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This week, Paolo Maldini will be able to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his first matches in the "Serie A" championship - the defender of the "Milan" club received his professional football league "baptism" on January 20, 1985. On this occasion, the Italian decided to recall the highs and lows of his career.
A strange coincidence, but the son of Italian and "Milan" legend Cesare Maldini made his debut at the age of 16 against "Udinese" - the same team he will play against almost two decades later, this Sunday, January 16.
That match at the "Friuli" stadium 20 years ago ended in a 1-1 draw, but this time "Milan" hopes to win and not fall behind the league leader, "Juventus."
"I have been thinking about my future for the last two or three years, but I still can't decide," said the 36-year-old veteran. "It would be best to find some other role in this sport, but I have always said that the job of a coach is demanding, and in that respect my opinion has not changed."
So Paolo is not planning to follow in his father's footsteps, who coached both "Milan" and the Italian national team, but the player will still need time to make a decision, while he is inclined to continue his excellent career.
"The secret of my success is the desire to work hard," he explained to the newspaper "Gazzetta dello Sport." "I still enjoy training and the work done on the pitch. It's the day-to-day aspect of football that I will miss the most after finishing my career."
Over 20 years in this sport, he has faced every big name, but he singles out one opponent more than others as worthy of special respect, and for a rather unexpected reason.
"Without a doubt, Diego Armando Maradona. He was the best and respected everyone equally, whether they were the biggest stars or average team players. He was repeatedly kicked on the pitch, but he never complained, which sets him apart from today's forwards!"
Despite the passing years, the captain of the "Milan" team has already played 1530 minutes in this "Serie A" season - more than any other of his teammates.
"Paolo deserves all the awards that can possibly be given to him," says former teammate and current coach Carlo Ancelotti. "Aside from trophies, he will be remembered as a perfect gentleman and a symbol of fair play in every episode. He symbolizes an important phase in football history."
Currently, a film about P. Maldini is being made in Italy, looking at his 20-year career, telling the story of his life with dramatic moments and personal impact on the player.
In the film directed by Paolo Ameli, there will also be a 90-minute "extra time", featuring over 60 interviews with world football stars. "Paolo Maldini - the film" will be released at the end of January.
