Paolo Maldini, the man who made kids dream of becoming defenders

Maldini has played more CL finals than most teams have. Incredible.

I have never seen Thierry so awestruck by any man until Maldini. He’s the legends legend.

The respect they showed Maldini is why this show is miles above others. These aren’t just pundits, or retired players they are FANS of the game and show it. I loved this.

The way Thierry said "He said he loves us" sounded like a groupie 😂😂

Maldini is one of the rare players that are loved and respected by almost every fan. Class on and off the pitch

As a LFC fan, Milan were terrifying, kids today won't understand that Kaka, Ronaldinho, Pirlo, Schevchenko, Cafu, Crespo etc were scary, but Maldini was a monster. Imho, the best defender that has ever played the game.

"I won five...but I lost three." that's a winner's mentality right there 💯 legend of the game!

Maldini is one of my all time favorite players. Such a class act. Absolute legend

Maldini: “I’ve won 5 but lost 3😂” The fact that this man had the opportunity to compete for the UCL winners medal EIGHT TIMES is 🤯🤯🤯

"If I have to tackle, I have already failed" - Greatest quote by a defender ever!!

Its funny how Micah and Carre asking Kate to meet Maldini like a child asking his mother to go for a meet and greet, Henry is like the eldest son who quietly sitting wanting the same thing but letting the younger brother ask for it. Lol

Maldini has a great sense of humour. Proper legend

Maldini, they don’t defend like him anymore, beast!!

"In football, there are great players and there are world class players. Then, there's Maldini, who have managed to go beyond that term" Del Piero

Even getting tackled by maldini is an honour. The way Maldini tackled the ball. Bending his leg and aiming the ball while sliding. The way he read the situation and the play. What a player

“I used to love Thierry Henry, but now we have a bigger star”. 😂😂😂

I can understand Maldini better in speaking English than my English teacher what’s going on in England 😂

For anyone who hasn’t seen Maldini play in his prime, I’m sorry. The absolute 🐐

Carragher at 6:45 saying “he knows me!” And laughing like a little kid full of wonder. That’s the impact of a true legend. Huge respect@ 6:45

Paolo Maldini was an icon in the heart of the defence for AC Milan. No wonder no one has come close to him 5 Champions League medals and lost 3 finals. What a Legend of the game🔥🔥🔥💯👌🏾

"I used to love Thierry Henry,but now we have a bigger star"😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

This, younglings. This is the greatest defender of all time. Almost 1000 games as a defender and not a single red card. Not once.

Only player who can control Gattuso. Thats whom he is. Greatest of all ❤

The fact that Carragher mentioned the 2005 final and Maldini didnt even mention that 2 years after that the same AC Milan team that he captained dominated the final and beat Liverpool clean shows the class of the man

The definition of aura, class, greatness and elite is Paolo Maldini.

One of the rare 'knocks' against Maldini were his relatively lower statistics when it came to tackles, and a wily Italian journalist tried cornering him once by suddenly quoting his tackling stats during the interview and then asking why they were so poor. Maldini, without skipping a beat, replied: "If I have to make a tackle, then I have already failed". That just about floored the journalist, and the segment on Italian TV became famous. In fact, before 'going viral' was a thing, before the internet, the quote actually became world famous. It goes to show you that Maldini just saw the game very differently than how other defenders and pundits saw it at the time. While they were more concerned with tackling, he was focused on positioning so that he didn't have to make one at all. The quote also shows his situational awareness about what the interviewer was trying, and his sharpness of mind to give him a response that while true, turned the tables and made the journalist lose his composure. While his dad played for AC Milan for 12 years and won the Champions League both as a player and as a coach with Milan, Maldini was in 8 Champions League finals and spent 24 years playing for the Rossoneri!

As an Inter fan I have nothing but respect for this guy. A true legend. It's funny how no pundit talked about the club or the match but they just became fan boys. It says it all.

The fact that even Thierry Henry was fan-girling over him tells you all you need to know about Maldini. Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer are the greatest defenders ever to play the game.

The new generation will never understand what a football legend Maldini was.

Maldini and Baresi are probably my two favourite defenders of all time. There are two statistics in football history that will always be mindblowing to me. Messi's 92 goals in one calender year and the fact that Baresi and Maldini played 196 games together as a central defense pair (Maldini played most of his games in his career at left back, which aren't counted in this stat) for AC Milan and in those games only conceded 23 goals.

Even for me, who just watched Maldini when he was 35 until his retirement still think at that age, he's still in his prime. I cannot imagine how good he was playing in his prime. Absolute legend!

They are so star struck they can't even say what made him so good 😂😂 he dresses nice and is a good human 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Crazy Maldini made his debut 40 years ago next year... Still looks like he could go at least 45 mins. Looks great.

My 5yo son watching Maldini videos and suddenly leaps of progress in his defending. Even his coach was like what happened and then I just said he started watching Maldini. You could see the admiration for that name in the coach's eyes

I am fan AC Milan and maldini but the level of respect Henry shows is beyond football.

5:29 the way all three of them got starstruck and started discussing 😂😆THE GOAT 🐐

No one can hate Maldini that’s a FACT. What a Legend ❤

Football generations will never forget Maldini, the man epitomizes class, absolute legend who was majestic in all definitions of a pure defender.

Ngl, if I was running down the pitch with the ball at my feet and saw prime maldini staring back, I'd bow, give him the ball and griddy out the stadium.

Paolo Maldini in unquestionably the biggest star in that segment. What a legend.

5:51 Maldini was and still is a perfect human being: defender, captain, sportsman, champion, gentleman, knight, fashion icon, husband, father, friend, fan, philanthropist, humanitarian, businessman, spokesman, sport director and so on… A role model in every possible sense and every possible situation. Everything he touches turns to gold. Just look at Titi, it seems he’s in love with him. You could said some (or some more) bad things about Maradaona, Pele, Cruyff, Zidane, Platini, Romario, Ronaldo, Totti, Henry, Gerrard, Best, Buffon, Cannavaro, Matthaus, Van Basten, Weah, Benzema, CR7 or even about Messi but this man is flawless. His level of divinity and nobility is out of reach.

“I won 5, BUT I lost 3!” Mentality of a winner right there!

"human being is better than the player, if that's possible!" There is no greater compliment to a professional athelete than this.

"Does he know us?"😅 Well as a crazy Maldini fan I just want to say this: everyone is a superstar until they meet Maldini.

Jamie saying "he knows me" sounded like how I would react in that situation 😂. Maldini, what a player! I don't think anyone can dislike him.

Maldini is iconic. Pure class and grace.

Seeing how starstruck the crew were just getting to speak to maldini, really shows you how much of a legend that man is.

Paolo Maldini is the legend of legends, Henry’s reactions summed up how immense he really is

Arguably the greatest defender of all time. What a legend.

I love Italy since ‘90 and I live in France and the rivalry is always there, so hearing Henry throw so much respect at Maldini, in that generation, just adds another level

So heartwarming to see Henry's sincere compliments to Maldini. Also, both of those guys are incredibly sharp dressers and look incredible for their ages!

For an Italian, his English is almost flawless. 👏👏👏👏

You can see the emotion of a player like Henry talking with and about him. He's been the idol of players like Puyol, Roberto Carlos, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and so on. Everyone in the football industry knows that when you talk about Maldini, you are talking about someone that is over the definition of legend.

I'm watching this with a huge smile on my face! Paolo there's nobody who does not respect or love you! You'll always be the ultimate defender and one of the best players in the history of the sport!

So wholesome.... Paolo Maldini is literally one of the best to ever played the game of football, and undoubtedly the most humble one…ever!

We use the phrase GOAT too often, but Maldini is immortal & is one of the GOATs of the game, certainly as a defender he was the benchmark of excellent.

Paulo Maldini is the greatest defender of all time 🐐

An absolute colossus of the game. His impact cannot be understated. He made defending an art.

Best Defender ever. What a player, he has everything. Pure Football royalty

Maldini made me love football. Overall defensive ability = Check, Elegance on the ball = Check, Game intelligence = Check, Leadership = Check, Sportsmanship = Check, Loyalty = Check, Big game player = Check, Consistency = Check... could go on and on. Paolo Maldini basically ticks every box. One of the very few players who were simply perfect at every level.

Those stats right there, 902 apps from 1985 to 2009... Insane!

Power, Speed, Technique, Timing, Ambidextrous, Determination, Fair Play, Positioning. Maldini is the greatest defender of all time. Even in current times there is not asingle defender that even comes close to his level.

that was absolutely lovely

Maldini era was insane. Italy was pumping out some of the greatest defenders to ever play the game.

Maldini and Nesta definitely have that aura about them. Two of the greatest ever Defenders.

The greatness of maldini can only be explained like this, when an opponent has a good game against maldini, the person immediately becomes famous and great, and there are just a small handful who managed that. Love Maldini forever, and love Thierry, such a monster striker but so respectful when he sees a master

Paolo, excellent command of english, congrats 👏👏

My word. What a player he was. The name itself is enough.

“I won 5, but I lost 3” imagine winning more CLs than losing! Nothing but an absolute world class legend.

I was having a bad day, so much stress and trouble but watching this made me so so happy a big smile on my face and on my heart.♥ Paolo is one of those that you just cannot hate♥what a lovely human being so happy to see him again♥

even as barca fans paulo maldini is a class beyond any defender only puyol for me can match his aura, class, loyalty and leadership. Imagine puyol and maldini play together im speechless

Truly, one of the greatest football players who ever lived. ICON.

The aura radiating off this man is insane he's got an all time great in Henry oozing over him

That was lovely. Maldini the maestro. Such a long career. Won almost everything. Such a humble, likeable man.

I've never seen a better tackler than Maldini. Every time he tackled someone he never fouled them - such clean and effective tackles with very few yellow cards and I'm sure never a red. Add that to his brilliant positioning, pace, technique on the ball, great overlapping attacks and supreme sportmanship and you have an absolute legend and icon of the game.

Maaannn CBS struck gold with these guys 🤣 Class interview with football legend

Won 5 but lost 3, what a player he was

I remember the day he retired, I could not stop crying! What a player, what a human being! Unconditional love for his team, a winner, a humble man! UN CAPITANO C'É SOLO UN CAPITANO, UN CAPITANOOOO C'É SOLO UN CAPITANO!

Maldini, Schmichael and Henry, icons of that era 🤩

Henry, Maldini, Schmeichel, Carragher. Legends of the 90s and 2000s

Paolo deserved a ballon d’or Forza Milan Sempre ❤️🖤

Maldini is one of those rare players who is nearly universally liked and easily walks into any all time world XI A true generational talent that we'll likely never see again and as other people have already mentioned, he ticks every box. His quality as a player, the trophies he has won and how long he was able to maintain that form of consistency. Truly incredible

Maldini was the crowning jewel of the calcio golden era. He was a wall under the legendary Arrigo Sacchi.

I love how shamelessly they're gushing over him😅 Just classic

GOAT Defenders Of Oll Time Polo Maldin ❤❤❤❤❤

Wow! I didn't think Maldini speaking in English fluently until tonight. What a living legend!

Greatest defender ever! The best Italian football player.

CBS football coverage is so far ahead of everyone else. What a panel and on the ground they have Schmeichel interviewing Maldini. Levels 😭

MALDINI is the very definition of the word LEGEND !!!! Phenomenal Player!!!

That right there , was a fan-boy moment for all of them !

Man, when Franco Baresi passed the torch, HE PASSED THE FUCKING TORCH!!!!

Paolo Maldini, the best defender ever in football history.. I was lucky enough to get a glimpse to watched him on his prime..

I've got a huge smile on my face watching this. Maldini is an absolute legend, the piercing blue eyes, his elegance and leadership. Just look at how the guys are fan-girling over him. His English is really good too.

All the premier league casuals here in America will never know how great this man was

Total royalty, probably the greatest defender ever. Class

الفرحه يكول هو يعرف اسمائنا كم انت عضيم يا باولو ❤️

Im texting from the year 2800 and Paolo Maldini is still in the best ever starting XI.

I have never heard Maldini talk in English in all my years, wow mind blown, he's a hero and a marketing dream in Italy, football royalty

Maldini looking as good as ever