Cesare Maldini

Cesare Maldini began at Triestina before joining AC Milan in 1954, where he spent twelve seasons as a defender and captain, collecting four Serie A titles, a European Cup, and a Latin Cup. He earned 14 caps for Italy, captaining the national side and playing in the 1962 World Cup, then retired in 1967 after a season with Torino. As a manager he returned to Milan twice and worked with Foggia, Ternana, and Parma, but his sharpest success came with Italy's under-21s: three consecutive European championships, a feat no one has matched. He later led Italy's senior team at the 1998 World Cup and too…