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Paolo Maldini: Career Stats, Clubs and Honours
Paolo Maldini career statistics, clubs, senior international record, major honours, playing style and all-time defender ranking case.
Summary
Maldini paired elite defensive judgment with a 25-season one-club career that moved seamlessly from left-back to centre-back.
Quick facts
- Primary role
- Left back and centre back
- Senior career
- 1984–2009
- Major clubs
- AC Milan
- Senior national record
- 126 caps / 7 goals for Italy
- Defenders ranking
- #2 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 | 1984–2009 | 647 | 29 |
| Club total | — | 647 | 29 |
| National team | Years | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1988–2002 | 126 | 7 |
Major team honours
- AC Milan Serie A ×7
- AC Milan European Cup / Champions League ×5
- AC Milan Coppa Italia ×1
- AC Milan Intercontinental Cup / Club World Cup ×3
Stats sources: WorldFootball — Paolo Maldini record .
Career path
Maldini entered Milan’s first team at 16 and remained there until 41. Across several tactical eras he moved from an athletic left-back into a central defender whose positioning and calm helped preserve his level deep into his thirties.
Playing style
The clean tackle was only the visible end of the process. Maldini’s real strength was controlling distance: he delayed wingers, protected the inside lane and rarely needed a desperate recovery once the duel began.
International record
Italy used Maldini for 126 senior matches across four World Cups and three European Championships. He reached the 1994 World Cup final and Euro 2000 final, but his international record is defined more by sustained defensive authority than a winner’s medal.
All-time ranking case
Maldini is the longevity benchmark for elite defenders and the clearest reason a full-back can sit near the top of an all-position defensive ranking. That is the basis for placing him at number 2 in our best football defenders of all time ranking.
Sources