Maldinis 20 years of service_奥运英语

　loyalty is a rare thing in modern football. it's not unusual for a player to kiss his club badge as a sign of devotion one week and then leave the next when a better offer comes along. that's why paolo maldini is a rarity.

　he became ac milan's youngest debutant 20 years ago when he made his debut at the age of 16. that was on january 20, 1985. since then the classy defender, regarded as the best of his generation, has stayed loyal to his hometown club.

　his extraordinary commitment to the team his father cesare played for has been rewarded with a sack full of silverware. he has won seven league championships, four european cup/champions league titles and two intercontinental cups. his cabinet also includes four european supercup medals and an italian cup medal.

　maldini is also italy's most capped player. he made 126 appearances before retiring from the international scene after the 2002 world cup campaign.

　he was on the losing side in the 1994 world cup final against brazil and the european championship final against france six years later.

　despite his lack of success with italy, maldini has been the perfect role model for any aspiring young footballer.

　maldini is also a family man. he has been happily married to venezuelan model adriana fossa for over 10 years. the couple have two sons.

　one of the secrets of maldini's success and consistency is that he has avoided the pitfalls of stardom that so many players fall victim to.

　history

　last week, ac milan fans acknowledged maldini's two decades of service by displaying a massive banner which read： “20 years at milan, 20 years of history - thank you paolo！”.

　the legs may not be as fast as they were when legendary sweeper franco baresi took the young maldini under his wing, but the 36-year-old is showing no sign of retiring.“i have been thinking about what to do once i retire and i haven't come to a decision yet,” he told the gazzetta dello sport, italy's best-selling newspaper.

　“the best thing would be to find myself some kind of job within the world of football, but i have no desire to become a coach. i have always said i won't do it - you suffer too much.

　“if i decide to play on after my contract ends in 2006, it will not be for financial reasons…… it will because of the desire to train hard and enjoy myself. this is the sport i love, a sport that has given me so much.

　“my objective is not to play on until i'm 40, but to be playing at a certain level. if i can still keep up with the youngsters, why should i set myself limits？”

　missed out

　the milan captain may have won everything on offer at club level, but as an individual he has been overlooked. he has never been voted italian footballer of the year, european footballer of the year, or the world player of the year. but, maldini is a globally recognized star. he has been one of the most consistent players of all time.

　ac milan coach carlo ancelotti paid tribute by underlining maldini's importance to his team and to the image of italian football.

　“he's the best. many players are remembered for their demonstrations of skill, while paolo has been and continues to be a true example of professionalism and reliability,” he said.

　adriano galliani, vice-president of ac milan, said maldini was much more than a footballer and had become an ambassador for the city. “in my opinion he's not just a symbol of ac milan, but milan itself,” he said.

　over the years, maldini has been a feared adversary of serie a's finest strikers. but diego maradona stands out as his most respected adversary.

　“he was the greatest and the most sincere - a model of behaviour on the pitch,” he said.