News about Paolo Maldini

Legendary former player Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci has died at the age of 59. The Italian icon, who lit up the nation's home World Cup in 1990, played for Juventus and Inter in a glittering career spanning 384 matches, scoring 159 goals. Back in 2020, Mail Sport spoke with Schillaci about briefly becoming one of the most famous people in sport, finishing second in the Ballon d'Or runnings and his surprise affection for Arsenal.

JAY BOTHROYD: People call him arrogant. People called me arrogant. That's good. You need arrogance to be a top player, especially when you're a striker. There are so many ups and downs in a footballer's career, the one thing that must remain is that complete and utter unshakeable belief in yourself. When you cross the white line, you need to think you're the best player. No one is better than me and I am going to prove it. That is what Ivan Toney does. That's what I did. I played against Paolo Maldini when I was only about 21 at Perugia. He is the best defender of all time and I went on to the pitch thinking I'll get the better of him.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has revealed how he attempted to galvanise his players during the 2005 Champions League final but admitted that even he 'did not believe his side could win the match'. Often hailed as the miracle of Istanbul, Liverpool's epic resurgance against AC Milan went down in football folklore as one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time, with the Reds managing to turn around a 3-0 deficit to win the Champions League. Paolo Maldini shocked the Reds by opening the scoring in the first minute of the game, with Hernan Crespo netting a brace of goals before half-time.

Former Manchester United striker has made the switch only a few could have thought of. Unlike other retired football players, the Uruguayan didn't just stick to football, but instead, he emerged as one of the most promising tennis players at the age of 45. His love for tennis started before he pursued a professional career in football.

19 years on from the 2005 Champions League final, two players who started that game will now face each other as managers in another major final. Liverpool famously came back from three goals down against AC Milan before winning on penalties in Istanbul. Now, a former Liverpool star and an ex-AC Milan player will do battle as managers in the AFC Champions League final. 

CRAIG HOPE: The journey that brought Mark Clattenburg on board with the Daily Mail began in the foyer of a social club in Seaham in 2017. He was - not for the first time and, as this week shows, not for the last - at the centre of a media storm. The best referee in the world, he was quitting the Premier League for Saudi Arabia halfway through the season. It was back-page news. Clattenburg, however, had a commitment to give a talk to raise money for a junior football club close to his County Durham home. I bought a ticket and sat at the back of the room. Moments before the scheduled start, he was made aware of my presence and left the stage. He wanted a chat in the foyer. Was I about to get a red card?

ALVISE CAGNAZZO: Newcastle is searching for a new sporting director, with Dan Ashworth set to join Manchester United, and former AC Milan captain and coach Paolo Maldini among the numerous potential candidates. The former defender is now without a contract, has turned down several bids from Saudi Arabia, and has confirmed that he is about to begin a new one in a significant European club. Newcastle may be the right option because it will place Maldini's name in the Premier League and join a team without financial constraints.

Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the most appearances in European competitions is under scrutiny by a former Liverpool favourite. Ronaldo appeared on Europe 197 times between 2002 and 2022, including Sporting Lisbon, Man United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, before his tragic departure from Old Trafford two years ago. Ronaldo's illustrious ride on the continent pushed him past Iker Casillas, Paolo Maldini, and Xavi, his arch-rival Lionel Messi in the top five, with 167 appearances.

Paolo Maldini has spoken out for the first time since AC Milan fired him as their technical director, alleging that their reasons for dismissing him were 'too weak,' before adding that his former team has no regard for the club's image.' Maldini, a legend of the club, won three Champions League titles with the Rossoneri as a player over a 24-year tenure with the club, including 901 appearances and scoring 33 goals. The 55-year-old had served as their executive before being appointed as the club's technical director in 2019, but his position came under scrutiny in the last 18 months after several signings failed to function.

Newcastle's palpable sense of outrage will not be quenched by the revelation that UEFA has chosen not to follow plans on interpreting the handball statute that would have barred PSG from being eligible for their spot-kick. When it comes to handball penalty decisions, the issue lies in a discrepation between the Premier League and the Champions League. The rules are getting tighter in European competition, with Newcastle being the new victims.

UEFA has decided not to implement proposed guidelines on the handball law, which would have disallowed Paris Saint-Germain's penalty claim, which cost Newcastle a significant victory on Tuesday evening. After Tino Livramento was found to have handled the ball in the PSG penalty area, the Magpies were up 1-0 minutes from the end of added time before their Parisian hosts were given the opportunity to level from the field. The ball first struck the defender's chest before ricocheting off his elbow, but finally released the penalty that was duly dispatched by Kylian Mbappe.

Francesco Camarda has tied for the youngest player to play in a Serie A match for the first time in 260 days. Wisdom Amey of Bologna, who was 15 years and 274 days when he made his league debut against Genoa in 2021, receives the award. Paolo Maldini is another name to have held a record since making his first senior appearance for AC Milan at the age of 16 years and six months.

Paolo Maldini, an AC Milan legend and former team technical director, announced this week that he wanted to bring Lionel Messi to the Rossoneri in 2021. We tried to bring Messi to Milan for ten days, but then we discovered it wasn't possible,' Maldini said this week. 'It's too late now, but a player like Messi is a spectacle for anyone to see,' Maldini said. 'When I read that he might even go to Inter, I got scared!'

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is still waiting to seal a £1.3 billion transfer for 25%, a year to the day since the Glazer family revealed their intention to make Manchester United available to buy. There have been rumors that United's confirmation could run into next week, while the Premier League could take up to another eight weeks to rubber-stamp it. And so Ratcliffe is still some weeks away from being glued to resurrecting Manchester United.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to seek advice from legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as he prepares to take over football operations at Old Trafford, according to reports. The INEOS billionaire is closing in on a £1.3 billion contract to purchase a 55% stake in United Kingdom from the Glazer family. Ratcliffe will consult Ferguson, 81, for help and guidance as he plans a massive overhaul of the football side, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Ballon d'Or nominee in 1990s has undergone a dramatic career shift and now sells vacuum cleaners. The former midfielder retired from football at the age of 28 in 1998, and after meeting Swedish entrepreneur Gordan Edlund, he decided to invest in his vacuum cleaners. He is now a 5 percent shareholder in one of Sweden's most well-known companies, Twinner, which earns millions of dollars.

Prior to his injury, the Dutch defender had been involved in a string of world class campaigns for the Reds and barely missed out on the 2019 Ballon d'Or to Lionel Messi. As Jurgen Klopp's team won the Champions League and Premier League, he established himself as the world's best defender. Foster claims that his form elevates him above the likes of Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Franz Beckenbauer, and Sergio Ramos as the best player in the position of all time.

SIMON JONES: Hello and welcome to another iteration of our transfer newsletter, mailed solely to you. My name is Simon Jones, and I'm keen to share knowledge, views, and the latest gossip from around the world on all the transfer windows that are taking place this summer. It's been another hectic week for Man United as they prepare to a contract for Andre Onana, while Rasmus Hojlund remains a key target for them.

Loftus-Cheek's form while on-loan at Palace earned the first of ten calls to the England squad and appearance in Gareth Southgate's squad for the 2018 Russia World Cup. The Rossoneri, who advanced to the Champions League semi-finals and finished fourth in Serie A, have been searching the 27-year-old since May, when they were announced to be in concrete talks led by then-scientific director Paolo Maldini. Despite the Milan legend's controversial axing earlier this month, the club has remained keen on the dominant midfielder, particularly in the event of Sandro Tonali's arrival.

According to L'Equipe, Lloris, and Postecoglou, the 36-year-old, who has been the new high-profile player to be approached by a Saudi Arabian club, has agreed to cancel plans for him. Lloris is reported to have received a lucrative bid from Al Hilal that would see him significantly raise his salary, but the ex-France skipper is reluctant to move to the Middle East and away from his family.

Manchester United are expected to sign AC Milan full-back Theo Hernandez this summer, but will have to pay for the privilege. Since coming from Real Madrid in 2019, the Frenchman has made 167 appearances for the Italian side. However, Hernandez, who was fired from his job earlier in June, has resurfaced under new ownership, prompting more rumors that the 25-year-old will leave Milan.

Chelsea seems to have been dealt a blow this summer in the hunt for a new goalkeeper, with Mike Maignan apparently not keen on a change. The French stopper has played for AC Milan this season, and he has a claim to be one of Europe's top players. Maignan, who is 27 years old, is not yet in his prime as a goalkeeper and will only improve with age, and has piqued a lot of interest in his services, despite being baptized.

ALVISE CAGNAZZO: Maldini protected all the Milan players in the media and helped Rafael Rafael be able to help him through two tough years on the pitch. It's over all the Portuguese star who is in shock - only thanks to Maldini's tenacity that the Milan actor renewed his contract until 2028. Alvise Cagnazzo of Mail Sport investigates what went wrong for the former defender and what could have happened to Milan in the post-Maldini period.

Mike Maignan of AC Milan has posted a cryptic note on social media claiming to doubt his future, following Paolo Maldini's dismissal. According to reports, Maldini's decision had angered many senior Milan stars. Following a dramatic meeting with owner Gerry Cardinale, Milan legend Maldini, who had served four years in the role, was fired on Monday along with director of football Massara.