Thousands gathered in Milan on Tuesday to pay their final respects to Franco Baresi, the club's iconic former captain and one of the greatest defenders the sport has ever produced, who died last week at the age of 66.
The funeral service took place at the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, one of the city's most historic churches, drawing huge crowds of mourners alongside former teammates, club officials and fans who wished to honor a man synonymous with AC Milan's golden era.
Baresi spent his entire professional career at Milan, a rare feat of loyalty in modern football, and became the defining figure of the club's defense during the 1980s and 1990s. His partnership at the back helped Milan dominate both domestic and European competition, and he wore the captain's armband with distinction for many years, earning the nickname