PAOLO MALDINI

Date Of Birth : 29 June 1968
Position : Left-Back/ Center-Back
Nation : Italy
Height : 187 cm
Major Club : AC Milan
Caps : 126 Games
World Cup Participation : 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002(23 Games)
Club Honours : 7 Times Italian Series A
1 Time Copa Italia
5 Times UEFA Champion League (1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007)
3 Times UEFA Champion League Runner-Up (1993, 1995, 2005)
International Honours : 1994 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up
2000 European Championship Runner-Up
Individual Achievement : 1989 Bravo Award
2 Times European Championship Team Of Tournament (1996, 2000)
2 Times FIFA World Cup All-Star (1990, 1994)
2 Times Bronze Ball European Footballer Of The Year (1994, 2003)
1994 World Soccer Player Of The Year
1995 Silver Ball FIFA World Player Of The Year
1995 Bronze Ball Onze d’Or
2 Times UEFA Team Of The Year (2003, 2007)
2002 FIFA Dream Team
2004 Series A Defender Of The Year
2005 FIFPro World XI
2007 UEFA Champion League Best Defender

Paolo Maldini is already regarded by so many as the greatest defender of all-time after his retirement at 41 Year olds. He was honoured to retire number 3 for AC Milan which he totally played 902 matches for 25 seasons and alos holds all-time record mosr appearance in European Cup with 139 games. He incredibly debuted in Italian series A at 16 year olds and becoming a world-class defender since his only 20 year olds for AC Milan and Italy and sustain his level through 1990s before switching from left-back to center-back during 2000s which he still reach world-class in some years. He was also voted in top ten Ballon D’or in 1993, 1996, 2000 and 2005, also being voted in top ten FIFA World Player Of The Year in 1996 and 2005. Maldini is a modern defender with considerable technique and vision, solid defensively, quick and with excellent recuperation skills. Maldini holds the all-time world cup record of 2,217 consecutive minutes played and also holds with Francisco Gento of the all-time most appearances in European Cup final with 8. Maldini was finished 10th in UEFA Jubilee Poll as the best European footballer in last 50 years.