New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- Franco Baresi, the defender who did not simply captain AC Milan but defined what a captain could be, died on July 31, aged 66.

No cause of death was disclosed. Baresi had undergone surgery in August 2025 to remove a pulmonary nodule from his lung and had been receiving immunotherapy treatment in the months that followed, his condition monitored closely by those inside the club he served for two decades.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni did not hesitate. "He was one of the greatest champions in our country's sports history," she said in a statement that ran inside every Italian newspaper by sunrise.

The tributes arrived fast and from every corner of the game. Gianluigi Buffon, who wore Italy's goalkeeping glove...