Paolo Maldini was 35 years of age, and had over 700 club appearances under his belt, before he captained AC Milan for the very first time in the 2003 Champions League final victory over Juventus.
It’s fair to say, then, that Alessio Romagnoli was at a very different stage of his career when he inherited the armband at one of the most iconic clubs in European football..
After Leonardo Bonucci’s ill-fated spell in black and red came to a premature end, the 23-year-old Italian scribed his name into the Milanese history books.
And two years on, the decision to make Romagnoli the Rossoneri’s youngest captain since the legendary Franco Baresi in 1982 looks an inspired one.
Now 25, the former Roma defender is the posterboy of this modern-day Milan side. In many ways, he epitomises what the club has become – one who pride themselves upon identifying and accumulating the most exciting young talent in Europe and giving them a platform upon which to thrive at the San Siro.
And, in the eyes of Maldini himself, Romagnoli is a natural-born leader, one who has earned the right to lead Milan into an exciting new era after almost a decade of underachievement.
“A real captain,” Maldini, club icon-turned-technical director explains to Sky. “A leader of this team.”
With his contract due to expire in 2022, however, Milan are desperate to tie their finest defender in recent times down to a new, long-term deal as soon as possible.
Everton expressed an interest in the £23 million giant over the summer, according to Sempre Milan. And, as the signings of James Rodriguez and Allan prove, the lure of Carlo Ancelotti has made the Toffees a force to be reckoned with in the transfer market.
Fortunately for Milan, Maldini is the man who makes the decisions these days.
And if anyone understands the importance of a top-class centre-half, a natural-born leader capable of dragging the dressing room through the toughest of moments, it’s him.
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