WORLD SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Paolo MALDINI
1994
History…Paolo Maldini is the firstever defender to win the award
Masterful Maldini wins the crown
P
aolo Maldini, Carlos Alberto Parreira and the Milan squad all set records by topping the 1994 World Soccer readership awards. Maldini, Player of the Year, is the first defender to lead the voting in the 13 years the awards have been held by World Soccer. Parreira, Manager of the Year, is the first South American to win that category. And Milan, Team of the Year, are the first club to take that award twice. Maldini beat his international team-mate, Roberto Baggio, to first place by almost four per cent of the total votes cast. Baggio, who gained more votes in second place than he did when he won the 1993 poll, has the consolation of knowing that an Italian-based player finished in first place for the 12th time in 13 years. In 1991 Jean-Pierre Papin, then of Marseille, was the only man to break that grip. At 26, Maldini still has plenty of time to improve an already excellent record. He has helped Italy to third place and then to second in two World Cups, in addition to amassing a large haul of medals with his club. As the son of an international defender, Cesare Maldini – who
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PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dynasty…Paolo is continuing the Maldini tradition at Milan
