Thousands of mourners filled the streets of Milan on Tuesday to pay their final respects to Franco Baresi, one of football's greatest ever defenders, who died last week at the age of 66 after a period of ill health.

The funeral service took place at the city's Sant'Ambrogio Basilica, drawing an outpouring of grief from supporters and admirers of a man who defined an era of Italian football. Among those in attendance were AC Milan legends Paolo Maldini, Marco van Basten, Clarence Seedorf, Roberto Baggio, and Alessandro Costacurta.

USA forward Christian Pulisic also attended, representing the current AC Milan squad. The main group of first-team players were unavailable, having travelled to Australia for a pre-season tour.

A career defined by trophies and loyalty

Baresi spent his entire playing career at AC Milan, captaining the club for 15 seasons and amassing 719 appearances, during which he scored 33 goals. His trophy cabinet with the Rossoneri stands as a testament to his greatness: six Serie A titles, three UEFA Champions League triumphs, four Italian Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, and two FIFA Club World Cups — 18 honours in total.

His shirt number, six, was retired by AC Milan when he brought his playing days to a close — a rare honour reflecting the unique place he holds in the club's history. In 2020, the club appointed him honorary president.

Italy's World Cup hero

On the international stage, Baresi earned 81 caps for Italy and was part of the squad that lifted the World Cup on home soil in 1982. Twelve years later, he captained the Azzurri in the 1994 World Cup final in the United States, a match Italy lost to Brazil on penalties.

AC Milan will pay tribute to Baresi ahead of their pre-season friendly against Inter on Wednesday, ensuring their iconic former captain is honoured both on and off the pitch.