Tribute to The No. 3

The greatest football player I have had the privilege to see in my short lifetime.


For someone who has always enjoyed flowing attacking football more than anything else, it is strange that possibly the best player I have seen is a defender. But he is just that good.

Paolo Maldini, who else?

Paolo Maldini made his debut in AC Milan 25 years ago, four years before I was born. He is retiring next week, the year in which I stepped out of my teens. He has spent his entire career in the first team of one of the traditionally strongest European clubs and is one of the best defenders the game has ever seen. He has won just about every title he could have domestically with Milan multiple times, including the European Cup in three different decades. In 25 years he has been sent off just once to my knowledge, a testament to his discipline and skill. As a club legend he is second to none, even other contemporary one club players like Ryan Giggs, Raul and Puyol do not come close to commanding the respect this man does, from his club and the rest of the world, including his fiercest rivals. At the age of 41 he is still a first choice in Milan's defence, which, although does reflect poorly on the current geriatric state of the club, is nevertheless proof of his longevity. AC Milan declared several years ago that they will retire the No 3 jersey with him, but even they wouldn't have imagined in their wildest dreams that he would play on till age 41 with such consistency.

A gentleman off the pitch and an absolute machine on it, he made the successful transition from the best leftback in the world to the best centreback when his team needed it. One of the few proper defenders who could actually match anyone in the world for pace, an immaculate sense of positioning and tackling, and a fine passing vision combined to make him the perfect defender. The only blemish on his record is the lack of the World Cup; there is only one Italian I would have ever wanted to see lifting that trophy, and that's him. Unfortunately, he had retired from the international game when Italy won it in 2006.

Thanks for the memories.