باولو سيزار مالديني من مواليد 26 يونيو1968 في ميلانو في إيطاليا ، و هو ابن لاعب كرة القدم السابق سيزار مالديني ، يلعب مالديني في مركز الظهير الأيسر و مركز قلب الدفاع ، و طوال مشواره الطويل في كرة القدم لم يلعب لنادي غير نادي إيه سي ميلان ، حيث لعب 582 مباراة في الدوري الإيطالي مع النادي ، و قد حطم رقم فرانكو باريزي لاعب ميلان السابق الذي لعب 512 مباراة في الدوري الإيطالي مع إيه سي ميلان. يعد باولو مالديني أحد أعظم المدافعين في العالم حاليا ، و بالرغم من عمره الكبير إلا أنه استطاع أن يبقي لياقته عالية ، و يستطيع أن يجاري أي مهاجم في العالم.
في 20 يناير1985 لعب باولو مالديني أولى مبارياته لنادي إيه سي ميلان ، و كانت ضد نادي إودينيزي ، و انتهت المباراة بالتعادل 1-1 ، و منذ تلك المباراة سطع نجمه ، و استطاع أن يفرض نفس على الساحة الإيطالية المعروفة بإنجاب أفضل المدافعين في العالم. و يعد باولو مالديني أكثر اللاعبين الإيطاليين مشاركة مع منتخب إيطاليا لكرة القدم ، حيث لعب 126 مباراة دولية و سجل فيها 7 أهداف ، و لكن لسوء الحظ لم يستطع أن يفوز بأي بطولة مع المنتخب ، حيث حل في المركز الثاني في كأس العالم1994 خلف منتخب البرازيل لكرة القدم ، و حل في المركز الثاني في كأس أوروبا2000 خلف منتخب فرنسا لكرة القدم. و لدى باولو مالديني أبنان هم كريستيان مالديني و هو لاعب في فريق الناشئين في إيه سي ميلان و دانييل مالديني ، و هو متزوج من عارضة الأزياء الفنزولية أندريانا فوسا. و حصل مالديني على العديد من الألقاب ، و يعتبر من أكثر اللاعبين حصدا للألقاب :
الدوري الإيطالي فاز فيه سبعة مرات في أعوام : 1988 و 1992 و 1993 و 1994 و 1996 و 1999 و 2004
وبعد أن يعتزل باولو مالديني ، سيخلد رقمه (رقم 3) و لن يعطى لأي لاعب ، إلا لإبنه كريستيان مالديني ، و هو ثاني لاعب يخلد رقمه في إيه سي ميلان بعد فرانكو باريزي.
Player profile
Style of play
"Maldini was the best and toughest defender I ever faced. He had everything: he was a complete defender, who was strong, intelligent, and an excellent man-marker."
Although he played as a left-back for most of his career, Maldini was right-footed and began playing for Milan as a right-back. He was switched to the left-back position by manager Arrigo Sacchi due to Mauro Tassotti occupying the right side for Milan.[7]
"He was one of the best defenders in Champions League history, but what was so impressive about him is that when he was on the ball he didn't look like a defender, but like an elegant midfield player."
Maldini was renowned for his aerial abilities, sliding tackles, speed, and stamina.[10][11][12][13][14] He was also an excellent attacker, as he scored and assisted many goals throughout his career.[15][16] In the final few years of his career, as he lost speed, he was moved to a centre-back position, where he excelled in relying on his experience, aerial abilities, and tackling to stop attackers.[17]
Maldini was renowned for his tactical intelligence and ability to anticipate threats from the opposition.[18][19] Despite being a precise tackler and an imposing defensive presence, he often avoided committing to challenges when he deemed them unnecessary,[20] preferring to restrict the offensive play of his opponents through his positioning and man-marking.[21] His excellent passing allowed him to play in the sweeper or libero position.[10][22]
Legacy
"I always found it very difficult when I came up against Paolo Maldini. He was the best defender I faced over the course of my career. He definitely deserved to win the award FIFA World Player of the Year several times over."
Maldini is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time and is referred to as "an icon and gentleman of the game".[18][24] He was known for his calm and composed manner on the pitch, his ability to read the game, and his discipline on the pitch, as he only received three red cards throughout his entire career.[18][25][26] In a 2002 FIFA poll, Maldini was named in the FIFA World Cup Dream Team.[27]
"Paolo Maldini. When you found him in front of you you knew you would not pass. He was big. He was strong with his head, with his right foot, with his left foot... You needed to put together 15 players to make one like him."
—Roberto Baggio in 2017, when he was asked who was the best defender he had ever faced.[28]
Maldini was the first defender to be shortlisted for the FIFA World Player of the Year award, finishing second in 1995.[29] He also finished third in the Ballon d'Or rankings in 1994 and in 2003. In addition to his team success, he also won many individual awards, including the UEFA Defender of the Year, the Serie A Defender of the Year, the Bravo Award, and the World Soccer Player of the Year. He was also named in the UEFA Team of the Year, the FIFPro World XI, the World Cup Team of the Tournament, and the European Championship Team of the Tournament during his career. He was also renowned for his longevity, as he became a starter for Milan as a teenager and remained as a starter until his retirement at the age of 41.[30]
Throughout his career, Maldini was also a leader and captain for Milan and for the Italy national team, earning the nickname "Il Capitano" ("The Captain").[31] He was renowned for his vocal and commanding presence on the pitch and his ability to motivate his teammates and ensure they remained in position.[19] He made over 1,000 professional appearances and he held the record for appearances in Serie A, until he was surpassed by Gianluigi Buffon in 2020, and he still holds this record for Milan in all competitions. Maldini also appeared in a joint-record eight European Cup/UEFA Champions League finals.[19] With 126 caps for Italy, he held the record for appearances with the national team, until he was surpassed by Fabio Cannavaro in 2009 and by Gianluigi Buffon in 2013. He also held the record for appearances as Italy's captain (75),[18] until again being surpassed by Cannavaro.[32] Maldini has inspired many defenders like Rio Ferdinand, Rafael Márquez and Carles Puyol.[33][34][35]
Media
Maldini has appeared in commercials for American sportswear company Nike.[36][37] He wore Nike Tiempo football boots at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.[38] In 1996, he starred in a Nike commercial titled "Good vs Evil" in a gladiatorial game set in a Roman amphitheatre. Appearing alongside other footballers such as Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Luís Figo, Patrick Kluivert, and Jorge Campos, they defend "the beautiful game" against a team of demonic warriors. Maldini states, "Maybe they're friendly?" before they begin "destroying evil", with Cantona striking the ball at the warriors.[36]
Maldini was born on 26 June 1968 in Milan to Cesare Maldini and Marisa Luisa De Mezzi.[41] His family was of Slovenian descent.[42] He has five siblings.[43] In December 1994, he married Venezuelan former model Adriana Fossa.[44][45] The couple have two sons, Christian (born 14 June 1996) and Daniel (born 11 October 2001),[46] who both played for AC Milan's youth teams.[47][48] His father Cesare played as a defender and also captained Milan and the Italy national team. Cesare then became a coach and coached his son in the Italy under-21 side, the Italy senior team, and the Milan senior team.[49] On 3 April 2016, his father Cesare died at the age of 84;[50] and his mother Marisa died on 28 July 2016.[41][51]
Maldini and his former teammate Christian Vieri run a fashion brand named Sweet Years.[52][53]
Fastest goal scored in UEFA Champions League/European Cup final history: 50 seconds, 2005
Oldest player to score a goal in UEFA Champions League/European Cup final history: aged 36 years and 333 days, playing for Milan against Liverpool, 2005
^ أبJackson, Steven J. (10 November 2004). Sport, Culture and Advertising: Identities, Commodities and the Politics of Representation. Routledge. p. 186.
^Bonino, Massimiliano (9 May 2014). "Biografia di Paolo Maldini" (in الإيطالية). cinquantamila.corriere.it. Archived from the original on 23 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
^Dell'Arti, Giorgio; Parrini, Massimo (2008). "MALDINI Paolo". Catalogo dei viventi 2009: 7247 italiani notevoli con l'indice di tutti i nomi citati (in الإيطالية). Venice: Marsilio. p. 1038. ISBN978-88-317-9599-9.
^ أبPierrend, José Luis (6 March 2012). ""Onze Mondial" Awards". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
^خطأ استشهاد: وسم <ref> غير صحيح؛ لا نص تم توفيره للمراجع المسماة comune.cinisello-balsamo.mi.it
^Brewin, John (25 December 2009). "World Team of the Decade". ESPNsoccernet. ESPN. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2018.