 Maldini akaita kutanga kwake kuItaly muna 1988, achitamba kwemakore gumi nemana asati aenda pamudyandigere muna 2002 aine zvibodzwa zvinomwe uye makapu zana nemakumi maviri nenhanhatu, rekodhi yekuratidzira panguva iyoyo, iyo yakazopfuurwa naFabio Cannavaro naGianluigi Buffon. Maldini akatungamira Italy kwemakore masere uye akabata rekodhi yekuratidzira semutungamiriri weItaly 75, kusvikira apfuurwazve naCannavaro naBuffon. NaItaly, Maldini akapinda mumakwikwi mana eFIFA World Cup uye matatu UEFA European Championships. Kunyange zvazvo asina kukunda mutambo neItaly, akasvika kumagumo e1994 World Cup neEuro 2000, uye semi-fainari ye1990 World Cup neEuro 1988. Akasarudzwa mumapoka e-all-star kune imwe neimwe yemakwikwi aya, kuwedzera kuEuro 1996. 