Milan legend Paolo Maldini is enjoying the ‘third lease of life’ after player, relaxed man and now director. ‘I always tell my kids: try, make a mistake, but learn from it.’
He spent his entire playing career wearing the Rossoneri jersey, from their youth academy straight through to captain lifting the Champions League, and was following in the footsteps of his father Cesare, just as son Daniel has followed after him.
Nobody embodies Milan more than Maldini and he returned in 2018 as a development director, promoted to technical director a year later.
“When I was playing, we didn’t have social media, there were fewer photographers around, not so much curiosity about football players, so we had the freedom to live pretty much a normal life,” Maldini told podcast M20.
“At the age of 20, you want to go out and still have the energy to do that, but I never drank, smoked or took drugs.
“The most worried person was my father Cesare, as his mentality was from the 1960s, when the only way out of pre-game retreats was to literally escape.
“I learned as time wore on what my body could and couldn’t do, even by making mistakes. I always tell my kids, as every father should with his children: try, make a mistake, but learn from it.”
There were father figures to learn from within the Milan squad too, above all previous captain Franco Baresi.
“Even in training, Baresi would rather die than concede a goal. He said very little, but his actions spoke for him.”
After Maldini hung up his boots, it took a long time for him to find the next step of his career and indeed life, which included a spell as co-owner of the new Inter Miami FC franchise.
“When I retired at 41, I missed the adrenaline. The first three months, watching the derby and then Barcelona… But then I got over it and found a second lease of life for myself, doing the banal things I never could before, like just meeting friends for coffee.
“I went to the United States and wanted to open up a hotel, but instead I changed project. I enjoyed the time with my wife, children and friends that I hadn’t been able to before.
“But then, this directorial role was a third lease of life, between the office and the Milanello training ground. I sit on the bench, watch the training, talk to the coach and players.”
THANK YOU !
Forever loved as a player & legend of Milan #SempreMilan
A true great – a legend. Will we ever see a player like him again? With him now involved with Milan there is a chance Milan will eventually get their own stadium so the increased revenue will help Milan become a force again. Italian football was once the place to see best payers in the world. Unfortunately, like any business if it does not evolve and change with the times it will falter and fail.