Paolo Maldini - the farewell

one word : Moscow!

The writer of the article does not understand destiny. You can not run from destiny.

the article is about Maldini been the model pro not crying like a little girl when he lost the final with only 8 seconds to go he took it like a man and held his head up high, try re-reading it mate

The first part of the article is about how things COULD have been different for San Paolo.

God has planned his life carefully in advance. All of it.

Enough said.

Originally Posted by SANT

You will be surprised to realize we don't have a thread about our greatest player ever.

http://www.milanmania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23363

Paolo Maldini is one of the best defenders that has ever graced the game. And I think grace is a fitting word to use with him.

He has an easy way. He knows how to act in this world. Elegant and smooth.

He knows how to position himself on a football pitch, he knows how to tackle the ball. Most of his games he doesn't even make one mistake!! He is a good header.

Maldini is a fair man. A graceful captain. He has respect for his opponents.

He has achieved success in life also outside the field. He has a wife and children. Opened a store.

I love him. With all my heart and seeing him leave... Is hard.

He is handsome. And I like handsome footballers.

Maldini has 7 letters in his name. 7 is the magic number and Milan is magic.

I love you Maldini!!!!!! Per sempre. Until death do us part.

In case no one has mentioned it yet, Sunday´s game against Parma (Feb. 16th 2008) was Maldini´s 1000th official match... yes 1000th.

great achievement by San paolo, I just wished he can be always with us. maybe he can make u
2000 appearance as our coach

Maldini is one of footballs greats from any era. A model professional on and off the pitch. An inspiration to those who play with him, and those who play against him.
He has always been my favourite player, even back in the day when we had Van Basten, Gullit etc.
I myself like to play in defence when I do play football (a very rare thing these days) and I always tried to model my style of play on his. One thing I learnt from watching Maldini play is how he always tried to keep himself between his goal and the opposing player.
I remember reading articles many times when the "new quick winger" was going to leave him for dead. The two most noteworthy were Poborski and Ronaldo. On both occassions, Maldini kep them in his back pocket.
Another thing I will always remember is whenever I watched a game, due to his professionalism and the fact he didn't dive, if he ever went down and stayed down I'd straight away think "This is not good".

When you look at footballers today who have got talent Ronaldo and Cassano to name but two, and they spoil it with their temprement or the fact they keep going down when barely touched. I think they could learn a lot from watching how he plays.

It's also remarkable how he very rarely ever got into any form of confrontation or argument with any players. I think all his opponents had the greatest resepct for him.

The only sad note is that he didn't win anything with the Italian national team. Shame.

One other thing i've just remembered which shows the class of the man is when Milan beat Sevilla in the European Super Cup. I saw on the tv I think it was Ambrosini who had the cup, and he was about to run over to the fans. Maldini who wasn't playing grabbed him by the arm and gestured to him to calm down. (I can only immagine because of the circumstances). Ambrosini listened.

Maldini is a great defender, a great captain, a great leader, a model professional, an ambassador for the game and he will be sorely missed when he does reitre at the end of the year.

Forza Maldini.
Forza Milan.

Grazie Grande Capitano!!

Maldini doesn't play for Milan. Maldini IS Milan. If Ac Milan could have a face and a body, he would be like Paolo. He represents all the moral and sportive qualities of our club. He's the living Constitution of the Associazione Calcio Milan.

I couldn't have said it any better Giovanni

There is nothing to say about this man, just say his name and that will tell you everything !

LEGEND !!!!!

Judging from his performance last night against arsenal, I think he deserve a few more years of top flight football...

No one will ever able to replace Paolo Maldini

I simply cannot say enough about Paolo Maldini. My one true regret is not having discovered him earlier in his career, so I would have all the longer to enjoy him and talents. Yes, very greedy of me! Each year I have felt a growing dread and now we've come to that pinnacle....Maldini says he is retiring at the end of the season.

I can't blame him--he plays hard and he's been a lucky man in that his injuries have been few and he's been able to shake them off quickly, until the last year or so. I watch him still, holding my breath, and I catch many glimpses of the "old" Maldini and feel only pride. So few have accomplished what he has, so few have stayed with one team...and so few are such truly wonderful human beings!

My most treasured memories will not be of watching him at the San Siro, or even of watching him goof off at practices; my treasured memories will be of meeting him! Within touching distance of a god, one could say! Instead of walkign by with his nose in the air, or pulling out his phone and pretending to have a call, his face lit up to hear an American say his name and he strode right up to me smiling, asking me where I was from, New York or LA? Ummm, Paolino, there are many places in the US between those 2 spots, so I explained where I was from and gave him momentos from my shcool which he didn't just tuck under his arm--he admired them and thanked me profusely. Who knows, maybe the streets of Milan have been graced by the occasional glimpse of an MPS tee shirt! But not to drag on the memory...just let me say that I've never met such a great person who was so down to earth, gracious and friendly! And to end the memory, I watched as he drove out of the Milanello gates and just as graciously stopped his car to sign autographs and even got out to pose for a few pictures with onlookers!

Maldini...to me, not just a great player....but also a great person!!

FORZA MALDINI...per siempre....

i hope the ultras are allowed to pull something really special out the bag for him. he is our leader, our teacher and our hero

Forza San Paolo!