Thousands bid farewell to the legendary Franco Baresi

The football community offered a heartfelt last farewell to Franco Baresi, the legendary AC Milan and Italy star, at the funeral ceremony that took place on the morning of August 4 at the Sant'Ambrogio Basilica in Milan.

Thousands of fans, along with many prominent names in world football, gathered to say goodbye to the great captain, who passed away on July 31 at the age of 66 after a battle with lung disease.

From early in the morning, the area in front of the church was packed with people. When Baresi's coffin arrived, the crowd stood up and applauded continuously for over six minutes, interspersed with chants of his name and banners paying tribute to the man who had become an eternal symbol of AC Milan.

Many fans wore the number 6 shirt – a number that AC Milan had permanently retired after Baresi hung up his boots in 1997. This is one of the rare cases in Italian football, reflecting the special honor given to a player regarded as the embodiment of the red and black colors.

The funeral brought together a host of famous figures from Italian and world football. Representing the Italian Football Federation was new technical director Claudio Ranieri, who entered the church alongside legend Roberto Baggio. Serie A President Ezio Simonelli was also present to bid farewell to Baresi.

Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi shared: "He was a wonderful person. Franco always knew how to combine class and style with simplicity in his way of life."

The respect for Baresi extended beyond Italy's borders. FIFA, President Gianni Infantino, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AS Roma, the city of Milan, and the Lombardy region all sent wreaths in his memory.

Among those who came to pay their respects were many former teammates who had been close to Baresi, including Paolo Maldini, Marco van Basten, Roberto Donadoni, Daniele Massaro, Filippo Galli, Giovanni Galli, Angelo Colombo, Alessandro Costacurta, Demetrio Albertini, Massimo Ambrosini, Dejan Savicevic, Sebastiano Rossi, and many other former stars.

Notably, representatives from Real Madrid and Barcelona also attended to show their respect for one of the greatest defenders in football history.

The current AC Milan team attended in full force, with the presence of owner Gerry Cardinale, President Paolo Scaroni, CEO Massimo Calvelli, staff from Casa Milan, Milanello, and the Vismara academy. The first team sent players such as Santiago Gimenez and Christian Pulisic to the funeral, along with representatives from the women's team and the club's youth academy.

Also present were Inter President Giuseppe Marotta, Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala, and many leaders of Italian football such as Gianluigi Brunelli, Umberto Calcagno, Gianni Grazioli, and Renzo Ulivieri.

Franco Baresi spent his entire playing career at AC Milan. He made his first-team debut in 1978 and retired in 1997, becoming a rare symbol of loyalty in modern football history.

In nearly two decades wearing the Rossoneri shirt, he won: 3 European Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 6 Serie A titles, and 4 Italian Super Cups. At the international level, Baresi played 82 matches for Italy, participated in three World Cups, won the 1982 World Cup in Spain, and finished as runner-up at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He is regarded by experts as one of the greatest center-backs in football history due to his ability to read the game, command the defense, and rare leadership qualities.

In 2025, during a routine health check, doctors discovered an abnormal nodule in Baresi's lung. Although he underwent surgery, his health never fully recovered.

The last public appearance of the AC Milan legend was at the San Siro stadium, during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. On July 31, 2026, Franco Baresi took his last breath at the age of 66, closing the chapter on the life of one of the greatest captains in football history.