Paolo Maldini read a tribute to his late father Cesare alongside family members at a funeral ceremony held for the AC Milan player and Italy coach on Tuesday.
Maldini, 84, passed away on Sunday.
The younger Maldini, who also played for AC Milan and the Italy national team, stood with brothers and sisters Monica, Donatella, Valentina, Alessandro and Piercesare Maldini.
"We just want to thank you for the wonderful and unique journey we had together," the letter read. "It will make us smile every time we think of you. We were close in every moment, not knowing that you were going.
"When you left us an extraordinary thing happened: we were inundated with messages of affection for you, not banal sentiments, touching ones.
"You left a little bit of yourself in all these people.
"Thank you, Papa."
Also in attendance were Clarence Seedorf, who played for AC Milan from 2002-12 and briefly managed the team in 2014, as well as Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta.
"He was always available and very kind all the time," Seedorf said. "Paolo is a friend for me, it is always sad to see the whole family suffering.
"It was a touching ceremony, a wonderful tribute that Cesare Maldini and his family truly deserved."
Marotta remembered the Italian from his playing days and hailed his virtues in the coaches box as well.
"As a coach he showed great values," Marotta said. "I knew him very well and he was an example for me from a managerial point of view.
"He was able to transmit tranquility and his death represents a very important loss in the football world."