After a professional career that saw his debut on January 20th, 1985 at age 16 to his last on May 31st of this year, Paolo Maldini has decided to stay away from the game for a bit, much to the disappointment of freshly minted Chelsea head coach Carlo Ancelotti who had offered the 41 year old a position on his coaching staff.

Via Guardian 

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed Paolo Maldini turned down an offer to become part of his coaching staff at Chelsea.

Ancelotti joined the London club from Milan last month and had hoped Maldini would follow him to Stamford Bridge after hanging up his boots at the end of the season.

“I made that proposal to him,” Ancelotti said in an interview with Italian station Radio Deejay. “But he wanted to take time off and after so many years playing, it’s understandable.

“But if I could have taken anyone to Chelsea, it would have been Maldini.”

Image via MagnificentObsession