Thousands gathered in Milan for the funeral of legendary defender Franco Baresi, who died at 66 after a period of ill health. The 66‑year‑old, widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders ever, captained AC Milan for 15 seasons, making 719 appearances and scoring 33 goals. He collected 18 trophies with the Rossoneri – six Serie A titles, three Champions Leagues, four Italian Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and two Club World Cups – knocking 81 caps for Italy, including the 1982 World Cup squad and the 1994 final where he captained the side that lost to Brazil.

The service at Sant'Ambrogio Basilica was attended by club greats such as Paolo Maldini, Marco van Basten, Clarence Seedorf, Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Costacurta. Current AC Milan players in Australia missed the ceremony, but some not involved in the tour, including USA forward Christian Pulisic, were present. The club will pay tribute before a friendly against Inter on Wednesday.

Baresi was named honorary president of AC Milan in 2020, and the club retired his number six shirt after his retirement, underscoring his enduring legacy with the club.