Franco Baresi: the moral heart of Milan's great defensive era

Very few players become a byword for their position, but for anyone watching football in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Franco Baresi was the central defender. As The Guardian notes, he was unsurpassed in his role, the definition of the art of defending — yet he did not resemble many other defenders at all.

Baresi had just turned 19 when he won his first scudetto with Milan under Nils Liedholm in 1979. Italian football was still dominated by catenaccio, with most defences built around a libero and man-markers. Liedholm, however, was a pioneer of zonal marking in Serie A, treating the game as a question of space rather than a series of physical battles.

Despite being only 5ft 9in and a teenager, Baresi was trusted by Liedholm, who saw an impeccable reader of the game even at that young age. Baresi went on to be an ever-present not only in the league but also in the Coppa Italia and Uefa Cup that season.

His collection of honours remains eternal proof of his class, and his leadership defined a great Milan team. For more on that era, readers can find related match highlights on this site.