Thousands of Fans and Numerous Legends at Baresi's Funeral
The football world bid farewell to the legendary AC Milan captain at Milan's Sant'Ambrogio Basilica.
The football world bid farewell to the legendary AC Milan captain at Milan's Sant'Ambrogio Basilica.
Football greats and thousands of fans gathered on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Milan to pay their final respects to the legendary AC Milan captain, Franco Baresi. The funeral was held at the Sant'Ambrogio Basilica, with the square in front of the church filling up long before the ceremony began at 11 a.m., as reported by Index.hr.
Baresi, who passed away last week at the age of 66 after a period of illness, is regarded as one of the greatest defenders in football history. He played 719 matches for Milan and scored 33 goals, captaining the club for a full 15 seasons, according to BBC Sport. He won a total of 18 trophies with the Rossoneri, including six Serie A titles, three Champions League trophies, four Italian Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups.
Rossoneri fans, including members of the Curva Sud group, greeted Baresi's former teammates with applause and chants as they arrived to express their condolences to the family. The reception was particularly emotional for Paolo Maldini and Marco van Basten, who arrived together to pay their respects. Among those gathered were also Mauro Tassotti, Alessandro Costacurta, Clarence Seedorf, and Roberto Baggio, whose presence was captured in numerous photographs and videos.
Baresi's funeral also drew numerous club officials and institutional representatives. Delegations were sent by Real Madrid and Barcelona, paying tribute to a player who spent his entire career at one club, whose loyalty and approach to the sport were respected regardless of club colors.
AC Milan's first team is currently on a training camp in Australia, but some players who did not travel attended the funeral, including American forward Christian Pulisic, as reported by BBC Sport. AC Milan will further honor their former captain on Wednesday, ahead of a friendly match against Inter.
In 2020, Baresi was appointed honorary president of Milan, and his number six shirt was retired after his playing career ended. He earned 81 caps for the Italian national team and was part of the squad that won the 1982 World Cup. At the 1994 World Cup, he wore the captain's armband in the final, which Italy lost to Brazil.
