Lol, dst. Give the man a break. He meant "old man" as in experienced and knowledgeable. Then again, Maldini was never a man to begin with.

Does anyone have high quality pictures of Paolo? I need as many as I can. The rarer the better too. Please PM me if you have any, I need them for a project.

THE HARD CORE7/10/2008 4:18:00 PM
The season about to begin on Wednesday will be the twenty-fifth in the first team for Captain Maldini. For Kaká it will be the sixth. Between them, ten other important champions of loyalty.

MILAN - Loyalty and experience in double figures for Milan. Among the Rossoneri, less than a week away from the Reunion which will open the 2008-09 season, there are no less than twelve players who have played at least five seasons with Milan.

A patrimony of belonging and condivision which is the principal characteristic of Milan and which is the best guarantee to welcome the new arrivals who prepare to face the new season. These are values and relationships which will have their weight also in the coming season.

Here's a picture of the loyalty at Milan:

Paolo Maldini: The 2008-09 season is the 25th in Milan's first team
Massimo Ambrosini: 2008-09, 13th season with Milan
Rino Gattuso: 2008-09, 10th season with Milan
Kakha Kaladze: 2008-09, 9th season with Milan
Christian Abbiati: 2008-09, 8th season with Milan
Nelson Dida: 2008-09, 8th season with Milan
Filippo Inzaghi: 2008-09, 8th season with Milan
Andrea Pirlo: 2008-09, 8th season with Milan
Cristian Brocchi: 2008-09, 7th season with Milan
Sandro Nesta: 2008-09, 7th season with Milan
Clarence Seedorf: 2008-09, 7th season with Milan
Ricardo Kakà: 2008-09, 6th season with Milan

Not to mention Carlo Ancelotti. The Milan coach guides the team since 5 November 2001, and for him next season will be the 8th with Milan, after the 5 seasons as player during which he won everything: in Italy, in Europe, and of course in the World.

(from acmilan.com) link

Twenty-five years. A quarter of a century. It really boggles the mind.

Paolo Maldini has been playing for Milan's first team for longer than...many (most?) board members here have been alive.

Forza Il Capitano!

That's impressive from all of them, particularly Paolo of course!

This is class

When these players enter the field of play .. Almost all opponents bow their heads down! The team that has won everything there is to win!

Forza Milan

Maradona Best Ever, Ronaldo Close Second - Maldini

Maradona is widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, following his amazing exploits for Napoli and Argentina during the 1980s and early 90s.

Ronaldo meanwhile was seen by many as the best in the world during the late 1990s, and like Maradona he also blessed Italian football, first with Inter from 1997 to 2002, and then with Milan from 2007 until his contract expired at the beginning of this month.

"Maradona is the best opponent I've ever played against in my career,” Maldini told Il Giornale.

“However Ronaldo, when he was at Inter, was very close to him. He was devastating.”

Maldini further praised his former team-mate, by stating that his arrival at Milan in January 2007 played a big role in their Champions League triumph at the end of that season, despite the fact that the Brazilian was cup-tied for the competition.

"When he arrived he gave us an incredible lift, just as Ronaldinho has done now.

“We won the Champions League thanks to him. He did not play, but we arrived in Athens exploiting the emotional wave of his signing."

Milan defeated Liverpool in the final 2-1, with Pippo Inzaghi scoring both of the Rossoneri’s goals.


goal.com

Maldini to ilGiornale : "Van Basten is the strongest, Baresi is the most complete."







The magazine ilGiornale gave an interview with Legend Paolo Maldini on the occasion of his 30 years since joining Milan AC and he is currently 40 years of age.


Q. My dear Paolo, thirty years of playing for Milan, how did it all start ?

Paolo: "Lucky strike, I got the chance to play at the athletic complex, and outside. Also the athletic clothes that my dad gave me, and since then this game became my job, even if I am not as agile, as some claim.


Q. What was the lucky strike ?

Paolo: "Signing up for the primavera, which helped me grow and take the first steps into the team, which was getting ready for the UEFA cup. And that was the best place to learn, then came Silvio Berlusconi, and he changed life as we know it after that."


Q. Through Milan, over the last thirty years, who were the best players that you had seen ?

Paolo: "During this time, I have been asked a lot about this. Marco Van Basten is the strongest for sure, and the most complete player was Baresi, and with them I can not forget Kaka', Shevchenko, Gullit and Weah."


Q. And about the coaches ?

Paolo: "Liedholm was the crucial coach from my point of view, he choose me from the rest of talented youth at the time and put me into the first team for the first time, and I couldn't take the pressure at the time. He was the one who built the giant Milan, then Sacchi inherited Milan from him, and with the Swede there are three coaches during the reign of Berlusconi: Sacchi, Capello, and Ancelotti."


Q. And who were the best opponents that you came up against ?

Paolo: "The best, of course, was Diego Maradona, and then there is inter's Ronaldo whom I have not since seen a player with him technical and physical abilities, and before those two I was crazy about Platini and Rouminige."


Q. What is the sentence that is written on the front gate of Milanello ?

Paolo: "Born to win, that is our slogan, it was in bedded into the DNA of this club ever since the 60s, we Milan have won a lot, but we also know how sour defeat is, and some of it was horrendous as was Istanbul. But one thing is certain, we always come back after a defeat!"


Q. For several days, we have witnessed what is being called the Ronaldinho tornado in Milan, did you expect him ?

Paolo: "Of course, and for a simple reason, in general when I watch football there is a certain love you feel for Ronaldinho, I see that everyday with my kids as they sit in front of the TV and studying the skills and dribbling of Christiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and then they try to copy them in their games."


Q. Maradona's arrival, was it a cause for jealousy from AC Milan ?

Paolo: "Even if it was, you have to understand first the joy that I feel for the arrival of Ronaldinho to Milan, and my team mates share the same feeling, then and only then will you understand what happened in the arrival of Ronaldinho. And why all this motivation ? He is a gain for all of us, for the team, the club, the Italian Championship in general, and this had happened in the past."


Q. When ?

Paolo: "When Ronaldo arrived, I know that it was a sad and hurting ending, but he gave us a big push, he gave the team the chance to rest in the league by scoring goals and helping us get the 4th place, while the team concentrated on the Champions League."


Q. It is said that Ronaldinho will face problems with Kaka' on the playing field, and with Seedorf about the shirt number ..

Paolo: "Problems are solved, in a working environment like Milan, there is a lot of room for talk and discussions to reach a common ground. Especially when you work together."


Q. The critics claim that: Milan is stronger in attack, but the defense ..

Paolo: "This type of talk is speculated upon, and it has been repeated for several years now, ever since Capello's second season at Milan, but I am still here. The defense is good, it is a mix of young and experience, and above all the courage."


Q. Did you expect Donadoni to leave and Lippi to take his place ?

Paolo: "No, I was shocked, I say this without even speaking to the parties that know the detailed events. Donadoni came after the Berlin triumph, then after loosing to Holland, like what happened in 92 when we lost the European Championship, but after the loss we qualified against France. But for the bad luck, we faced Spain, in my opinion there was a lot of trust in Donadoni, but the decision was to bring Lippi back to the Nationale."


Q. What is your opinion of Mourinho ?

Paolo: "Now I like him, his arrival to Italia stole the spotlight, even before he commented to the media, and now we have to watch him, he said that he will make the fans forget what Mancini accomplished and that is what made me feel sorry over it."


Q. Do you agree with Galliani: Milan was abused by others, is that an alibi or a reality ?

Paolo: "Both are correct, Milan after two seasons of Calciopoli won it's 7th Champions League title, it is not true that we can't compete and win the title, and we will show that starting August the 31st."


Q. Blatter compares Christiano Ronaldo and his brother as slaves, is that true ?

Paolo: "No, Slaves are less fortunate than Christiano Ronaldo, because they can't choose their own destiny. And they need to wait for others to decide for them."


Q. Endurance drugs in biking, isn't that a defeat ?

Paolo: "I read about that in depth, it seems that biking cant come back strong without endurance drugs, in the story there is a positive side: the race has commenced with suspending those that have been using."


Q. In biking there are regulations and control on drugs, it is said that football is not the same

Paolo: "Isn't that usual in team sports, because taking those drugs makes things more complex, and then there are the sudden tests that are done by both the UEFA and the FIGC."


Q. Ronaldinho to Beijing, what is your take on players not going to the Olympics by the club ?

Paolo: "The wall that divides professional football and the national teams had fallen a long time ago, if the matter was up to me, I would have ristricted the competition to players only under 23 years of age."


Q. My dear Paolo, you said that you will change the world and just a couple of months ago there was the crisis in front of Napoli, so what was your reasons ?

Paolo: "On vacation with my family to the Bahamas I was asked a lot about the Italian Championship and football, and to who is still chastising about the Napoli match I say this 'it was a phrase' about two teams with strong motivation from both sides, and we went there to play and not for vacation."


Q. And now ?

Paolo: "I am happy for what happened, we have proved to the world that when we want to we can do things in a good way, by putting the most into determination and will, that seemed all but fanatasy in the last three months but with Berlusconi we have done it over and over again."


Q. There are still people who get shocked when they hear that Paolo is still playing at 40 years of age

Paolo: "This is a part of my DNA, my father played until he was 37, and at the time that was a record."


Q. Lately Scolari asked Shevchenko, will Maldini continue ?

Paolo: "The answer is natural, it is out of love, you can say love for football, of course."

Did I confuse things or did ilGiornale?

It's probably the lame translation!!

Just kidding! Thanks for the effort R7!

http://maldini.iobloggo.com/
This is for people like Tennie, -who undoubtedly has seen these pics already; and dst, who will be dead by now

Maradona Best Ever, Ronaldo Close Second - Maldini

Not sure I'd disagree with that. At least he didn't say Pele!

Thanks for the translation, R7.

Thanks for posting that link, agenth!

The fish doll gives you a cookie.

Uw ... And he didn't say Pele, because he didn't face Pele

Pele is overrated anyway...

Irrespective of what you think of Pele the person, he was half a decent player on the pitch. Gotta give him that. Watch some of his compilations and free kicks. I once saw a free kick goal that went around the wall and inside, all the time staying low. Will probably dig a video if I can find, but that was pure magic. Stuff of dreams.

Anyway, it's not even a question: Paolo is the best footballer of all time. Guys like Pele, Maradona, George Best should consider themselves lucky, and be proud to have seen him play. Playing and managing himself (so well) for a quarter of a century in top flight football, and the toughest (most technical) league is what mortals only dream of. And those three can't even dream that, what with all drug and scandals.

All hail the Age of Maldini. Ha!

Youtube can make Frank Lampard look like Zico and Rooney like Maradona so...

True. But then again, if he's less than 10% of the player they show him up to be, he was more than decent. I'm not his biggest fan, by any means, nor do I think of him as the absolute best, but got to give credit where credit is due.

Well he was a great player in his time, but I wouldn't go as far as saying he's the best ever, I don't even think he's the best Brazilian to ever play the game so the best ever would be stretching it

Well, you or many others, haven't seen Pele enough or at his best to determine that. Most of his prime wasn't even televised

That's true also, but I've seen some tapes of him, and I never said that he wasn't great, but I still wouldn't go as far as saying he's the best to have ever played the game

I also watched some tapes and it's not enough. We didn't really saw his best and all aspects of his game like we saw other stars of our time and that's why I don't like to speculate who was the best ever... Besides,you can't compare players from different periods because the game changed so much. You never know what he would be able to do in the today's game. Maybe for example if Ronaldo was playing back then people would also question him and so on...

100% agreed on that. I was looking through another forum the other day and there was this whole argument about how the players of back then wouldn't make it in today's football and someone posted that Pele would be a player struggling in a Serie B team in today's game. And everyone just literally jumped on him.

But fact is we can't find that out for sure, I think he was exagerating a bit but still he might have a point, who knows?

Being great automatically puts you in good company, when it comes to football. Like I said, not the best ever, but darn close. You only get to gauge a player if you play against him. Like Paolo did with both Maradona and Ronaldo. It is only then you can tell how he moves, plays, thinks, and behaves both on and off the pitch. The cameras only show the action with the ball - not what's happening in the stadium.

Then again, greatness is a subjective thing. FACT.

Yep. Of course he was exaggerating. I think Pele would be a great player today (everybody agrees he had a big talent) but the question is: how big? To that we can't answer.

Agreed. Different times, different speed to the game, different way of playing it so no one can really say

This is a really interesting discussion.

Misha's quote above got me to thinking. I believe there's general agreement here on the board that Paolo Maldini is an all-time great of both Milan and football in general. Thing is, how many people here really saw Paolo play in his prime (the early-mid 90s)? The tapes one sees occasionally of CL games (v Barca or Madrid, for example) or of Azzurri games don't really do him justice.

As for the Pele part of the discussion, based on tape evidence I think that Garrincha was probably an even greater talent.

Based on talent alone, Garrincha had more resources than even Pele. No wonder they rate him as Brazil's second best player ever. But I tend to measure greatness in ways other than talent, skills or success. You've got to be the absolute best role model, one that others strive to be. For me no one cuts it in this measure more than Paolo.

It's easy to get into drugs, or die in a car accident driving drunk. Great ones choose the hard ways. For me players like Maldini, Billy, Rui Costa, Baggio, Zico, etc will always be in another league when it comes to greatness. They are the ones I'd tell my children to become like. And Tennie, tapes are just that: tapes. Pele himself said that the greatest goal he scored was not captured on tape, so he had a 3D animation of it made.

As for Paolo (since this is his thread), he tops everything. And not because I'm his biggest fan, but seriously few people manage themselves so well both on and off the field for quarter of a century. Greatness is a word that is so very often thrown around. Pele was not even half a dribbler as Garrincha, and certainly had less natural talent as say Ronaldinho. But if you want an advertisement for football, or a player to represent the game itself you've got your fix in Maldini. Paolo was half a player in the 80s that he is now, not because of skills (he was obviously younger and stronger then), but the respect that he now commands with both fans and opponents alike. Its:

1. Paolo
... and all others.

great topic. i revere pele as the god of football/founder of jogo bonito.

If you take each and every great player and try and break them down, there is really no universal way to evaluate their greatness. The technique, skills/talent that they all had are somewhat incomparable because they all achieved greatness being effective in their own individual unique ways. Dinho is a trickster. Kaka is direct, not overly fancy. Yet today we sit here and can't necessarily put a finger on who is the "greater" player. We can just accept that it is an ultimate honor to be able to watch them both in their primes before our eyes. People try and compare leo messi to diego? all these comparisons are simple speculation of the level of "greatness" that people predict he will arise to.

However, despite that concession, the reason i place Pele above all else, is because he was the very first to play in the beautiful way which today we recognize as "great". He was the pioneer of the jogo bonito. Pele revolutionized the sport for Brazilians. He played football in the distinct Brazilian manner - quick passing and fancy footwork. He set the bar. Everyone else after Pele took what he started with and ran with it, practiced it as if it was a science..and so for all we know ronaldo IS a greater player than Pele actually was. Maybe Diego was as well..but in terms of revolutionizing the sport, it was Pele who did it first. And that is what makes him the greatest, cuz he set the bar as far as attacking football goes.

Similarly, Paolo is simply so graceful and such a class act, like Pele, he deserves to be recognized as maybe the best defender ever..and therefore that places him on par with absolute greats in their respective positions. Attempting to say a legendary striker is a greater player than a legendary defender, or vice versa is comparing apples and oranges.

+1 if you mean footballing wise. Hence, the need to go to his off field behaviour to cement his status as a person.

Hey Hey Hey! What is this, huh? What's going on here? You should all be ashamed of yourselves!!



You're talking about how's the best player ever IN THE THREAD OF THE BEST PLAYER OF ALL TIMES!?? You will all die in Via Durini!!

Well...erm we were just hypothesizing that even the big daddy of all big daddies would need a daddy of his own right? So urm....yeah...that's how it happened.

Waaaaaah....tennie....this greek man scares me....

I like you Indian guy... but I can't save you. And no fish doll can save you either. It's all up to you... BELIEVE!

The fish doll would never get in the way of a scary avenging Greek bent on punishing the disbelievers!

Lucky thing I work at the Maldini temple. Yup, I'm a believer.

(from acmilan.com. link Their translation)



FORZA MALDINI!

I still can't believe that defeat to Arsenal was Maldini's last ever CL game...

Une Capitano il solo Une Capitano !

maybe he'll play another year

Oh please. If we could play Ba, surely we can play him. But he won't. I don't think so. This team better fight like the devil to win the scudetto. I don't care if it's won by one point. Paolo should get that damn trophy this year.

Speaking of which, UEFA cup is onething Paolo hasn't won.

If God's alright, I'm alright!

Of course, you are. Welcome back from the break, mate. The forum can't do without you.

I sometimes think if Maldini overstayed his welcome... I mean last season whenever the thought of no more Maldini in red & black on the pitch entered my mind I felt very nostalgic. it had a huge emotional impact on me... But this season, not as much. I do think about it from time to time, but you just can't say he left on a high... More like leaving after giving EVERY DROP OF HIS BLOODY BLOOD FOR THIS TEAM. Even last season I didn't feel like that even though we had a terrible season, but the memory of CL win and WCC win was still fresh and he had some spectacular games.

But then again, I realize, this is an end of an era and when I look at the whole picture, I appreciate him much better and am once again happy to see him on the pitch... Even at 40... He carries so much history with him, that it doesn't really matter if he is not what he used to be. I'm just happy to still be able to see him and Nesta play together. I'm grateful for that.

(from goal.com)



Maldini: Inter Don't Scare Us
Milan legend Paolo Maldini was presented with the third Giacinto Facchetti prize yesterday and took a chance to look back at his career and this season's battle with the Cugini.

Facchetti, who was a legend of his own in the Nerazzurri colours, passed away two years ago and the honour is given to the player who embodies the spirit of football.

"It gives me great joy to receive this award," the former Italy international is quoted as saying in the Gazzetta dello Sport. "Our paths and careers were quite similar, not only at club level, but in the National side too.

"I loved Facchetti's calm attitude and Arrigo Sacchi used to rave about him, as he was the first attacking full-back, the first one to interpret the role in a modern way."

The 40-year-old is expected to hang up his boots at the end of this season after a very productive and lengthy career, but vows he will not pursue a coaching career.

"No way," smiled the Rossoneri captain, "I do not think about that at all, I promise that I will surprise you, but I won't be sitting on a bench.

"I had a stupendous career and I still carry with me the memories of my first training session at Linate in 1978, and of course the day of my debut in Udine. And how could I forget the 1990 World Cup and all the trophies won with Milan, particularly the Champions League in 2003."

City rivals Inter are already topping the table after seven rounds, but Paolo seems completely unfazed by the way they seem to steamroller their rivals.

"Really? I do not think we were particularly intimidated during the Derby..." subtly concluded Maldini.

The Diavoli came out on top in the Derby della Madonnina last month, courtesy of a splendid Ronaldinho header.

Forza Il Capitano!

Don't worry,.. he'll lift one of the cup's this season as well. Then you'll have a fresh silverware-lifting scene with him .

Thats why we must win the scudetto, for Paolos sake.

I hate this guy!!
He's so perfect!!!

Amen.

Thank you.

This is goal.com quoting Tuttosport, so not usually what I'd consider reliable. That said, a Turin paper doesn't usually have something this nice to say about a player from Milan. So....