Maldini becoming Serie A's latest journeyman at 24 after first goal for Cagliari
Quick summary
Daniel Maldini, son of AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini, scored his first goal for Cagliari, marking another chapter in his journeyman career across Serie A clubs.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceDaniel Maldini is fast becoming a Serie A ‘journeyman’ at the age of just 24, as his first goal for Cagliari means that he has now scored for more Italian sides than any other player over the last five years.
Maldini has now scored for six different Serie A clubs aged 24 Maldini scored the first goal of his Cagliari career in a 1-0 victory at home against Lecce in Serie A on Monday evening, lifting Fabio Pisacane’s side up to ninth place after three matches of the 2026-27 campaign.
Maldini’s goal against Lecce means that he has now scored for six different Serie A clubs across his career: Milan, Spezia, Monza, Atalanta, Lazio and Cagliari in order of recency.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 09: Daniel Maldni with his teammates of SS Lazio celebrates after scoring the opening goal during Serie A match between SS Lazio and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on March 09, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) Empoli is the only club where the 24-year-old has played for and failed to provide a single goal.
As per Opta , no other player has scored for more Serie A clubs since Maldini scored his first goal in the Italian top flight, which came for Milan in a 2-1 win away against Spezia in September 2021.
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What happened
Daniel Maldini, 24, has continued his nomadic Serie A career by finding the net for the first time since joining Cagliari. The son of AC Milan icon Paolo Maldini has previously been loaned to and played for Spezia, Empoli, and Monza, struggling to establish himself at his parent club. His latest goal highlights both the burden of his famous surname and his persistence in carving out a Serie A career across multiple clubs.
Chance analysis
Daniel Maldini's career arc is one of the more unusual stories in modern Serie A. Carrying one of the most famous names in football history, he has bounced between Spezia, Empoli, Monza, and now Cagliari without ever truly settling. A first goal for his latest club is a small but meaningful milestone, suggesting he may finally be finding his feet. For Cagliari, getting a motivated Maldini contributing in the final third is a modest boost as they look to climb the table.
Maldini's first Cagliari goal is a positive individual milestone that could increase his role and confidence but does not materially shift team-level expectations.