Cesare Maldini

Cesare Maldini

Maldini in 1969
Personal information
Full name	Cesare Maldini
Date of birth	(1932-02-05) 5 February 1932
Place of birth	Trieste, Italy
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1952–1954	Triestina	32	(0)
1954–1966	Milan	347	(3)
1966–1967	Torino	33	(0)
Total		412	(3)
International career
1960–1963	Italy	14	(0)
Managerial career
1970–1972	Milan (assistant manager)
1972–1974	Milan
1974–1976	Foggia
1976–1977	Ternana
1978–1980	Parma
1980–1986	Italy (assistant manager)
1986–1996	Italy U21
1996–1998	Italy
2001	Milan
2001–2002	Paraguay
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Cesare Maldini (born 5 February 1932) is a football manager and former player with A.C. Milan. A commanding defender, with good technique and an excellent ability to read the game, he was usually deployed as a centre back, or as a sweeper, although he was also capable of functioning as a right-back. At club level, Maldini won 4 Serie A league titles and 1 European Cup with Milan. Internationally, he played for the Italian national team, earning 25 caps and participating in the 1962 World Cup.

Biography

Cesare Maldini was born in Trieste, Venezia Giulia, Italy. His son, Paolo, also a defender, once held the record for the most caps for the Italian national team (now third behind Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro). The younger Maldini captained Milan to the UEFA Champions League title in 2003 and 2007. Maldini's grandsons, Christian and Daniel play football in junior teams.

Career

As a player, Maldini won four Serie A league titles and one European Cup with A.C. Milan, a team that he captained for many years. After retiring from playing he became a coach, and he was one of Enzo Bearzot's assistants in the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, which Italy won.

Maldini coached the Italian Under-21 side for ten years, winning the European Under-21 Football Championship on the tournament record of three occasions. Former protégés Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Totti from the 1996-winning squad went on to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

1998 World Cup

Following his successes with the Under-21 side, Maldini took charge of the senior team that qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Italian media and fans had great expectations of the 1998 side, which included players such as Christian Vieri, Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi in their prime. Cesare Maldini's son, Paolo, was captain of the team.

Italy were drawn in Group B of the tournament with Chile, Cameroon and Austria. They won their group, drawing 2-2 with Chile in their opening game, and then beating Cameroon 3-0 and Austria 2-1. Advancing to the Round of 16, Italy then beat Norway 1-0 to secure a spot in the Quarter-finals against tournament hosts France. After a goalless draw, Italy were eventually eliminated on penalties.

Maldini resigned after the tournament due to heavy criticism in the Italian media over his allegedly ultra-defensive and "old-fashioned" tactics, which included the use of a traditional man-marking defensive back-line line, as well as a sweeper.

2002 World Cup

In January 2002, Maldini became coach of Paraguay's national team. His appointment caused some controversy as domestic managers were overlooked (prompting the managers union to try to unsuccessfully expel him for immigration breaches), and because he spoke little Spanish. Maldini nonetheless had the support of star goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert and several other senior players. He took over the team which had already qualified for the 2002 World Cup hosted by South Korea and Japan, becoming the oldest coach in that tournament at the age of 70 (his son Paolo captained Italy in the same tournament).

Despite missing Chilavert for the first game due to suspension, Paraguay managed to advance from Group B to the Round of 16, after a 2-2 draw with South Africa, a 3-1 defeat from Spain, and a 3-1 victory over Slovenia. In the Round of 16, Paraguay were eliminated by the eventual finalists Germany, losing 1-0 courtesy of an 89th-minute goal from Oliver Neuville.

Later career

Maldini returned to A.C. Milan as a talent scout for the Rossoneri. Maldini is now a sports analyst for the beIN SPORTS channel with Alessandro Altobelli.

Career statistics

Club

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Triestina	1952/53	1	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	0
	1953/54	31	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	31	0
Milan	1954/55	27	1	-	-	-	-	1	0	28	1
	1955/56	22	0	-	-	6	0	2	0	30	0
	1956/57	21	1	-	-	-	-	2	0	23	1
	1957/58	32	0	3	0	8	0	-	-	43	0
	1958/59	34	0	1	0	-	-	1	0	36	0
	1959/60	29	0	-	-	4	0	1	0	34	0
	1960/61	30	0	2	0	-	-	2	0	34	0
	1961/62	34	1	-	-	2	0	-	-	36	1
	1962/63	31	0	1	0	9	0	2	0	43	0
	1963/64	22	0	1	0	3	0	3	0	29	0
	1964/65	34	0	-	-	2	0	-	-	36	0
	1965/66	31	0	1	0	8	0	-	-	40	0
Torino	1966/67	33	0	3	0	-	-	3	0	39	0
Total for Milan		347	3	9	0	42	0	14	0	412	3
Career totals		412	3	12	0	42	0	17	0	451	3

*European competitions include the UEFA Champions League & UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

International

Italy national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1960	1	0
1961	3	0
1962	6	0
1963	4	0
Total	14	0

Honours

Club

Milan

• Serie A: 4
  • 1954–55
  • 1956–57
  • 1958–59
  • 1961–62

• European Cup: 1
  • 1962–63

Manager

Italy national under-21 football team

• 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
• 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
• 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

Individual

• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1962
• World Soccer World XI: 1963
• A.C. Milan Hall of Fame

References

Sporting positions
Preceded by Francesco Zagatti	Milan captain 1961–1966	Succeeded by Gianni Rivera