In a stunning revelation that’s sending shockwaves through the football world, former Italian criminal Giampaolo Manca has disclosed a bizarre kidnapping plot targeting AC Milan legend Marco van Basten in the late 1980s or early 1990s.
Manca, known as “Il Doge” of the Mala del Brenta criminal organization and a self-described reformed bandit, shared the details in a recent interview as reported by Corriere della Sera. According to Manca, notorious Italian criminal Renato Vallanzasca a fellow AC Milan supporter confessed the plan to him while they were imprisoned together at Opera prison.
The Audacious Kidnapping Plan
Vallanzasca, a high-profile figure in Italy’s criminal underworld, reportedly orchestrated an elaborate scheme to abduct the Dutch superstar. Van Basten, one of the greatest strikers of his generation and a key player in AC Milan’s dominant teams under Silvio Berlusconi, was followed by Vallanzasca’s associates for several months. The goal was straightforward: kidnap the player and demand a hefty ransom.
The plan was meticulously prepared. However, in a twist that highlights the eccentric intersection of football passion and crime, Vallanzasca ultimately called it off. As a die-hard AC Milan fan, he reportedly didn’t want to “do Inter a favour” by removing their fierce rival’s star player from the pitch, which could have shifted the balance in the Serie A title race.
Manca recounted: “He confessed to me that he had prepared a plan to kidnap Marco van Basten and ask for ransom. His men had been tailing him for months. He gave it up because he didn’t want to do Inter a favour.”
Marco van Basten: AC Milan Icon
Marco van Basten, now 61, enjoyed an illustrious career with AC Milan from 1987 to 1995, winning multiple Serie A titles, European Cups, and Ballon d’Or awards. Known for his elegant style, lethal finishing, and unforgettable goals including his iconic volley in the 1988 European Championship final van Basten remains a club icon despite injuries cutting short his playing days.
This revelation adds a surreal chapter to the already dramatic history of Italian football in the 1980s and 90s, an era marked by intense rivalries between AC Milan and Inter Milan.