Talking about Maldini, EURO 2000 semi-final. The scene, Amsterdam arena, full house, the roaring of the Oranje Army and the best attacking team in the World the Dutch. Holland started well in the first half, but an Italian guy got a red card in the stroke of half an hour and from then on 11 dutch attackers against 10 Italian defenders. Italy went out on an all out defense and Holland attacked them vigorously. I have never seen any team defend like that in Amsterdam arena in front of full house 70,000 Oranje Army and it was Maldini the hero. He was there in front of defense, he fought like a soldier. Although that game, I first saw Nesta and his calibre, it was Malidini and there aren't words to describe the defense he played. I was shocked that the Dutch could not score even after half an hour of extra time with so much attack. They could not pierce the Italian defense. It was first when I fully admired Maldini, he was breathless when the game finished, he was cramping, but he sat there like a wall and fought for his country. After the game finished, I was so in admiration of the fella, eventhough I am a die-hard Dutch fan that I never really felt sympathy in my team for loosing in PSO for the first time. Then I came to realize why they say Italy have such powerful defense. It was Maldini and with him has come other young generation of the admirable Italian defense.