Maldini Monday
By: Gianfranco | February 4th, 2008IL CAPITANO
In team sports, a captain is an honorary title given to the member of the team primarily responsible for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field.
The definition of the word captain seems to not do Paolo any justice. As I looked for the definitions and quotes about calcio captains, I began to wonder myself what makes a good captain, or more importantly what has made Paolo a good captain.
Some people would easily say that the reason he is such a great captain is his success. It is hard to argue with that seeing that the only trophies that elude Paolo are those that are won on the national stage. Others would argue that is Maldini’s longevity that makes him a great captain, he has been the captain of the Rossoneri since 1997, and has played with the Rossoneri for all twenty three year marvelous, a true feat in modern sports. (I will devote a post solely to Maldini’s amazing tenure in the future.)
None of these reasons really ring true to me; the one that I find the most amazing trait of Il Capitano is the respect. Maldini is easily one of the most respected players ever to step foot on the pitch of the San Siro, but also arguably the most respected player ever to play in Serie A. It is not the accolades, or the years even though they are both spectacular. What I find most amazing is the fact that he is held in the highest regard from old adversaries like Zidane, Roberto Carlos, and Ronaldo. Looked up to by friends: Vieri, Gattuso, and Sheva; and finally acclaimed by the game’s greats: Platini, Cantona and Muller.
It is hard to find a person who says they do not like Maldini. One can say that he has aged, or that he is not the best defender (blasphemy in my eyes), but I find it very hard for anyone to say that they do not respect him in all aspects of his game.
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Category: Maldini Monday
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Comments
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those snaps are unbelievable! look forward to the ‘maldini mondays’ every week.
BTW - are you going to give a summing up of yday’s match? And any news on the pato injury?Posted from
Switzerland
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Sam, I was waiting on more news on Pato before I summed up yestrday’s match, so maybe 2moro? The comments lines do a great summing it up as well in yesterdays post.
Posted from
United States -
sometimes, i cant believe how lucky we are to have a player as great as maldini remain loyal to us for 23 years… its amazing…
also, i am not entirely sure how to react to his impending retirement… most people outgrow their boyhood idol stage when they retire and this helps them grow out of it… but i have begun to realize that i never really had to outgrow this stage, coz maldini just never left… i really won’t know what to do with myself…
Posted from
United States -
Maldini Mondays make my heart beat a little faster knowing that I can count on coming here and seeing the best player of all time…not only a great player but a GREAT MAN!!! Paolo Maldini you will deffinetly missed but all good things must come to an end….unfortunately this sucks because OUR TRUE NUMBER ONE will be leaving us.
Supposedly Maldini gave an interview on Pato’s situation and said that it’s not that serious.
Posted from
United States -
Very well put Gianfranco, you could use up all the superlatives you could find but you couldnt really sum up Maldini to anyone who doesnt already know of him.
And for those of us that do know him, no amount of praise can really do this guy justice. I recently made a snide comment about Lippi bleeding black & white, well, this guy, Il Capitano, truly bleeds Red & Black folks and that is meant as a compliment.
It will truly be the end of a great chapter in the book of Milan the day he goes, and i dont think, by the sounds of it, that it will be just the Milanista that will miss him.
He has given this team so much for so long.
Long live the King!
Posted from
Netherlands -
The thing that hurts the most is that we didnt only have a player for 23 years who was just loyal, but he is one of the best players in history and achieved the greatest victories and trophies. i’ve known Il Capitano for 16-17 years and im only 20 years old. i became a Maldini fan before i became a soccer fan, literally. seeing him leave is painful. i cant think of any player who served his team like Maldini for such a long time with that kind of loyalty.
a quote that shows the magnitude of Il Capitano
“I was Carlo Ancelotti’s fan when he was playing for Parma alongside my father, then he was my opponent, my teammate and eventually my Coach.”
Posted from
Canada -
I think this universal respect and admiration for Maldini is borne of his unwavering and undiminished commitment and professionalism tempered as it is by a very high degree of good sportsmanship to go with the skill in his game. This was Maldini throughout his career. Not much more you can ask of a player.
Posted from
Netherlands -
Elegantly put A.
Posted from
United States -
VIVA MALDINI PER SEMPRE NEL NOSTRO CUORE!!!!!!!
Maldini is the bomb…the king…the greatest player/man alive ever…the best…the most loyal person ever…excellent…stupendous…eminent…glorious…heroic…
outstanding…regal…remarkable…renowned…royal…superior…talented…admirable…dynamite…fab…fantastic…marvelous…perfect…terrific…tremendous…wonderful…briliant…champion…master…superb…best ever…cat’s pajamas…exquisite…super-duper…superior…unreal at times…imortal…etc etc etc…. the list could go on for days…MONTHS even!!!Posted from
United States -
It is going to hurt so much when Il Capitano leaves, sometimes the thought just doesn’t process. k, it really in remarkable when you think about what an absolutely incredible, talented, loyal, hard-working role model we’ve had in Paolo…for 23 years! Bless him for everything he’s done for us. Those cards are absolutely gorgeous. His heart is truly half-black.
Posted from
Netherlands -
Fetyani, that quote is awesome. Says it all.
Posted from
Netherlands -
Gianfranco, maybe you could do one Maldini Monday on some aspects of his personal life and maybe one on the stuff that his contemporaries have said about him? Would be nice, imo
Posted from
Switzerland -
I’m a Juve fan, but Maldini is class personified. (I would say Del Piero is too, but I dunno if you’d all agree) I’ve always respected the hell out of him, it’s sad to see him go, he’s always been around for me. I also loved him cause he was probably one of the best captains ever of the Azzurri…shame he never got his trophy.
Posted from
United States
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