# Christian Maldini
**Christian Maldini** (born 1996) is an Italian former footballer who played as a defender, chiefly a center-back, and is the eldest son of [Paolo Maldini](https://www.edgepedia.org/paolo-maldini) and grandson of [Cesare Maldini](https://www.edgepedia.org/cesare-maldini), making him the third generation of the Maldini family to come through [AC Milan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ac-milan).[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/774669/christian-maldini) • [2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) His senior career was spent in the lower divisions of Italian football, with 2 goals in 71 recorded games for Fondi, Pro Piacenza, AC Pro Sesto, and Calcio Lecco 1912, and he never made a Serie A appearance.[3](https://www.statscrew.com/worldfootball/stats/p-maldichr001) • [4](https://as.com/us/us/2019/12/10/reportajes/1575956954_194067.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996, Italy; listed at 187 cm[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/774669/christian-maldini) • [5](https://www.datasport.it/calcio/calciatori/Maldini-Christian-10951.html) |
| Position | Defender, preferred position center of the defense, also used as a wide full-back[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) |
| Milan youth career | All Milan youth teams; Primavera debut 29 November 2014 against Perugia, marked with a goal[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) |
| Primavera captaincy | Wore the captain's armband on 9 April 2016 against Novara as a tribute to his grandfather Cesare, who had died days earlier[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) |
| Senior clubs | Reggiana, Hamrun Spartans (Malta, loan), Pro Sesto, Fondi, Pro Piacenza, Calcio Lecco 1912[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) • [3](https://www.statscrew.com/worldfootball/stats/p-maldichr001) |
| Career totals | 2 goals in 71 games across his senior clubs[3](https://www.statscrew.com/worldfootball/stats/p-maldichr001) |
| Status | Transfermarkt lists him as retired, with the change recorded on 12 September 2023[6](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/christian-maldini/profil/spieler/287299) |
## Milan youth career
Maldini grew up through every youth team of AC Milan while carrying a surname that drew constant attention. He described the pressure as something he had lived with since childhood, saying he had always been used to having eyes on him.[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) His path was interrupted by a serious knee injury before he could make his Primavera debut, which eventually came on 29 November 2014 against Perugia and was celebrated with a goal.[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml)
In the spring of 2016 the club gave him the Primavera captaincy for one match, on 9 April against Novara, as an homage to his grandfather Cesare Maldini, the former Milan captain and coach who had died a few days before.[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) Milan decided in the summer of 2016 not to keep him, judging him not ready for the first team, and released him to Reggiana.[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml)
## Senior career in the lower divisions
Reggiana loaned Maldini in the summer of 2016 to Hamrun Spartans in Malta, where he spent about six months.[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) In January 2017, after terminating his Reggiana registration, he signed for Pro Sesto in [Serie D](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-d), a club near Milan whose president Gabriele Albertini was the brother of his father's former teammate Demetrio Albertini; his father called it the best choice for him.[2](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml) Datasport records that Pro Sesto spell as running from 23 January 2017 to 3 July 2017.[5](https://www.datasport.it/calcio/calciatori/Maldini-Christian-10951.html)
His later clubs included Fondi, Pro Piacenza, and Calcio Lecco 1912, across which he made 71 recorded appearances and scored 2 goals.[3](https://www.statscrew.com/worldfootball/stats/p-maldichr001) In late 2019, after four months without a club, he signed again for Pro Sesto on 1 November; a Spanish report noted that despite moving through many clubs he had not reached [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a).[4](https://as.com/us/us/2019/12/10/reportajes/1575956954_194067.html) FotMob's career record also lists Pro Piacenza and Reggiana among his clubs, with a Pro Sesto registration from November 2019 onward.[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/774669/christian-maldini)
In July 2021 he faced his younger brother Daniel in a friendly between Milan and Pro Sesto, a fixture that drew coverage because the two brothers lined up on opposite sides.[7](https://www.corriere.it/sport/21_luglio_17/daniel-maldini-fratello-christian-avversari-milan-pro-sesto-bedbbe00-e6e6-11eb-9bf6-eea1575c4502.shtml) In 2022, at age 26, he was reportedly on the shortlist of [Serie C](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-c) club Lecco as it looked for defenders.[8](https://www.leccochannelnews.it/?p=108100)
## The Maldini family
Christian Maldini belongs to a three-generation Milan footballing family. His grandfather Cesare Maldini captained Milan and later coached the club and the Italian national team; his father Paolo played his entire career for Milan and is one of the most decorated defenders in the club's history; his younger brother [Daniel Maldini](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-maldini) became the third generation to play for the club professionally.[7](https://www.corriere.it/sport/21_luglio_17/daniel-maldini-fratello-christian-avversari-milan-pro-sesto-bedbbe00-e6e6-11eb-9bf6-eea1575c4502.shtml) • [9](https://www.squawka.com/en/cult-corner/football-most-successful-family-dynasties-maldini-alonso/) Christian's own career, spent in Serie D and lower professional divisions, is regularly contrasted in Italian coverage with the achievements of his father and brother.[4](https://as.com/us/us/2019/12/10/reportajes/1575956954_194067.html)
## References
1. [Christian Maldini, FotMob player profile](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/774669/christian-maldini)
2. [Milan, Christian Maldini riparte dalla Serie D: giocherà nella Pro Sesto, La Gazzetta dello Sport (23 January 2017)](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/23-01-2017/mercato-milan-christian-maldini-serie-d-pro-sesto-180533775301.shtml)
3. [Christian Maldini world football statistics, StatsCrew](https://www.statscrew.com/worldfootball/stats/p-maldichr001)
4. [Hijos de grandes futbolistas que debutaron pero quedaron a deber, AS (10 December 2019)](https://as.com/us/us/2019/12/10/reportajes/1575956954_194067.html)
5. [Christian Maldini, Datasport player page](https://www.datasport.it/calcio/calciatori/Maldini-Christian-10951.html)
6. [Christian Maldini, Transfermarkt player profile](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/christian-maldini/profil/spieler/287299)
7. [Daniel Maldini e il fratello Christian avversari in Milan-Pro Sesto, Corriere della Sera (17 July 2021)](https://www.corriere.it/sport/21_luglio_17/daniel-maldini-fratello-christian-avversari-milan-pro-sesto-bedbbe00-e6e6-11eb-9bf6-eea1575c4502.shtml)
8. [Serie C, Calcio Lecco: Christian Maldini è più di un'opzione, Lecco Channel News](https://www.leccochannelnews.it/?p=108100)
9. [Can anyone match House Maldini? Football's most successful family dynasties, Squawka](https://www.squawka.com/en/cult-corner/football-most-successful-family-dynasties-maldini-alonso/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Italian footballers born 1995 onward*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license