player
Franco Baresi: Career Stats, Clubs and Honours
Franco Baresi career statistics, clubs, senior international record, major honours, playing style and all-time defender ranking case.
Summary
Baresi made an aggressive high line feel organised through anticipation, command and unusually clean distribution from the back.
Quick facts
- Primary role
- Centre back and sweeper
- Senior career
- 1977–1997
- Major clubs
- AC Milan
- Senior national record
- 81 caps / 1 goals for Italy
- Defenders ranking
- #3 in The Top Football's all-time list
Verified record
Career statistics
Senior club league appearances and goals, plus official senior international caps and goals.
| Club | Years | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC Milan | 1977–1997 | 532 | 16 |
| Club total | — | 532 | 16 |
| National team | Years | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1982–1994 | 81 | 1 |
Major team honours
- Italy FIFA World Cup ×1
- AC Milan Serie A ×6
- AC Milan European Cup ×3
- AC Milan Intercontinental Cup ×2
Stats sources: WorldFootball — Franco Baresi record .
Career path
Baresi stayed with Milan through relegation, recovery and the dominant Sacchi and Capello teams. His career therefore contains both the institution’s difficult years and the period when its defensive structure became a global reference.
Playing style
He was smaller than many centre-backs, but controlled space before physical size became decisive. The step forward, the offside line and the first pass after regaining possession were all parts of the same job.
International record
Baresi won 81 Italy caps and belonged to the 1982 World Cup-winning squad. His most visible tournament as a starter was 1994, when he returned from knee surgery and produced an exceptional final before missing in the shootout.
All-time ranking case
For coaches and defenders interested in line control, Baresi remains one of the most instructive players in the archive. That is the basis for placing him at number 3 in our best football defenders of all time ranking.
Sources