Maldini wins Giacinto-Facchetti prize

AC Milan idol Paolo Maldini has picked up yet another title having been awarded the “Giacinto-Facchetti, il bello del calcio” prize.

The award was created in 2006 at the initiative of sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport and named after the former Inter Milan player of the same name who died in the same year but was considered to have had an exemplary career.

The inaugural winner of the award, called the 'beauty of football', was Paraguayan Julio Gonzalez, who carried on playing despite having an arm amputated after a car accident.

Last year Iraq captain Younis Mahmoud won the prize following his war-torn country's victory in the Asian Cup.

Maldini, 40, is in his 25th season as a professional player for Milan during which time he made 126 appearances for his country, won seven Italian titles and the European Cup/Champions League five times.