Franco Baresi, AC Milan legend and Italy's greatest defender, dies aged 66

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Italian footballer who captained AC Milan for 15 of his 20 seasons, a period of unprecedented success for the club

At a time when Italian football was known for the excellence of its defensive systems, Franco Baresi , who has died aged 66 after a period of ill health, embodied its most prized qualities. Whether with AC Milan, his only club during his two decades as a professional, or Italy, with whom he reached the 1994 World Cup final, he was a stylish, quick-witted, unflappable and commanding presence, primus inter pares alongside distinguished colleagues.

Captaining Milan for 15 of his 20 seasons at San Siro, he won the European Cup twice and the Serie A championship six times, a key figure alongside such glittering names as Gianni Rivera, Ruud Gullit, Paolo Maldini , Marco van Basten , Dejan Savićević, Carlo Ancelotti, George Weah and Zvonimir Boban. With his fellow centre-back Alessandro Costacurta, the right-back Mauro Tassotti and Maldini at left-back, he formed a legendary defensive line.

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