Sunday 3 April 2016 11:26, UK
Former Italy head coach Cesare Maldini has passed away at the age of 84.
The former AC Milan defender took charge of the national team in 1996, replacing Arrigo Sacchi, and successfully qualified for the 1998 World Cup.
The Azzurri reached the quarter-finals where they were eventually beaten by hosts France in the quarter-finals on penalties.
Maldini played for Milan from 1954 to 1966 and was a star for the club before son Paolo went on to become a legend in his own right. He helped the club win four Scudetti along with their first European Cup in 1963 when they sealed a 2-1 win over Benfica.
In a statement the club expressed condolences to Maldini's family.
The statement read: "All of Milan, all the people and the Milan figures express condolences to Mrs Maldini, their children and grandchildren."
A tweet posted on the club's official account read: "Goodbye dear Cesare. Today the world loses a great man and we lose a page of our history. You will be missed."
After captaining the club, the native of Trieste moved to Torino before bringing an end to his playing career in 1967.
He moved into the coaching ranks, becoming an assistant for the Rossoneri before taking over as manager from 1972 to 1974.
Maldini led the Azzurrini to three consecutive European Under-21 titles in the 1990s, developing future stars such as Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Totti before eventually taking the reins with the senior side.
Maldini then became Paraguay national team boss in 2001, leading them to the last 16 at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
The Italian football federation announced on its website that a minute's silence would be observed at all matches in the country on Sunday and Monday to mark Maldini's passing.
Federation president Carlo Tavecchio said in a statement: "He left us - a great man and an absolute hero of football. As a player and as a coach he tied his name to the history of Italian football.
"After becoming the first Italian to lift the European Cup he helped many Azzurri players to grow, embodying perfectly the spirit and the role of federation coach."
