AC Milan legend Franco Baresi on forging a career through resilience and unwavering loyalty

For Baresi, AC Milan was more than just a football club, it became a new family of sorts, providing him with structure and purpose when he needed it the most.

“AC Milan was somewhat of a lifeline. Because, as I see it, if I had stayed in my hometown, I might have become depressed. So, changing environments, changing cities... it gave me that drive, that stimulus to look towards the future. Meeting people helped me forget the past and look forward,” he reflects.

This profound connection helps explain his extraordinary 50-year relationship with the Rossoneri (as AC Milan is lovingly called), a bond that marked its golden anniversary in 2024. The club that embraced a grieving teenager would receive decades of loyalty in return, creating one of football’s most enduring partnerships.

Franco Baresi’s trophy cabinet reads like a football fairytale—six Serie A titles, three European Cups/ Champions Leagues, and numerous other domestic and international honours during his 20-year playing career, all with the same beloved club.

Even during AC Milan’s darkest period—relegation to Serie B, Baresi’s loyalty never wavered. This commitment through triumph and tribulation cemented his legendary status and exemplified a level of club devotion rarely seen in modern football.

“A strong relationship developed, it became very strong and so there was gratitude,” Baresi explains. Even when I might have had other opportunities, I believed in AC Milan and didn’t want to leave. Even during perhaps the less good times the club went through.”

His number 6 jersey, now permanently retired, stands as a testament to his immeasurable contribution to AC Milan’s storied history.

Baresi’s international career with Italy brings equal measures of pride and poignancy. He achieved a remarkable and likely unmatched feat by finishing on the podium in all three World Cups he participated in—champion in 1982, third place in 1990, and runner-up in 1994.

The 1994 final against Brazil encapsulates Baresi’s extraordinary character. After suffering a meniscus injury earlier in the tournament, he made a remarkable recovery in just 24 days to captain Italy in the final, delivering a heroic performance before the heartbreak of missing his penalty in the decisive shootout.

“I believe I’m one of the few, perhaps the only one, who played in three World Cups and finished on the podium all three times. So, a first, a second, and a third place. It’s a record for everyone” Baresi notes with understandable pride.

Perhaps one of football’s most captivating sibling narratives unfolded when Franco Baresi’s AC Milan faced Giuseppe Baresi’s Inter Milan in the fierce cross-city derby. The brothers’ shared experience of childhood loss only strengthened their bond, making their professional rivalry all the more remarkable.

Their pre-match pennant exchange became an iconic image of Italian football, symbolising how football rivalry and family bonds could coexist with mutual respect—a value that Baresi continues to embody.

Today, as AC Milan’s honorary vice president, Baresi has embraced his role as an ambassador for both the club and the sport itself, travelling to all corners of the globe.

“We’ve been present in so many cities in Asia—we saw so much warmth, so much enthusiasm. This made me realize just how much AC Milan has achieved and transmitted,” Baresi shares, visibly moved by these experiences.

His visits to countries like Indonesia and Mongolia revealed football’s universal language and AC Milan’s global reach. For Baresi, witnessing passionate support for the red and black colours in such diverse regions reinforces the sport’s unifying power.

Three decades after his retirement, Franco Baresi remains a revered figure in football. His leadership qualities, which saw him appointed as AC Milan’s captain at just 22, have translated seamlessly into his post-playing career.

“I understood the importance of the sport and my image. Even today, 30 years later, it’s nice that people still remember. This helps me to understand how important we are as role models for young people, the importance of always conveying a positive message, and passing on the values I believe are crucial.”

When asked what message he would like to share with everyone, Baresi’s answer reveals the philosophical outlook that has guided his remarkable journey:

In a football era increasingly dominated by transience and commercial interests, Franco Baresi stands as a monument to loyalty, resilience, and quiet dignity. His legacy at AC Milan isn’t merely measured in trophies and accolades, but in the values he continues to embody and the positive impact that he creates worldwide—a true legend on and off the pitch.