Boss Old Footballer Showdown Part One: Paulo Maldini vs Javier Zanetti

[ijjysmith]

Vs

Two of the finest defenders of all time. Full backs who played for arch rivals. But who steals the crown?

Honours:
Maldini
---------

Club
Milan
Winner

• Serie A (7): 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04
• Coppa Italia (1): 2002–03
• European Cup/Champions League (5): 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, 2002–03, 2006–07
• UEFA Super Cup (5): 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007
• Intercontinental Cup (2): 1989, 1990
• FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2007
• Supercoppa Italiana (5): 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2004

Runner-up (15)

• Intercontinental Cup (3): 1993, 1994, 2003
• UEFA Champions League (3): 1992–93, 1994–95, 2004–05
• UEFA Super Cup (1): 1993
• Serie A (3): 1989–90, 1990–91, 2004–05
• Coppa Italia (2): 1989–90, 1997–98
• Supercoppa Italiana (3): 1996, 1999, 2003

International
Italy

• FIFA World Cup: Runners-up 1994, Third-place 1990
• UEFA European Football Championship: Runners-up 2000, Semi-finalists 1988
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: Runners-up 1986

Individual

• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1988, 1996, 2000
• Bravo Award: 1989
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1990, 1994
• Ballon d'Or: Third-place 1994, 2003
• World Soccer Player of the Year: 1994
• ESM Team of the Year: 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2002–03
• FIFA World Player of the Year: Silver Award 1995
• Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 2002
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2002
• FIFA XI: 2002
• UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match: 2003
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2003, 2005
• Serie A Defender of the Year: 2004
• FIFA 100
• UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll: #10
• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2005
• UEFA Club Defender of the Year: 2007
• Premio internazionale Giacinto Facchetti: 2008
• FIFA Order of Merit: 2008
• UEFA Champions League Achievement Award: 2009

• Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2012
• World Soccer Greatest XI of all time: 2013
• One Club Man Award: 2016
• UEFA Euro All-time XI
• A.C. Milan Hall of Fame

Records

• Most appearances in all competitions (A.C. Milan): 902
• Most league appearances (only Serie A regular-seasons): 647
• Most league appearances for A.C. Milan (only Serie A regular-seasons): 647
• Most UEFA club competitions appearances: 175
• Most UEFA club competitions appearances for A.C. Milan: 175
• Most European competitions appearances: 168
• Most European competitions appearances for A.C. Milan: 168
• Most UEFA Champions League appearances for A.C. Milan: 139
• Most finals played in UEFA Champions League – 8 (tied with Francisco Gento)
• Youngest first-team player (A.C. Milan): 16 years and 208 days (against Udinese, 20 January 1985)
• Longest-serving player (A.C. Milan): 24 years and 132 days (from 20 January 1985 to 31 May 2009)
• Most FIFA World Cup appearances for Italy: 23
• Record of minutes played in the World Cups: 2216
• Fastest goal scored in UEFA Champions League/European Cup final history: 50 seconds, 2005
• Oldest player to score a goal in UEFA Champions League/European Cup final history: (Italy, b. 26 June 1968) aged 36 years and 333 days playing for AC Milan against Liverpool, 2005

Zanetti:
---------

Club
Inter

• Serie A (5): 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
• Coppa Italia (4): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Supercoppa Italiana (4): 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2009–10
• UEFA Cup (1): 1997–98
• FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2010

Argentina

• Copa America Silver (2): 2004, 2007
• FIFA Confederations Cup Silver (2): 1995, 2005
• Olympic Games Silver (1): 1996
• Pan American Games Gold (1): 1995

Individual

• FIFA 100
• Golden Pirate: 1996
• Pallone d'Argento: 2002
• FIFA FIFPro World XI Nominee: 2005, 2008, 2010
• UEFA Team of the Year (Five-time Nominee): 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
• Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 2010
• Golden Foot: 2011, as football legend
• Premio internazionale Giacinto Facchetti: 2012
• Gran Galà del Calcio AIC Loyalty Award: 2012
• Number 4 retired by Internazionale as a recognition to his career at the club
• Premio Gentleman Platinum Career Award: 2014

For me it's closer than most as I was always a bit of an Inter boy, but Maldini's list of achievements is something else. Sneaks it for me.

 

[Goat]

Maldini was by far the superior player.

 

[wm02]

Maldini. The gold standard

 

[Kev The Rat]

Zanetti was a solid pro but you can't seriously compare him to maldini

 

[tommye]

Paolo. Nobody comes close. Legend.

Oh and what an absolute dreamboat.
Look at him. Mmmmmmmmmm.


Greatest left back ever. I would happily hand over my hard earned just to watch him play.

Did I mention how beautiful he is?

 

[ijjysmith]

Zanetti was a solid pro but you can't seriously compare him to maldini

I think Zanetti was a bit more than a solid pro myself but putting him up against Maldini was perhaps a little unfair.

Maybe Thuram instead would have been a better battle?

 

[Prevenger17]

Aye, Zanetti's a great player, but nowhere near Maldini's stratosphere

 

[tommye]

PAOLO

 

[tommye]

Can you change Mr Dreamboats name in the title please? My ocd is twitching like a prison virgin's arsehole.

Thanks

 

[tommye]

Is it wrong that I want to lick his beautiful face?

 

[BlueLlama]

This is like comparing Hibbo to Seamus. Good idea crap choice of players if you wanted it close.

 

[Paul w]

That's not even up for debate.

 

[Prevenger17]

Is it wrong that I want to lick his beautiful face?

Great Odin's Raven he's an utter beast

 

[tommye]

Great Odin's Raven he's an utter beast

He's mine. Back dafuq off lad.

 

[Prevenger17]

@ijjysmith Xavi and Pirlo.