Zlatan Ibrahimovic: “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.”
Ronaldo: “Paolo Maldini is the best I’ve played against.”
Roberto Baggio : "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"
Ruud Gullit: “Position for position one of the greatest players ever. But unlike certain other great full-backs, he wasn’t world class when just defending or just attacking – he could do both better than most and is an excellent centre-back too.”
Marcel Desailly: “A real monster… I find it incredible he has never been World or European Footballer of the Year. Alongside Franco Baresi he was the best defender I’ve ever seen in my career. Although everybody tends to think of him just as a full-back, he could also play as a stopper. Most people remember that great Milan side of the late-80s for its attacking play and for the forward pair of Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten, but it was a team built on a very solid defence, and Maldini was the cornerstone.”
Andriy Shevchenko: “The most gifted and hard-working player I’ve ever seen. He was an excellent all-round footballer with true leadership virtues and the rare ability to be reliable in defence and creative in attack.”
Player Profile:
Style of Play:
Records
Most appearances in all competitions (Milan): 902Most finals played in UEFA Champions League: 8Longest-serving player (Milan): 24 years and 132 daysRecord for most minutes played in the World CupsFastest goal scored in UEFA Champions League final historyMost finals played in UEFA Champions League: 8Oldest player to score a goal in UEFA Champions League final historyMost European/UEFA Super Cup titlesMost European/UEFA Super Cup final appearancesAchievements
FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2005Seria A winner - 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04European Cup/UEFA Champions League: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, 2002–03, 2006–07 European/UEFA Super Cup: 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003 Intercontinental Cup: 1989, 1990FIFA Club World Cup: 2007UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1988, 1996, 2000Bravo Award: 1989Ballon d'Or: Third place 1994,2003World Soccer Player of the Year: 1994UNICEF European Footballer of the Season: 1993–94FIFA World Player of the Year: Silver Award 1995Onze de Onze: 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003UEFA Team of the Year: 2003, 2005World Soccer Greatest XI of all time: 2013 Ballon d'Or Dream Team: 2020
