Franco Baresi

Early Life

Franco Baresi was born on May 8, 1960, in Italy. He grew up in a small town called Travagliato. Franco had an older brother named Giuseppe. Both brothers loved to play football. They played football every day in the streets near their home.

Starting Football

When Franco was young, he tried to join Inter Milan's youth team. Inter Milan did not want him. They said he was too small. But AC Milan liked Franco. They saw that he was special. In 1974, Franco joined AC Milan's youth team. He was only 14 years old.

Playing for AC Milan

Franco Baresi played his first game for AC Milan in 1977. He was 17 years old. This was the start of something amazing. Franco played for AC Milan for his whole career. He played for 20 years! This is very unusual in football. Most players change teams many times. But Franco stayed with AC Milan because he loved the team.

His Position and Style

Franco played as a defender. He was the team captain for 15 years. A captain is like a leader on the football field. Franco was not very tall for a defender. But he was very smart. He could read the game very well. This means he knew what other players would do before they did it. He was also very fast and strong.

Important Numbers

Here are some important numbers about Franco Baresi:
- He played 719 games for AC Milan
- He played 81 games for Italy's national team
- He won 6 Italian league titles
- He won 3 European Champions League titles
- He wore shirt number 6
- He played for 20 years (1977-1997)

Winning Titles

Franco Baresi won many important titles with AC Milan. Here are his biggest wins:
- Italian League Champion (6 times)
- European Champions League Winner (3 times)
- Italian Cup Winner (4 times)
- World Cup Winner with Italy (1 times)

Playing Style

Franco was special because:
- He was very good at stopping other teams from scoring
- He could start attacks from defense
- He was excellent at tackling
- He was a great leader on the field
- He could read the game very well
- He was very good at passing the ball

Famous Matches

One of Franco's most famous matches was the 1994 World Cup Final. Italy played Brazil. Franco was injured before the final. The doctors said he needed four weeks to get better. But Franco worked very hard. He played in the final after only 24 days! This showed how strong he was. Italy lost the game, but everyone remembers how brave Franco was.

Life After Football

Franco Baresi stopped playing football in 1997. He was 37 years old. AC Milan retired his shirt number (6). This means no other player can wear number 6 for AC Milan. This is a very special honor. Today, Franco helps young players at AC Milan. He teaches them how to be good defenders.

Why He Was Special

Franco Baresi was special for many reasons:
- He played for only one team in his career
- He was a great leader
- He played football very well
- He was loyal to AC Milan
- Many people say he was the best defender ever
- Young players today still learn from watching videos of him

Personal Life

Franco Baresi is a quiet person. He does not like to be in the news. He is married and has two children. He still lives in Milan. Many football fans in Milan still call him "Piscinin." This means "little one" in the Milan language. They called him this because he was not very tall.

Awards and Honors

Franco won many personal awards:
- Italian Football Hall of Fame
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
- One of the best 100 players ever (FIFA list)
- Best defender in Italian football many times
- UEFA Team of the Century

His Legacy

Today, many people remember Franco Baresi as:
- One of the best defenders ever
- A great captain
- A loyal player
- Someone who loved his team
- A role model for young players
- A football legend

Learning from Franco

Young players can learn many things from Franco Baresi:
- Work hard every day
- Be loyal to your team
- Never give up
- Size is not everything in football
- Being smart is very important
- Be a good leader
- Help your teammates

Fun Facts

Here are some interesting facts about Franco:
- His nickname was "Kaiser Franz"
- He could play with both feet
- He was very good at taking penalty kicks
- He never played for another team
- He started playing football when he was 6 years old
- His brother played for Inter Milan

Vocabulary Help

Here are some important words from the text:
- Defender = a player who stops the other team from scoring
- Captain = the leader of the team
- Loyal = staying with one team or person
- Career = the time someone spends working or playing
- Tackle = when you try to take the ball from another player
- Legacy = what people remember about you
- Honor = something special given to show respect

Questions to Think About

1. Why do you think Franco Baresi was a good captain?
2. What makes someone a football legend?
3. What can we learn from Franco Baresi's story?
4. Why is it special that he played for only one team?
5. How did Franco show he was brave in the 1994 World Cup?

Remember

Franco Baresi showed us that:
- You can be successful even if people say you are too small
- Being loyal to your team is important
- Working hard helps you get better
- Being smart is as important as being strong
- Good leaders help their team

Franco Baresi is one of football's greatest players. He showed that being loyal, working hard, and being smart are very important in football. Many people still talk about him today. Young players still try to play like him. He will always be remembered as one of football's best defenders.

Comprehension Questions about Franco Baresi

Part 1: True or False
Mark these sentences as True (T) or False (F):

1. Franco Baresi played for many different teams. ( )
2. He was born in Milan. ( )
3. AC Milan retired his shirt number 6. ( )
4. He played for AC Milan for 20 years. ( )
5. Franco was a goalkeeper. ( )
6. His brother also played football. ( )
7. Inter Milan wanted him when he was young. ( )
8. He won the World Cup with Italy. ( )
9. He never played in a World Cup Final. ( )
10. He is in the Italian Football Hall of Fame. ( )

Part 2: Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer (a, b, or c):

1. How old was Franco when he joined AC Milan's youth team?
a) 17
b) 14
c) 6

2. What was Franco's position?
a) Striker
b) Midfielder
c) Defender

3. How many games did he play for AC Milan?
a) 719
b) 81
c) 617

4. What was his nickname?
a) The Captain
b) Piscinin
c) The Giant

5. How many Italian league titles did he win?
a) 3
b) 4
c) 6

Part 3: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the missing words:

1. Franco Baresi was born in _______ in 1960.
2. He played his first game for AC Milan in _______.
3. His shirt number was _______.
4. He was team _______ for 15 years.
5. People called him "Piscinin" which means "_______" in Milan language.

Part 4: Short Answer Questions
Write short answers to these questions:

1. Why did Inter Milan not want Franco Baresi?
2. How long did Franco Baresi play for AC Milan?
3. What happened in the 1994 World Cup Final?
4. Name two things that made Franco special as a defender.
5. What does Franco do now?

Part 5: Matching
Match the number with the correct fact:

Numbers:
1. 1977
2. 6
3. 81
4. 37
5. 20

Facts:
a) Number of years he played for AC Milan ( )
b) His shirt number ( )
c) Number of games he played for Italy ( )
d) The year he started playing for AC Milan ( )
e) His age when he stopped playing football ( )

Part 6: Simple Discussion Questions
Think about these questions and discuss with a partner:

1. Why do you think Franco stayed with one team for 20 years?
2. What makes a good football captain?
3. Which of Franco's achievements do you think is the most impressive?
4. Would you like to be like Franco Baresi? Why or why not?
5. Why do you think AC Milan retired his shirt number?