Franco Baresi: key obituary facts
Is Franco Baresi dead? Yes. Franco Baresi died on July 31, 2026, at age 66.
Cause of death: Franco Baresi's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Franco Baresi known for?
He was an Italian association football player (1960-2026).
More about Franco Baresi
Born: 8 May 1960.
Place of birth: Travagliato.
Gender: male.
Occupation: association football player, association football coach.
Nationality: Italy.
Awards: Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Gold Collar for Sports Merit.
Career began: 1977.
Career ended: 1997.
Also known as: Franchino Baresi.
Franco Baresi, the Italian footballer who starred for AC Milan and the national team, died on July 31, 2026, aged 66.
Born in Travagliato on May 8, 1960, he spent his entire 20-year senior career with Milan, where he played mainly as a sweeper or central defender and captained the club for 15 seasons. Known by the nickname Franchino Baresi and later as “Kaiser Franz,” he was widely regarded as one of the game’s finest defenders.
His honours included three European Cup or Champions League titles, six Serie A championships, four Supercoppa Italiana wins, two European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups, and he was part of Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning squad as well as the teams that reached the 1990 semi-finals and the 1994 final.