719 appearances. 18 trophies. One club. The numbers that defined Franco Baresi's career framed an outpouring of grief on the streets of Milan on Tuesday, as thousands gathered to pay their respects at the funeral of one of football's most decorated defenders.

The service was held at Sant'Ambrogio Basilica, and the congregation read like a who's who of Serie A's golden era. Paolo Maldini, Marco van Basten, Clarence Seedorf, Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Costacurta were all in attendance — men who either played alongside Baresi or were shaped by the same Rossoneri culture he helped build over two decades.

Baresi died last week aged 66 after a period of ill health. He had spent his entire 20-year professional career at AC Milan, captaining the side for 15 of those seasons. His haul with the club stands as a remarkable testament to sustained excellence: six Serie A titles, three Champions Leagues, four Italian Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and two Club World Cups. No other captain in AC Milan's history led the club to more silverware.

His shirt — the number six — was retired by Milan when he finished playing, one of only two numbers the club have taken out of circulation (Paolo Maldini's number three being the other). In 2020, he was made honorary president of the club, a role that underlined just how central he remained to everything AC Milan represented.

Internationally, Baresi earned 81 caps for Italy and was part of the squad that lifted the World Cup in 1982 (he did not feature in the final itself, but was a member of that historic group). By 1994 he was captain, leading the Azzurri all the way to the final in the United States — a match Italy ultimately lost to Brazil on penalties. That he played in that final at all was remarkable; he had undergone knee surgery during the tournament.

The current AC Milan squad is on a pre-season tour in Australia and was unable to attend in full, but several first-team players not involved in the tour did make it to Milan for the service, among them United States forward Christian Pulisic. The club are set to pay a further tribute to their former captain ahead of their pre-season friendly against Inter on Wednesday.

Baresi sits second on AC Milan's all-time appearances list — a figure made all the more striking given he never played for another professional club. The market for elite defenders has long since globalised and inflated beyond recognition, yet the template many coaches still reach for — reading the game early, organising the line, leading by example — is one Baresi essentially wrote during the late 1980s and early 1990s under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello.

Tuesday's scenes in Milan were a reminder of what that legacy means to those who watched it first-hand. For a player whose number has been locked away and whose presidency was honorary, the truest honour was perhaps the simplest one: thousands of ordinary supporters giving up a Tuesday morning to stand in the street and say goodbye.

FAQs

Frequently asked

How many trophies did Franco Baresi win with AC Milan?
Baresi won 18 trophies with AC Milan in total, including six Serie A titles, three Champions Leagues, four Italian Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and two Club World Cups.
Why was Franco Baresi's number six shirt retired?
AC Milan retired the number six shirt in Baresi's honour when he ended his playing career to recognise his extraordinary service to the club — over 719 appearances across 20 seasons. It is one of only two shirt numbers the club have retired, alongside Paolo Maldini's number three.
Did Franco Baresi play in the 1994 World Cup final?
Yes. Baresi captained Italy in the 1994 World Cup final against Brazil despite having had knee surgery during the tournament. Italy lost the match on penalties.