Discover AC Milan
**English roots in the heart of Milan**
AC Milan was founded on 16 December 1899 by the English businessman and football enthusiast Herbert Kilpin and a group of friends. Its original name was Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club, reflecting both the British roots of its founders and their interest in two popular sports of the period. The cricket section gradually disappeared, but the English name “Milan”, rather than the Italian “Milano”, remains part of the club’s identity today.
Success arrived quickly. In 1901, Milan won its first Italian championship after defeating Genoa in the deciding match. What began as a small sporting association would eventually become one of the most recognisable football institutions in the world.
**Red, black and the symbol of the Devil**
The club’s colours were chosen by Herbert Kilpin. Red was intended to represent fire and passion, while black was meant to inspire respect and fear in Milan’s opponents. The combination gave rise to the name Rossoneri, meaning “the red and blacks”, as well as the club’s other famous nickname, Il Diavolo – the Devil.
Alongside the red and black stripes, the badge contains a red cross on a white background. This is not simply a decorative element: it is a historic symbol of the city of Milan. The cross has represented the city since the Middle Ages and shows that AC Milan is not merely a football team that carries the city’s name. It has become one of Milan’s best-known cultural symbols.
**San Siro – the Scala of football**
AC Milan play their home matches at the legendary San Siro, officially named Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Club president Piero Pirelli launched its construction in 1925. Inspired by English football grounds, he wanted a stadium built exclusively for the game, with no athletics track separating the supporters from the pitch. It was completed in only thirteen months and opened in 1926.
San Siro was originally built as AC Milan’s home. Inter did not begin playing there regularly until the 1947/48 season. Today, two major city rivals share one of the world’s most famous stadiums, creating a relationship and atmosphere unlike almost anywhere else in football.
The original ground looked very different, consisting of four separate stands. Because of the nearby racecourses, some spaces beneath the stands were even used as stables and storage areas for hay and animal feed. Its modern appearance, with a third tier, enormous roof and distinctive cylindrical access towers, was largely created during the redevelopment for the 1990 World Cup.
San Siro is often described as football’s La Scala. Like Milan’s celebrated opera house, it is a stage for the finest performers and a place where an event becomes theatre.
**A club made for Europe**
AC Milan have won nineteen Italian league titles, but their most distinctive identity was forged in European competition. Seven victories in the European Cup and UEFA Champions League place Milan among the most successful clubs in the history of European football.
In 1963, Milan became the first Italian club to win Europe’s leading competition. They defeated Eusébio’s Benfica at Wembley, where captain Cesare Maldini lifted the trophy. Further European triumphs followed in 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2007.
The club also developed a special relationship with its white away kit. Milan wore white when winning the European finals of 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2007. For many supporters, the white shirt has therefore become an unofficial European good-luck charm.
**Teams that changed the game**
Milan’s importance cannot be measured only by trophies. Several of their greatest teams influenced the development of modern football. Nereo Rocco brought organisation, discipline and the club’s first European successes. At the end of the 1980s, Arrigo Sacchi built a revolutionary side based on collective pressing, movement without the ball and a high defensive line. His team became known as “the Immortals”.
The strength of that era was reflected in the Ballon d’Or. In both 1988 and 1989, Milan players occupied all three positions on the podium. The famous Dutch trio of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard played alongside figures such as the legendary captain Franco Baresi.
Fabio Capello continued Sacchi’s work with a team known as “the Invincibles”. Under Capello, Milan went 58 league matches without defeat and dismantled a highly favoured Barcelona side 4–0 in the 1994 Champions League final. Carlo Ancelotti later created another great era with players including Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Kaká, Clarence Seedorf, Andriy Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi.
**Loyalty, families and club legends**
AC Milan have traditionally been associated with elegant defenders, commanding captains and players who dedicated a significant part of their careers to the club. Franco Baresi made 719 competitive appearances and remained loyal even during Milan’s most difficult years. The club retired the number 6 shirt in recognition of his contribution.
The relationship between Milan and the Maldini family is even more remarkable. Cesare Maldini captained the side to its first European triumph in 1963. His son Paolo spent approximately a quarter of a century in the first team and became one of the most celebrated defenders in football history. Paolo’s son Daniel later represented Milan as well, meaning three generations of the same family wore the Rossoneri shirt.
The club’s history was also shaped by Gunnar Nordahl, Gianni Rivera, José Altafini, George Weah, Dejan Savićević, Zlatan Ibrahimović and many other personalities from around the world. Milan have repeatedly combined Italian tactical knowledge with international creativity.
**The Derby della Madonnina**
AC Milan’s greatest rival is Inter. The Nerazzurri were founded in 1908 by a group of former Milan members who wanted the club to be more open to foreign players. That original division developed into one of football’s most famous rivalries.
The fixture is called the Derby della Madonnina after the golden statue of the Virgin Mary that stands on top of Milan Cathedral. The Madonnina is one of the city’s defining symbols and figuratively watches over both clubs and their supporters.
A unique feature of the derby is that both teams use the same stadium. Home and away status therefore does not change the venue, but it transforms the colours, decoration and atmosphere inside the stands. Before the match, Milan divides into red and black and blue and black. Conversations in cafés, bars, offices and trams become part of a football debate that can continue long after the final whistle.
**Milanello and a culture of innovation**
Another important part of the club’s identity is the Milanello training centre, which opened in 1964 around fifty kilometres from the city. At the time, it was a pioneering complex created entirely for the needs of a football club and later became a model for other European teams.
Milanello provided an environment where players could train, recover and concentrate away from the noise of the city. This attention to facilities, sports science and small details became one of Milan’s defining characteristics during their most successful periods.
Like the city itself, the club has always attempted to combine tradition with modern style. Milan is a global centre of fashion, architecture and design, and AC Milan have developed a similar reputation for elegance, confidence and international influence. The club is seen not only as a sporting organisation, but also as part of the city’s culture and lifestyle.
**A history with scars as well as trophies**
Not every chapter has been glorious. In 1980, Milan were caught up in the Totonero illegal betting scandal. The Italian sporting authorities punished the club with relegation to Serie B, even though their results on the pitch had been good enough to remain in the top division. It was the first relegation in Milan’s history.
The Rossoneri immediately won promotion, but in 1982 they were relegated again, this time because of their league results. Financial difficulties followed. A few years later, Silvio Berlusconi took control of the club and, together with Arrigo Sacchi, began one of football’s most dramatic transformations. Within a short period, a club damaged by crisis became the strongest team in Europe.
That ability to recover from difficult moments is an essential part of the Rossoneri identity. AC Milan’s story is not only about trophies; it is also about renewal, loyalty and the ambition to return to the highest level.
**What to notice on matchday**
During a match at San Siro, watch more than the action on the pitch. Look towards the Curva Sud, the traditional home of Milan’s most vocal support. Flags, songs and large choreographed displays can transform the stadium into a red and black theatre.
The old concrete structures, spiral access towers and steep tiers also make the pitch feel like the centre of an enclosed arena. Attending an AC Milan match is therefore more than an opportunity to watch a famous team. It is an encounter with the history of European football, the architecture of an iconic stadium and a city that has made style, ambition and competition part of its identity.
AC Milan was founded on 16 December 1899 by the English businessman and football enthusiast Herbert Kilpin and a group of friends. Its original name was Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club, reflecting both the British roots of its founders and their interest in two popular sports of the period. The cricket section gradually disappeared, but the English name “Milan”, rather than the Italian “Milano”, remains part of the club’s identity today.
Success arrived quickly. In 1901, Milan won its first Italian championship after defeating Genoa in the deciding match. What began as a small sporting association would eventually become one of the most recognisable football institutions in the world.
**Red, black and the symbol of the Devil**
The club’s colours were chosen by Herbert Kilpin. Red was intended to represent fire and passion, while black was meant to inspire respect and fear in Milan’s opponents. The combination gave rise to the name Rossoneri, meaning “the red and blacks”, as well as the club’s other famous nickname, Il Diavolo – the Devil.
Alongside the red and black stripes, the badge contains a red cross on a white background. This is not simply a decorative element: it is a historic symbol of the city of Milan. The cross has represented the city since the Middle Ages and shows that AC Milan is not merely a football team that carries the city’s name. It has become one of Milan’s best-known cultural symbols.
**San Siro – the Scala of football**
AC Milan play their home matches at the legendary San Siro, officially named Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Club president Piero Pirelli launched its construction in 1925. Inspired by English football grounds, he wanted a stadium built exclusively for the game, with no athletics track separating the supporters from the pitch. It was completed in only thirteen months and opened in 1926.
San Siro was originally built as AC Milan’s home. Inter did not begin playing there regularly until the 1947/48 season. Today, two major city rivals share one of the world’s most famous stadiums, creating a relationship and atmosphere unlike almost anywhere else in football.
The original ground looked very different, consisting of four separate stands. Because of the nearby racecourses, some spaces beneath the stands were even used as stables and storage areas for hay and animal feed. Its modern appearance, with a third tier, enormous roof and distinctive cylindrical access towers, was largely created during the redevelopment for the 1990 World Cup.
San Siro is often described as football’s La Scala. Like Milan’s celebrated opera house, it is a stage for the finest performers and a place where an event becomes theatre.
**A club made for Europe**
AC Milan have won nineteen Italian league titles, but their most distinctive identity was forged in European competition. Seven victories in the European Cup and UEFA Champions League place Milan among the most successful clubs in the history of European football.
In 1963, Milan became the first Italian club to win Europe’s leading competition. They defeated Eusébio’s Benfica at Wembley, where captain Cesare Maldini lifted the trophy. Further European triumphs followed in 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2007.
The club also developed a special relationship with its white away kit. Milan wore white when winning the European finals of 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2007. For many supporters, the white shirt has therefore become an unofficial European good-luck charm.
**Teams that changed the game**
Milan’s importance cannot be measured only by trophies. Several of their greatest teams influenced the development of modern football. Nereo Rocco brought organisation, discipline and the club’s first European successes. At the end of the 1980s, Arrigo Sacchi built a revolutionary side based on collective pressing, movement without the ball and a high defensive line. His team became known as “the Immortals”.
The strength of that era was reflected in the Ballon d’Or. In both 1988 and 1989, Milan players occupied all three positions on the podium. The famous Dutch trio of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard played alongside figures such as the legendary captain Franco Baresi.
Fabio Capello continued Sacchi’s work with a team known as “the Invincibles”. Under Capello, Milan went 58 league matches without defeat and dismantled a highly favoured Barcelona side 4–0 in the 1994 Champions League final. Carlo Ancelotti later created another great era with players including Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Kaká, Clarence Seedorf, Andriy Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi.
**Loyalty, families and club legends**
AC Milan have traditionally been associated with elegant defenders, commanding captains and players who dedicated a significant part of their careers to the club. Franco Baresi made 719 competitive appearances and remained loyal even during Milan’s most difficult years. The club retired the number 6 shirt in recognition of his contribution.
The relationship between Milan and the Maldini family is even more remarkable. Cesare Maldini captained the side to its first European triumph in 1963. His son Paolo spent approximately a quarter of a century in the first team and became one of the most celebrated defenders in football history. Paolo’s son Daniel later represented Milan as well, meaning three generations of the same family wore the Rossoneri shirt.
The club’s history was also shaped by Gunnar Nordahl, Gianni Rivera, José Altafini, George Weah, Dejan Savićević, Zlatan Ibrahimović and many other personalities from around the world. Milan have repeatedly combined Italian tactical knowledge with international creativity.
**The Derby della Madonnina**
AC Milan’s greatest rival is Inter. The Nerazzurri were founded in 1908 by a group of former Milan members who wanted the club to be more open to foreign players. That original division developed into one of football’s most famous rivalries.
The fixture is called the Derby della Madonnina after the golden statue of the Virgin Mary that stands on top of Milan Cathedral. The Madonnina is one of the city’s defining symbols and figuratively watches over both clubs and their supporters.
A unique feature of the derby is that both teams use the same stadium. Home and away status therefore does not change the venue, but it transforms the colours, decoration and atmosphere inside the stands. Before the match, Milan divides into red and black and blue and black. Conversations in cafés, bars, offices and trams become part of a football debate that can continue long after the final whistle.
**Milanello and a culture of innovation**
Another important part of the club’s identity is the Milanello training centre, which opened in 1964 around fifty kilometres from the city. At the time, it was a pioneering complex created entirely for the needs of a football club and later became a model for other European teams.
Milanello provided an environment where players could train, recover and concentrate away from the noise of the city. This attention to facilities, sports science and small details became one of Milan’s defining characteristics during their most successful periods.
Like the city itself, the club has always attempted to combine tradition with modern style. Milan is a global centre of fashion, architecture and design, and AC Milan have developed a similar reputation for elegance, confidence and international influence. The club is seen not only as a sporting organisation, but also as part of the city’s culture and lifestyle.
**A history with scars as well as trophies**
Not every chapter has been glorious. In 1980, Milan were caught up in the Totonero illegal betting scandal. The Italian sporting authorities punished the club with relegation to Serie B, even though their results on the pitch had been good enough to remain in the top division. It was the first relegation in Milan’s history.
The Rossoneri immediately won promotion, but in 1982 they were relegated again, this time because of their league results. Financial difficulties followed. A few years later, Silvio Berlusconi took control of the club and, together with Arrigo Sacchi, began one of football’s most dramatic transformations. Within a short period, a club damaged by crisis became the strongest team in Europe.
That ability to recover from difficult moments is an essential part of the Rossoneri identity. AC Milan’s story is not only about trophies; it is also about renewal, loyalty and the ambition to return to the highest level.
**What to notice on matchday**
During a match at San Siro, watch more than the action on the pitch. Look towards the Curva Sud, the traditional home of Milan’s most vocal support. Flags, songs and large choreographed displays can transform the stadium into a red and black theatre.
The old concrete structures, spiral access towers and steep tiers also make the pitch feel like the centre of an enclosed arena. Attending an AC Milan match is therefore more than an opportunity to watch a famous team. It is an encounter with the history of European football, the architecture of an iconic stadium and a city that has made style, ambition and competition part of its identity.
