Paolo Maldini Says His San Siro Goodbye

We haven’t had a retirement this big since Zinedine Zidane in 2006 and, let’s hope, it should go much better. And were it not for the stage of Zidane’s retirement, it could be said this is much bigger.

Paolo Maldini has been playing for Milan since 1985, which is nothing short of remarkable. But what’s downright flabbergasting is that Paolo Maldini has been playing at a high level for Milan since 1985. No drop off, no letdown, very fews signs of that career killer known as “age”. For two and a half decades, nothing but class.

Long defined as the symbol of Milan, the world’s premiere defender and the man with a trophy cabinet enough to make all but a few clubs in the world jealous. But it’s perhaps his dignity and class which have seen him become the favorite of so many without ties to Milan or those who don’t even follow Serie A on a regular basis. Always the gentleman with a bounty of gifts from God.

Next week Milan are away to Fiorentina – reason enough to do away with computer scheduling – and thus today Paolo will bid an emotional farewell to a packed San Siro which will surely be devoid of a single dry eye the moment 3 flashes on the board.

The game is at 1500 CET, 0900 EST and the streaming is here. Whether you’re a Milan fan, a Maldini fan, a fan of calcio, a sucker for a tear-jerker or somebody who just popped in for GoogleAds, it’s a strongly recommended watch. For what he’s meant to Milan, Italy and the world of football, the send-off will be appropriately poetic.

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Category: Serie A, World Football