Maldini laments modern defending

By Football Italia staff

Milan and Italy legend Paolo Maldini admits the state of modern defending “bothers me”.

Capable of playing at left-back and in the centre, the 48-year-old is one of the best defenders in history, playing 902 games for the Rossoneri and 126 for his country.

“Now the game has changed,” Maldini explained on Grant Wahl’s Planet Futbol podcast.

“Central defenders start the play, now they play more with the ball and everything starts from the goalkeeper. 20 years ago they were only defenders and only a few of them were confident on the ball, so everything has changed.

“But also they’re losing the habit of marking on corners or one-on-one, so the art of defending is losing some characteristics of the ‘80s.

“It bothers me, yeah. Especially at the top level, because I’m not talking about a second division team, I’m talking about national teams and the Champions League.

“The game has changed a lot, but I still think having a great defence makes a better team long-term.

“It depends on how you train. [Chelsea manager Antonio] Conte is very great, and [Juventus Coach Max] Allegri also. Let’s say Italian tradition with these two great Coaches is still at the top of the game.

“Sergio Ramos is very good, but sometimes he forgets about defending. He’s a great player though, he has skill and he can score.

“I also like Thiago Silva, he plays for PSG [Paris Saint-Germain] so you don’t see the French League too often in Italy, we don’t see their League games very often but I remember him when he was at Milan.”

Maldini has been by several opponents as the best defender they faced, and he explained his own playing style.

“I dunno, I tried to play cleanly, to go for the ball and not for the legs. I like to play the ball, I wasn’t, you know, like a defender who only wanted to defend.

“I liked to have skill and ability on the ball. Once you play like that your opponent respects you, and if you give respect you earn respect.

“You have to be strong and aggressive, but the difference between being aggressive and being dirty is minimal. Sometimes you cross the line.

“When I was a kid I wanted to be a football player, so I achieved my dream, that’s the most important thing.

“And also as a man [I like] being respected by everyone, so I can see now that I stopped my career seven years ago that people still respect me a lot.”

To end his interview, the Rossoneri legend was asked about some of his best teammates, Coaches and opponents.

“My most admired player? Franco Baresi was a real captain. He was an expampe for everyone, not a big talker, he never talked but on the field and in training he was number one.

“Then I also had Van Basten who was the most complete player I have played with. Also Kaka, [Andriy] Shevchenko…

“As for best opponent, I have to say [Diego] Maradona. Because he was Maradona. And also on the pitch he was a very nice guy, very respectful.

“After him, maybe Ronaldo, the Brazilian, the two years he played for Inter before his injury he was very, very, very good.

“Also I played against [Zinedine] Zidane, [Michel] Platini… they were good!

“My current favourite player? [Lionel] Messi, because he’s unique. He does things with the ball no-one else can do.I love seeing him playing.

“Ronaldo is also a great player, but Messi has something special.

“I’ve been lucky with managers, because I started with Nils Liedholm. He really loved young players.

“After him I had [Arrigo] Sacchi and I learned a lot from him, and after him I had [Fabio] Capello so it was a mix of great Coaches.

“I also had my friend [Carlo] Ancelotti, and the end of my career was great because he’s a great man and a great friend.

“I also had my father [Cesare] as a Coach, so that was a weird experience because having your father as Coach is pretty weird and I was the captain.

“My favourite goal? My first one, we played in Como in Serie A and we won 1-0. I scored a goal, I don’t know what I was doing up there!”

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