 Throughout his career, Maldini was also considered to be a leader, both for Milan and for the Italian national team, earning the nickname ""Il Capitano"" ("The Captain").He was renowned for his vocal, commanding presence on the pitch, and for his awareness, communication and organisational skills, helping to motivate his teammates and ensuring they remained in position.He played in over 1,000 professional matches during his 25 seasons at Milan, and is the record appearance holder in Serie A, and for Milan in all competitions.