AC Milan

Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly called AC Milan or simply Milan, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. It was founded in 1899 and plays in the Serie A, the top level of Italian football. The team's home stadium is the San Siro, which they share with Inter Milan. This stadium is the largest in Italian football, holding 75,817 fans.

AC Milan has a long history of success. During Silvio Berlusconi’s time as the club’s president, from 1980 to 2011, the team won many important trophies, including several Serie A and UEFA Champions League titles. One amazing achievement happened in the 1991–92 season, when Milan won the league without losing a single game.

Today, AC Milan is one of the most successful football clubs in the world. The club has won 19 league titles, seven European Cup/Champions League titles, and many other honors. It is also one of the wealthiest clubs in world football and was a founding member of groups like the G-14 and the European Club Association.

History

Main article: History of AC Milan

Foundation and early years (1899–1950)

AC Milan was started as Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club in 1899 by English man Herbert Kilpin. The club says December 16 of that year is their beginning day, but records suggest it may have been a few days later, around December 18. The exact date is still debated because the club's original papers were lost.

To honor its English roots, the club kept the English spelling of the city’s name, even though Italy uses “Milano”. Milan won its first Italian championship in 1901, ending a three-year streak by Genoa. In the early years, the club won many trophies, including the Medaglia del Re three times, the Palla Dapples 23 times and the FGNI tournament five times.

In 1908, disagreements over foreign players caused a split, leading to the creation of another team, F.C. Internazionale.

Return to victory and international affirmation (1950–1970)

The 1950s brought Milan back to the top of Italian football, led by the famous Swedish trio Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm. This was a very successful time for the club, with Milan winning the Scudetto in 1951, 1955, 1957 and 1959. The decade also saw Milan’s first big international wins, including the Latin Cup in 1951 and 1956. Milan was the first Italian club to join the new European Cup in the 1955–56 season, reaching the final two years later.

10th Scudetto and decline (1970–1986)

The 1970s were about chasing the 10th Serie A title, which would earn the Scudetto star. After finishing second for three years in a row, Milan finally won it in 1979. That same year, player Gianni Rivera retired and Franco Baresi began his first full season with the club.

After this win, the team went through a tough time. Milan faced trouble with match-fixing and was moved down to a lower league. They worked hard and returned to the top league the next year, but were moved down again soon after.

Berlusconi's ownership and international glory (1986–2012)

In 1986, businessman Silvio Berlusconi bought the club and helped it recover. He brought in new coaches and players, including the famous Dutch trio Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard. Under coach Arrigo Sacchi, Milan won its first Scudetto in nine years in 1988. The next year, they won their first European Cup in twenty years.

After Sacchi left, coach Fabio Capello led the team to three straight Serie A titles and memorable wins, including a famous 4–0 victory over Barcelona in the 1994 Champions League final. In 1999, Milan won its 16th championship in a special centenary season.

Changes in ownership and decline (2012–2019)

After winning their 18th Scudetto, Milan’s performance dropped. They didn’t qualify for European competitions for several years and only won the 2016 Supercoppa Italiana.

In 2016, a Chinese company bought most of the club. Later, financial problems led to changes in ownership again. Despite some good moments, Milan struggled and faced bans from European competitions due to financial issues.

Recent history (2019–present)

In 2019, new coaches were tried, but results were mixed. After a break due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Milan had a strong run and finished second in the league in the 2020–21 season, qualifying for the Champions League.

Milan won their 19th Italian championship in the 2021–22 season with a record 86 points. In 2022, a new group of investors bought the club. Despite some successes, the team finished 8th in the 2024–25 season and did not qualify for European competition.

Colours and badge

Red and black have always been the colors of AC Milan. These colors were chosen by the club's founder to show the team's energy and to make opponents hesitant to challenge them. The team is often called "the red & blacks" because of these colors.

AC Milan's logo has changed over time but always includes the red and black colors and the flag of Milan. The modern logo shows the city's flag, the club's acronym, and the year it was founded. The team's home shirt has red and black stripes, with white shorts and black socks. The away shirt is usually all white, which the team considers lucky in important matches.

Anthem and mascot

AC Milan has an anthem called "Milan Milan" that was created in 1988. The team's official mascot is a red devil named Milanello, who wears the AC Milan kit and holds a football. The mascot was designed by Warner Bros.

Stadiums

Main article: San Siro

AC Milan started playing at a simple field called Trotter, which had no stands or changing rooms. Over the years, they moved to several different places around Milan. In 1926, they moved to the San Siro stadium, where they still play today. Originally called Stadio Giuseppe Meazza after a famous player, it's most known by the name San Siro, after the neighborhood it's in.

The San Siro was built by the club's president at the time and was completed in just over 13 months. It has hosted many important matches and has been updated several times. There have been discussions about building a new stadium, but as of now, AC Milan continues to call San Siro home.

Supporters

Main article: Fossa dei Leoni

AC Milan is one of the most popular football clubs in Italy. In the past, the team was supported by many workers in the city, which gave them the nickname "screwdrivers." Their main rival, Inter Milan, was supported by wealthier people. Milan has some of the oldest fan groups in Italian football, called ultras, and one famous group is called Fossa dei Leoni.

Studies show that Milan has many fans across Europe, with over 18 million supporters. The club also has large crowds at its games, ranking among the top teams in Europe for attendance.

Club rivalries

Main articles: Derby della Madonnina and Juventus F.C.–AC Milan rivalry

AC Milan has some big rivalries with other teams. The most famous one is with Inter Milan. These two teams play against each other twice every season in a match called the Derby della Madonnina. This name comes from a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on top of the Milan Cathedral. The first match between them happened in 1908. The rivalry became very strong in the 1960s when both teams were very successful.

AC Milan also has a big rivalry with Juventus F.C.. These two teams have often fought for the top spot in the league. There have been exciting matches between them over the years.

Milan also has rivalries with other teams like Genoa, Fiorentina, Atalanta, and Napoli. These rivalries have grown over many years of competing against each other.

Popular culture

AC Milan has been featured in many movies. One famous film is Sunday Heroes from 1953, which tells a story about a made-up football match. The movie includes real Milan players and their coach.

The team and its players have also appeared in several funny Italian movies. Some of these movies feature well-known players like Paolo Maldini and Gennaro Gattuso.

Milan TV

On December 16, 1999, a special TV channel called Milan Channel started. This channel shows news, events, and old matches from the team. It was the first TV channel in Italy just for a football team. In 2016, the channel changed its name to Milan TV and got a new look.

Forza Milan!

The official magazine of the club, Forza Milan!, began in 1963. It shared stories about the team, interviews, and match reports. The magazine was popular, with around 130,000 copies each month. It stopped publishing in June 2018.

Honours

AC Milan is one of the most successful football clubs in Italy, with 32 domestic titles. Their first top league win was in 1901, and their most recent was in 2022. Winning their tenth league title allowed them to put a special star on their jersey.

The club is also very successful in international competitions, with 20 major international trophies. This includes winning the European Cup or Champions League seven times, which is an Italian record. Their most recent European Cup win was in 2007. In that same year, they achieved a special feat by winning three major international tournaments in one year.

Club statistics and records

Further information: List of AC Milan records and statistics

Paolo Maldini played the most games for Milan, with 902 total appearances and 647 in the top league, Serie A. This is a record in Serie A.

Swedish player Gunnar Nordahl scored the most goals for Milan, with 221 goals in 268 games. He scored 38 goals in one season, a club record. Next are Andriy Shevchenko with 175 goals and Gianni Rivera with 164 goals. Rivera was also the youngest player to score for Milan, at just 17 years old.

Legendary coach Nereo Rocco managed Milan for the longest time, over nine years in two periods during the 1960s and early 1970s. Silvio Berlusconi, who bought the club in 1986, was Milan’s president for the longest time, 23 years.

Milan’s biggest win was 13–0 against Audax Modena in 1915, and their biggest loss was 0–8 against Bologna in 1923.

In the 1991–92 season, Milan won the Serie A title without losing a game. Their unbeaten run lasted 58 games, which is a Serie A record.

Since 2007, Milan and Boca Juniors have won more international club titles than any other club, with 18 titles recognized by FIFA.

Players

First-team squad

As of 12 February 2026

Note: Flags show which country's team a player can join, following FIFA eligibility rules. Some players can belong to more than one country outside of FIFA rules.

Milan Futuro and Youth Sector

As of 12 February 2026

These players are part of the Milan Futuro or AC Milan Youth Sector teams and have been chosen to play for AC Milan in important matches. Shirt numbers match those of the main team.
Note: Flags show which country's team a player can join, following FIFA eligibility rules. Some players can belong to more than one country outside of FIFA rules.

Out on loan

As of 18 March 2026

Note: Flags show which country's team a player can join, following FIFA eligibility rules. Some players can belong to more than one country outside of FIFA rules.

Milan Women

Former players

Further information: List of AC Milan players and Category:AC Milan players

Club captains

Further information: List of AC Milan players § Club captains

Player records

Further information: List of AC Milan records and statistics

Retired numbers

See also: List of retired numbers in association football

Coaching staff

As of 8 July 2025

Chairmen and managers

Chairmen history

Main article: List of AC Milan chairmen

AC Milan has had many leaders over the years. You can see the full list of them here.

Managerial history

Main article: List of AC Milan managers

Here is a list of the coaches who have led AC Milan from 1900 until today.

AC Milan sponsorships

Shirt sponsors

Emirates has been the main sponsor on Milan's shirt from the 2010–11 season up until the 2019–20 season. Before that, a German car company called Opel, owned by General Motors, sponsored the team for 12 seasons. Usually, "Opel" appeared on the shirt, but in the 2003–04 and 2005–06 seasons, the names of two of their cars, "Meriva" and "Zafira", were shown instead.

Fashion and luxury

Since AC Milan is located in one of the world's most famous fashion cities, the team has many partnerships with top Italian fashion brands. Dolce & Gabbana worked closely with the team starting in 2004 when they designed the team's official suits. This partnership lasted for over 10 years.

In 2016, Boglioli became the team's style partner, taking over from Diesel. This partnership lasted until the 2019/2020 season. In 2020, Harmont & Blaine became the new style partner. In 2021, they created a special collection just for AC Milan. In 2022, AC Milan started working with the luxury streetwear brand Off-White.

Besides clothing, AC Milan also worked with the Italian jewelry company Damiani starting in 2018 as their luxury partner. The same year, a leather company called Piquadro became the team's travel partner. In 2020, Etro joined as the team's travel accessories supplier, and this partnership continued for several years.

Online betting

In 2022, AC Milan announced that an online betting and casino company called Betsson would become their official betting partner, giving them special access to AC Milan in Latin America.

Kit deals

Today, Puma makes the team's shirts. Before that, a German sportswear company called Adidas made the team's kits until 2018, even though their contract was supposed to last until 2023. Before Adidas, an Italian company called Lotto made the team's sportswear.

For the 2024–2025 season, AC Milan created a special fourth shirt with Off-White, calling it a "manifesto of style".

Table of kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Other sponsors

Since 2013, Banco BPM has been an important partner of AC Milan, and they kept renewing their agreement, most recently in 2023.

Skrill has been AC Milan's global payments partner since 2020, and they also sponsor matches.

eBay has been AC Milan's official marketplace partner since 2020, and they host an online store for AC Milan on their website.

AC Milan financials

In April 2017, AC Milan was bought by a company called Rossoneri Sport Investment Luxembourg, which took over 99.9% of the club's shares from Fininvest. Li Yonghong became the new leader of the club, while Marco Fassone stayed as the main manager. Later, because Li Yonghong could not pay back money he owed, Elliott Management Corporation took over. They chose new leaders for the club, including Paolo Scaroni as the new chairman. Some old leaders, including the four Chinese members and former CEO Marco Fassone, were removed.

In the 2005–06 season, AC Milan was one of the top earning football clubs in the world, making about €233.7 million. By the 2013–14 season, the club had dropped in rankings. As of 2014, Forbes listed AC Milan as one of the richest clubs in the world, making it the richest in Italy.

Because of financial rules called UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations, AC Milan was not allowed to play in European competitions for a while. However, after an appeal, this ban was removed, and the club was allowed to play again if it met certain financial goals by June 30, 2021.

Superleague Formula

AC Milan joined a car racing competition called the Superleague Formula from 2008 to 2010. In this competition, racing teams were supported by famous football clubs. AC Milan, also known as the Rossoneri, worked with different racing teams each year. In 2008, they helped a team from the Netherlands called Scuderia Playteam. The next year, they supported Azerti Motorsport, and in 2010, they worked with Atech Grand Prix.

In 2008, the driver Robert Doornbos helped the team finish third overall. He also won the team's first race at a track in Germany called Nürburgring. Another driver, Giorgio Pantano, raced for AC Milan in 2009 and also won some races for the team.