Paolo Maldini Italy Hoodie | Players Couture Icon Frame Collection Paolo Maldini is the greatest defender in the history of football. There is an argument for Bobby Moore or Franz Beckenbauer or Virgil Van Dijk, but Maldini's combination of longevity, consistency, technical excellence and the extraordinary volume of achievement he accumulated across a twenty-five year career at the absolute top makes him the standard by which all other defenders are measured. This Maldini hoodie from Players Couture is for fans who know what he represented and want to wear the name of the definitive defender. Fan apparel built around the greatest at his position. Maldini was born in Milan in 1968, the son of former AC Milan captain Cesare Maldini. He joined Milan's youth academy and made his first-team debut at 16 in 1985. He spent his entire twenty-five year professional career at AC Milan, making 902 appearances for the club — the most in their history. He won five Serie A titles, five Champions Leagues and a litany of other club honours that make Milan's most successful period inseparable from his name. He began as a left back, one of the finest the game has ever produced, and evolved into a central defender who lost none of his technical quality or authority as he moved inside and adjusted his game. His defending was defined by anticipation rather than aggression. He read the game at a level that made it seem as though he always knew what was coming before it happened. He rarely needed to tackle because he never let attackers get close enough to require one. His positioning, his composure and his ability to defend with intelligence rather than force made him the model for the modern sophisticated centre-back. He wore the Captain's armband for Milan for much of his career and represented Italy 126 times across seventeen years, competing at three World Cups and three European Championships. He retired in 2009 and was immediately recognised as the benchmark for everyone who plays his position. Find more from the football fanwear collection at Players Couture. Available in Navy, Black, Grey and Red. Sizes S to 3XL. A great gift for any AC Milan or Italy fan. Players Couture fan apparel celebrating the greatest defender football has ever produced.
