Thousands of people attended the funeral of Italian football legend Baresi

Thousands of people, including a crowd of fans and celebrities from the world of Italian and foreign football, attended the funeral on Tuesday of legendary AC Milan defender and captain Franco Baresi, who died on Friday at the age of 66, AFP reported.

His former teammates Paolo Maldini, Roberto Baggio and Alessandro "Billy" Costacurta were among the many football stars and representatives of AC Milan present to pay a final tribute to the Milanese number 6, whose funeral took place on Tuesday at the Basilica of Saint Ambrose in Milan.

On the forecourt and around it, a swarm of supporters in red and black waved jerseys bearing the number 6, flags, scarves in the club's colours, and a banner that read "Ciao capitano" ("Goodbye captain").

"His belonging to the AC Milan family and to the football family in general is the reason why everyone loved him," said Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, according to Italian media.

Countless wreaths of flowers had also been sent, by FIFA as well as by Real Madrid.

Winner of the World Cup with Italy in 1982 and finalist in the 1994 World Cup, Baresi wore the captain's armband for AC Milan in the 1980s and 1990s, a period during which the club won three C1 (European Cup of Champions Clubs then Champions League) and six Italian league titles.

He retired in 1997 after 719 games played with the Rossoneri, a record only surpassed by Maldini.

The club did not specify the cause of his death. He had undergone surgery in August 2025 to have a pulmonary nodule removed.