Franco Baresi's amazing football family: Italian legend's brother and niece were also top pros
Giuseppe Baresi and Regina Baresi were both greats for Inter
Franco Baresi, who has died this week, was a legendary footballer for Milan, but his lesser-known brother Giuseppe and niece Regina both had long careers across the city for Inter.
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Tributes are being paid on Friday to Baresi, who was announced to have passed aged 66, having undergone lung surgery last year.
Having captained Milan and Italy, he was considered one of the best defenders of all time and won the 1982 World Cup with his country. He also led the team to the 1994 World Cup final.
Baresi only ever played for Milan and frequently lined up against his brother Giuseppe, an Inter defender, in the city's derby.
Inter said in a club statement: "Within that rivalry, the strongest bond was the one with Giuseppe Baresi.
"Two brothers, two captains, who grew up together and later found themselves wearing opposite colours, yet remained united by a respect that was never in question.
"For them, the derby was never just a match: it was a direct challenge, a responsibility, but also a balance to be protected."
Both Baresi brothers retired in the 1990 sand the family legacy continued in the city through Regina, who scored more than 100 goals for Inter's women's team.
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Who was Franco Baresi, and who is his wife, Maura Lari?
Franco Baresi, born in May, 1960, was a legendary footballer who played as a defender for Milan from 1977 to 1997 and for Italy from 1982 to 1994, winning 81 caps.
Baresi was an unused squad member for the 1982 World Cup triumph and captained both his club and country in later years, winning three Champions Leagues in 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, and six Serie A titles.
He met Maura Lari when she served him at a restaurant, and the pair got married in 1984, having their son Edoardo in 1991. They also adopted another son called Gianandrea, who is now 31.
Who is Giuseppe Baresi?
Giuseppe was born in 1958 and established himself in the Inter team before his younger brother burst onto the scene - but it was the younger Baresi who ultimately proved to be the more talented.
The pair had a rivalry on the pitch, meeting 35 times opposite each other in the Milan derby, before Giuseppe left the Nerazzurri for Modena in 1992 and retired in 1994.
Giuseppe was capped 18 times for Italy and was left out of the victorious 1982 squad, with his place going to his younger brother.
“We tried to leave it outside the door. There was always the concern that neither of us would get injured,” Franco joked about frequently meeting his brother on the pitch.
Giuseppe became a coach for Inter when he retired.
Who is Regina Baresi?
Regina Baresi, 34, is the daughter of Giuseppe and the niece of Franco. She played for Inter, the same team as her dad, from 2009 to 2021 - captaining the team towards the end.
Unlike the older Baresis, she played as a striker and scored more than 100 goals for her only club, but was never called up for Italy.
Regina, who is in a relationship with fellow women's player Julie Debever, has not commented on her uncle's death but did share an all-black image on her Instagram page on Friday.