Cesare Maldini (Trieste, 5 February 1932 – 3 April 2016) was an Italian football manager and player, who spent most of his playing career with Italian club A.C. Milan, also later coaching the side. A commanding, elegant, and respected defender, with good technique, discipline, and an excellent ability to read the game, he was known for his leadership, consistency, and tactical versatility; although he was usually deployed as a centre back, or as a sweeper, 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 14 caps and participating in the 1962 World Cup. As a coach, he had a successful career in charge of the Italian Under-21 side, winning the European Under-21 Football Championship a record three consecutive times.

Early life and family

Cesare Maldini was born in Trieste, Venezia Giulia, Italy. Married to Maria Luisa, one of his six sons, 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.

Playing career

After starting his playing career with Triestina, in 1952, Maldini transferred to A.C. Milan in 1954, where he went on to achieve notable successes both domestically and internationally in the team's starting line-up, making 347 appearances in Serie A, and scoring 3 goals. Maldini won four Serie A league titles and one European Cup during his time with Milan, also later becoming the team's captain for several years. In 1966 he moved to Torino for a season, before retiring.

At international level Maldini earned 14 caps between 1960 and 1963, also serving as the team's captain between 1962 and 1963, but was less successful than with Milan. He made his debut on 6 January 1960, in a 3–0 win over Switzerland, and later took part in the 1962 FIFA World Cup with Italy, where the team suffered a controversial first-round elimination, although he was named to the team of the tournament for his performances.

Managerial career

After retiring from playing Maldini became a coach, starting his career as an assistant manager for Nereo Rocco at Milan in 1970, and later also coaching the team between 1972 and 1974, winning a Coppa Italia and a Cup Winners' Cup double in 1973, and narrowly missing out on the league title. He later went on to coach Foggia (1974–1976), Ternana (1976–77), and Serie C1 side Parma (1978–80), helping the team to obtain Serie B promotion during his tenure with the club.

Between 1980 and 1986, he was one of Enzo Bearzot's assistants for the Italian national team, including in the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, which Italy won.

Maldini took charge of the Italian Under-21 side in 1986, and coached the team for ten years, winning the European Under-21 Football Championship tournament a record three consecutive times between 1992 and 1996. Former protégés Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Totti from the 1996-winning squad went on to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He also coached the Italian Olympic teams that took part at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.

Following his successes with the Under-21 side, Maldini took charge of the senior team in 1996, replacing Arrigo Sacchi, and successfully qualifying for the 1998 FIFA World Cup through the play-offs against Russia. Despite struggling in qualification, the Italian media and fans had great expectations of the 1998 side, which included a strong defence, and several prolific attacking players, such as Christian Vieri, Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi, among others, 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 by the eventual champions on penalties.

Maldini resigned after the tournament due to heavy criticism in the Italian media over his allegedly ultra-defensive and "old-fashioned" catenaccio-inspired tactics, which included the use of a traditional man-marking defensive back-line line, as well as a sweeper. He was also condemned for leaving Gianfranco Zola out of the squad, and for his reluctance to field creative forwards Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero alongside each other in the front-line, opting instead to have one player come on for the other in the second half; these controversial substitutions were compared to those made between Sandro Mazzola and Gianni Rivera by Ferruccio Valcareggi, the Italian manager at the 1970 World Cup.

After briefly coaching his former team Milan in 2001 serving as an interim manager for the club (whose captain was his son, Paolo), 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.

After retirement

After the 2002 World Cup, Maldini returned to A.C. Milan as a talent scout for the Rossoneri. Maldini also later worked as a sports analyst for the beIN SPORTS channel, and for Al Jazeera in 2012, with Alessandro Altobelli.

Death

On 3 April 2016, Maldini passed away.