his early career Maldini was at times also known for being overly confident in possession, and for having a penchant to take risks when carrying or playing the ball out of the defence, due to his passing accuracy and ability on the ball; this tendency occasionally led to sporadic and atypical defensive errors, which were later humourously dubbed Maldinate by the Italian media.[23]

Managerial career

Early career

After retiring from playing Maldini became a coach, starting his career as an assistant manager for Nereo Rocco at Milan in 1970, and later also coached the team between 1972 and 1974, while Rocco served as the club's technical director. Maldini's first official match as Milan's head coach came on 6 September 1972, in a 4–1 away win over FA Red Boys Differdange in the Cup Winners' Cup;[10][12] Maldini won a Coppa Italia and a Cup Winners' Cup double in 1973, and also narrowly missed out on the league title that season.[7][11][12][21] He was sacked by the club in 1974, following a disappointing 2–1 defeat to Verona on 6 April, and was replaced by Giovanni Trapattoni for the final few games of the season.[10][12] He later went on to coach Foggia (1974–1976), Ternana (1976–77), and Serie C1 side Parma (1978–80), helping the team to obtain Serie B promotion during his tenure with the club, after managing a second-place finish in the league during the 1978–79 Serie C1 season.[7][19][21]

Between 1980 and 1986, he was one of Enzo Bearzot's assistants for the Italian national team, and even served as his assistant manager during the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, which Italy won.[7][21][24]

Italy under-21 coach

Maldini took charge of the Italian Under-21 side in 1986, and coached the team for ten years, winning the European Under-21 Football Championship tournament a record three consecutive times between 1992 and 1996.[25] As Italy's Under-21 coach, Maldini was also known as a mentor for many of the team's players, who later stated that he played a key role in their development; indeeed, former protégés Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Totti from Maldini's 1996 Under-21 European Championship-winning squad went on to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[26] He also coached the Italian Olympic teams that took part at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.[21][24]

1998 World Cup with Italy senior team

Following his successes with the Under-21 side, Maldini took charge of the senior team in December 1996,[19] replacing Arrigo Sacchi.[1] After taking over as the national team's manager, he helped Italy to a crucial 1–0 away victory over England at Wembley Stadium on 12 February 1997,[1] and successfully aided the team to qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup undefeated through the play-offs against Russia.[24] Under Maldini, Italy were one of the four teams who also took part in the 1997 Tournoi de France friendly tournament, against his wishes, in which they finished in last place.[27][28][29] Despite initially struggling in qualification, the Italian media and fans had great expectations of the 1998 side, which included a strong defence, and several prolific attacking players, such as Christian Vieri, Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi, among others, in their prime. Cesare Maldini's son, Paolo, was captain of the team.[4][8][24][30]

Italy were drawn in Group B of the tournament with Chile, Cameroon and Austria. They won their group, drawing 2–2 with Chile in their opening game,[24] and then beating Cameroon 3–0[31] and Austria 2–1.[32] Advancing to the Round of 16, Italy then beat Norway 1–0[33] to secure a spot in the quarter-finals against tournament hosts France. After a goalless draw, Italy were eventually eliminated by the eventual champions on penalties.[34]

Although Italy did not lose a match at the World Cup, Maldini resigned after the tournament due to heavy criticism in the Italian media over his allegedly ultra-defensive and "old-fashioned" catenaccio-inspired tactics, which included the use of a traditional man-marking defensive back-line line, as well as a sweeper.[1][23][24][30][35][36][37] He was also condemned for leaving Gianfranco Zola out of the squad, and for his reluctance to field creative forwards Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero alongside each other in the front-line, opting instead to have one player come on for the other in the second half;[24][30][38] these controversial substitutions were compared to those made between Sandro Mazzola and Gianni Rivera by Ferruccio Valcareggi, the Italian manager at the 1970 World Cup.[39]

Milan return and 2002 World Cup with Paraguay

After serving as a head scout for his former team Milan from February 1999,[19] Maldini briefly returned to coach the Milan first team in March 2001, serving as an interim manager for the club (whose captain was his son, Paolo)[40] alongside youth coach Mauro Tassotti, following Alberto Zaccheroni's sacking, and led the squad for their final games of the season.[41] Although the club endured a disappointing season, finishing in sixth place and failing to qualify for the Champions League, Maldini did lead the team to a memorable 6–0 victory over cross-city rivals Inter in the Milan Derby on 11 May;[12] the result was Inter's worst-ever home defeat in Serie A, and Milan's biggest league win in the Derby.[42] After helping the club to qualify for the UEFA Cup,[41] Maldini was replaced by Fatih Terim the following season, although he initially remained with the club as an advisor to the coach.[19]

In January 2002, Maldini became coach of Paraguay's national team.[43] His appointment caused some controversy as domestic managers were overlooked (prompting the managers union to try to unsuccessfully expel him for immigration breaches), and because he spoke little Spanish.[1] Maldini nonetheless had the support of star goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert and several other senior players.[44] He took over the team which had already qualified for the 2002 World Cup hosted by South Korea and Japan; at the age of 70, he became, what was at the time, the oldest coach to ever be in charge of a national side at a World Cup tournament (his son Paolo captained Italy in the same tournament);[7] this record was later broken by Greece's coach Otto Rehhagel in the 2010 World Cup.[45]

Despite missing Chilavert for the first game due to suspension, Paraguay managed to advance from Group B to the Round of 16, after a 2–2 draw with South Africa,[46] a 3–1 defeat from Spain,[47] and a 3–1 victory over Slovenia.[48] In the Round of 16, Paraguay were eliminated by the eventual finalists Germany, losing 1–0 courtesy of an 89th-minute goal from Oliver Neuville.[49]

After retirement

After the 2002 World Cup, Maldini returned to A.C. Milan as a talent scout for the Rossoneri.[50] He also later worked as a sports analyst for several radio stations and sports channels,[19] such as beIN SPORTS, and also for Al Jazeera in 2012, with Alessandro Altobelli.[7]

Death

On 3 April 2016, Cesare died in Milan at the age of 84.[51] In his honour, a minute of silence was held before every league game in Italy that weekend, while Milan players wore black armbands in their match against Atalanta.[52] Maldini's funeral service was held on 5 April, at the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, in Milan,[53] and was attended by several important footballing figures.[9] His wife died later that year, on 28 July.[3]

Career statistics

Club

Source:[10]

Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Triestina 1952–53 10------10
1953–54 310------310
Milan 1954–55 271----10281
1955–56 220--6020300
1956–57 211----20231
1957–58 3203080--430
1958–59 34010--10360
1959–60 290--4010340
1960–61 30020--20340
1961–62 341--20--361
1962–63 310109020430
1963–64 220103030290
1964–65 340--20--360
1965–66 3101080--400
Torino 1966–67 33030--30390
Total for Milan 3473904201404123
Career totals 41231204201704513

*European competitions include the UEFA European Cup & UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

International

Source:[18]

Italy national team
Year Apps Goals
1960 10
1961 30
1962 60
1963 40
Total 140

Honours

Club

Milan[13][21]

Individual

Manager

Club

Milan[10][21]

International

Italy national under-21 football team[25]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Brian Glanville (5 April 2016). "Cesare Maldini obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  2. ↑ http://www.sportskeeda.com/football/paolo-maldini-ac-milan-greatest-defender-all-time. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. 1 2 "Today Marisa Maldini passed away". A.C. Milan. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Italy place faith in family values". The Irish Times. 11 October 1997. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Retiring Maldini celebrates the beauty of Milan". UEFA.com. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Christian Maldini". Discipline Knowledge. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Giorgio Dell’Arti (9 May 2014). "Cesare Maldini" (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 Tom Mendelsohn (3 April 2016). "Cesare Maldini obituary: Italy and AC Milan legend dies at 84". International Business Times. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Sheva: 'Maldini like a father'". Football Italia. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Cesare Maldini". magliarossonera.it (in Italian). Maglia Rossonera. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Milan great Cesare Maldini dies aged 84". FourFourTwo. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "FAREWELL TO A CLUB LEGEND". A.C. Milan. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "A.C. Milan Hall of Fame: Cesare Maldini". acmilan.com. A.C. Milan. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 Michael Butler (3 April 2016). "Cesare Maldini, former Milan captain and Italy manager, dies aged 84". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  15. ↑ "Wembley 1963". Uefa.com. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  16. 1 2 "Morto Cesare Maldini, aveva 84 anni" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  17. ↑ "1963, Cesare Maldini primo italiano ad alzare la Coppa Campioni: Milan sul tetto d'Europa" (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 "Maldini, Cesare" (in Italian). FIGC. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "E' morto Cesare Maldini: ci regalò l'impresa di Vicenza 1979" (in Italian). La Gazzetta di Parma. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  20. 1 2 "FIFA World Cup Awards: All-Star Team". Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Alberto Costa. "Maldini, Cesare" (in Italian). Treccani: Enciclopedia dello Sport (2002). Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  22. ↑ Germano Bovolenta (4 February 2012). "Difensore, allenatore e papà Gli 80 anni di Cesare Maldini" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  23. 1 2 "Il paradosso di Cesarone: le 'Maldinate' in campo, il gioco all'italiana in panchina" (in Italian). Il Napolista. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Francia 1998 – Capitolo II: Le scelte di Cesare" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  25. 1 2 "Italy beats Spain: third European title for Cesare Maldini" (PDF). FIGC.it. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  26. ↑ "AC Milan legend Cesare Maldini passes away at 84". Yahoo. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  27. ↑ "TORNEO DI FRANCIA, TORNA PAGLIUCA CON 3 DEBUTTANTI" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 31 May 1997. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  28. ↑ "French feast to comfort soccer starved". irishtimes.com. 3 June 1997. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  29. ↑ "Addio 1997" (in Italian). RAISport. 31 December 1997. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  30. 1 2 3 "Francia 1998 – Capitolo Capitolo III: I rigori ancora protagonisti" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  31. ↑ "Italy – Cameroon3:0 (1:0)". FIFA. 17 June 1998. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013.
  32. ↑ "Vieri, Baggio goals help Italy win 2–1, avoid Brazil". CNN. 15 September 1998. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007.
  33. ↑ "Italia, la vittoria della sofferenza" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  34. ↑ "Francia avanti, ancora rigori stregati" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  35. ↑ Helene Elliott (17 June 1998). "Player's Father Always Interferes With Italy's Coach". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  36. ↑ "Profile: Cesare Maldini". BBC.co.uk. 10 April 2002. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  37. ↑ "Test per la difesa a tre Spazio a Cossu e Maggio" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 2 March 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  38. ↑ "Maldini sceglie Baggio, ma Alex vuole il posto" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  39. ↑ "Messico 70 e quei sei minuti di Rivera" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "Prima trasferta" (in Italian). Rai Sport. 7 April 2001. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  41. 1 2 Richard Whittle (20 January 2014). "Professor Seedorf needs time for right chemistry at Milan". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  42. ↑ Simon Evans (12 May 2001). "AC crush Inter in derby drubbing". ESPN FC. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  43. ↑ "Maldini to Coach Paraguay in Cup". The New York Times. 28 December 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2001.
  44. ↑ "World Cup 2002 Cesare Maldini". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  45. ↑ Nicola Cecere (3 April 2016). "Maldini, dalla Coppa Campioni a c.t. del figlio: una carriera straordinaria" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  46. ↑ "South Africa peg back Paraguay". BBC. 2 June 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  47. ↑ "Spain reach last 16". BBC. 7 June 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  48. ↑ "Slovenia – Paraguay (1–3)". Sky Sports. 12 June 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  49. ↑ "Germany edge out Paraguay". BBC. 15 June 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  50. ↑ "Mondiali, Cesare Maldini: farò l'osservatore del Milan" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  51. ↑ "Former Italy head coach Cesare Maldini dies aged 84". FIFA. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  52. ↑ "Former Italy coach Maldini passes away". TSN. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  53. ↑ "CESARE MALDINI FUNERAL: BERLUSCONI ARRIVES". A.C. Milan. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  54. ↑ "ERIC BATTY's WORLD XI – THE SIXTIES" Retrieved on 26 November 2015
  55. ↑ "Italian football Hall of Fame to induct ten new stars". 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Francesco Zagatti		 Milan captain
1961–1966 		Succeeded by
Gianni Rivera
Preceded by
Lorenzo Buffon		 Italy captain
1962–1963 		Succeeded by
Sandro Salvadore
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