Maldini, Paolo (1968-…), is an Italian former professional soccer player. Maldini is considered one of the greatest players in soccer history. From 1985 through 2009, he starred for AC Milan , a leading Italian soccer club. AC stands for Associazione Calcio, meaning football association. Soccer is called football in much of the world. Maldini also played for the Italian national team, commonly known as Gli Azzurri (The Blues). He served as team captain for both the Azzurri and AC Milan, earning the nickname “Il Capitano” (the Captain). Maldini played defender throughout his long career. For a discussion of soccer positions and formations, see Soccer (Players and officials) .
Paolo Cesare Maldini was born on June 26, 1968, in Milan , in northern Italy. His father, Cesare, was a professional soccer player and later a coach, also starring for both AC Milan and the Azzurri. Paolo joined AC Milan’s youth team at age 10 and made his professional debut at 16. He played his first match for the Italian national team in 1988. He became team captain of both AC Milan and Italy.
Over Maldini’s 25 seasons with AC Milan, the team won seven championships of Serie A, Italy’s top soccer league. Milan also won five Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League titles with Maldini. The Champions League is an annual tournament among Europe’s top professional clubs. Maldini played for the Azzurri in four FIFA World Cup tournaments from 1990 through 2002. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). FIFA is soccer’s world governing body.
In 2015, Maldini became part owner of Miami FC (Football Club), a soccer team that began play in the North American Soccer League in 2016.
