(Dec. 2) Paolo Maldini is the most important football symbol of all time. The award comes from the English sport website Caughtoffside.com, that has drawn up a top ten of players, retired or still playing, who spent their entire career wearing the jersey of a only one team. The former fullback of the Rossoneri is at the first place. “The Captain of Milan for 15 years – says the motivation – was one of the greatest defenders in football history. This is why his club has suffered a lot when has retired.” On the podium with Maldini there are Ryan Giggs and Carles Puyol, both retired at the end of last season after a career played respectively with Manchester United and Barcelona. In sixth place there is another Italian, still in activity: Francesco Totti, who has been playing for over twenty years with AS Roma. “The attacker has refused several offers from big clubs across Europe to remain in the club where he grew up.” But the top ten, once landed in Italy, touched off fans across Italy: a lot of supporters claimed Riva, Bergomi and Baresi, or Zanetti and Del Piero, symbols of Inter and Juventus who have been excluded for having played in other teams at the beginning or end of their careers.
