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The only symbol of Italian football - the peak that was not reached - is the gold of international competitions. With it, the legendary defender won everything that was possible.
Journalists often think about goals
It is likely that it was exactly the position on the field that prevented Maldini from receiving the "Golden Ball" (the "France football" prize for the best player in Europe) or the "Diamond Ball" (FIFA's prize for the best player in the world) in his time. No matter how much journalists praised Paolo's game, the attacking actions of forwards always received most of the enthusiastic feedback. This also happened in 1995. Christo Stoičkov, the best Bulgarian footballer of all time, recalls: "I had to present the prize for the best football player according to FIFA's version. It was rumored that Paolo would be the one to receive it. And I was very surprised when it turned out that George Weah became the first, and Maldini became the second. Just the second!"
Maldini himself showed almost no signs of disappointment at the time. He said that Weah was indeed the best, and similar trophies were not his goal. A little later, with some bitterness, he muttered: "Journalists often think only about scored goals."
However, the masters of the pen deserve praise. Based on multiple surveys and various top tens, which were abundant before the new millennium, the Italian press unanimously recognized Paolo Maldini as the best defender of all time. And the authoritative "World Soccer" named him the best in the World.
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