Franco Baresi, the legendary AC Milan defender who anchored Italian soccer's golden era in the 1980s and 1990s, has died.
He was 66.
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AC Milan, where Baresi served as honorary vice president, announced his death on Thursday.
The club's statement read: "The entire history of AC Milan is in tears following the passing of Franco Baresi.
His example and integrity will be forever etched into the Club’s DNA, just as his iconic number 6 shirt is."
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A cause of death has not been released.
Last year, AC Milan revealed that Baresi had undergone surgery to remove a pulmonary nodule discovered during routine medical tests.
It was never confirmed whether the mass was cancerous.
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Baresi spent his entire 20-year career with AC Milan, winning six Serie A titles and three European trophies.
He captained the team for 15 seasons before retiring in 1997.
His No. 6 jersey was retired upon his departure, making him the first player in AC Milan's history to receive that honor.
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In February, Baresi made his last public appearance as one of the torchbearers for the Olympic flame at the Milan Cortina Winter Games opening ceremony.
