AC Milan

One of the most successful clubs in world football, with a rich history and a legendary rivalry.

AC Milan, commonly referred to as AC Milan or simply Milan mainly outside of Italy, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Founded in 1899, the club competes in Serie A, the top tier of Italian football. In its early history, Milan played its home games in different grounds around the city before moving to its current stadium, the San Siro, in 1926. The stadium, which was built by Milan's second chairman, Piero Pirelli, and has been shared with Inter Milan since 1947, is the largest in Italian football, with a total capacity of 75,817. The club has a long-standing rivalry with Inter, with whom they contest the Derby della Madonnina, one of the most followed derbies in football.

Quick Facts

Nickname: I Rossoneri (The Red and Black); Il Diavolo (The Devil)
Founded: 18 December 1899, as Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club
Stadium: San Siro
Capacity: 75,817 (limited capacity); 80,018 (maximum capacity)
Owner: RedBird Capital Partners (99.93%), Private shareholders (0.07%)
Chairman: Paolo Scaroni
Manager: Ruben Amorim
League: Milan

Lore & Background

Milan has spent its entire history in Serie A with the exception of the 1980–81 and 1982–83 seasons. Silvio Berlusconi’s 31-year tenure as Milan president was a standout period in the club's history, as they established themselves as one of Europe's most dominant and successful clubs. Milan won 29 trophies during his tenure, securing multiple Serie A and UEFA Champions League titles. During the 1991–92 season, the club notably achieved the feat of being the first team to win the Serie A title without losing a single game. Milan is home to multiple Ballon d'Or winners, and three of the club's players, Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard, were ranked in the top three on the podium for the 1988 Ballon d'Or, an unprecedented achievement in the history of the prize.

Reader's Guide

Milan is one of the most successful football clubs in the world in terms of total trophies won. Domestically, Milan has won 19 league titles, 5 Coppa Italia titles and 8 Supercoppa Italiana titles. In international competitions, Milan is Italy's most successful club. The club has won seven European Cup/Champions League titles, making them the competition's second-most successful team behind Real Madrid, and further honours include five UEFA Super Cups, two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups, a joint record two Latin Cups, a joint record three Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup. Milan is one of the wealthiest clubs in Italian and world football. It was a founding member of the now-defunct G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs as well as its replacement, the European Club Association.

Founding Origins and Early Rivalry

Established in the winter of 1899 by English expatriate Herbert Kilpin, the club began as Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club, retaining its English spelling to honor these roots. The team secured its first national championship in 1901, interrupting a three-year hegemony of Genoa, and won further titles in 1906 and 1907. Internal friction regarding foreign player signings triggered a pivotal split in 1908, birthing F.C. Internazionale and creating one of football's most intense local rivalries known as the Derby della Madonnina. Following this schism, Milan endured a long domestic drought, failing to win a league title until 1950-51. During these early years, the club played across various grounds before settling into the San Siro in 1926, a stadium commissioned by chairman Piero Pirelli that would eventually become the largest in Italian football and a shared home with their city rivals since 1947.

The Gre-No-Li Era and European Breakthroughs

The 1950s marked a transformative decade where Milan reclaimed domestic supremacy through the legendary Swedish trio of Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl, and Nils Liedholm. This attacking force propelled the team to four Serie A titles between 1951 and 1959 while also securing two Latin Cup victories in 1951 and 1956 against Lille and Athletic Bilbao. The club made history as the first Italian side to enter the newly formed European Cup in the 1955-56 season, reaching the final two years later where they were defeated by Real Madrid. The following decade saw the emergence of Gianni Rivera in 1960, who spent nineteen seasons with the club, and the arrival of coach Nereo Rocco in 1961. This golden period also included their inaugural Coppa Italia win in 1967 and two European Cup Winners' Cups in 1967-68 and 1972-73, defeating Hamburg and Leeds United respectively.

The Berlusconi Dynasty and Unprecedented Dominance

Silvio Berlusconi's 31-year tenure as Milan president stands as the most defining era in the club's history, transforming Milan into one of Europe's most dominant forces. Acquiring the club on 20 February 1986, Berlusconi saved it from bankruptcy, invested vast amounts of money, appointed rising manager Arrigo Sacchi, and signed Dutch internationals Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, and Frank Rijkaard. During his tenure, the squad amassed 29 trophies, including multiple Serie A championships and UEFA Champions League titles. A standout achievement occurred in the 1991-92 season when they became the first team to win the Serie A title without suffering a single defeat. Under Fabio Capello, the team won three consecutive Serie A titles between 1992 and 1994, a spell which included a 58-match unbeaten run in Serie A, earning the team the label 'the Invincibles.' The club also attracted global superstars, most notably the Dutch trio who made history by occupying the top three spots on the 1988 Ballon d'Or podium simultaneously.

Global Legacy and Trophy Cabinet

AC Milan ranks among the most decorated football clubs globally, boasting an impressive collection of 19 league titles, 5 Coppa Italia trophies, and 8 Supercoppa Italiana honors domestically. Internationally, they hold the distinction of being Italy's most successful club, with 7 European Cup/Champions League victories placing them second only to Real Madrid in the competition's history. Their continental success extends further with 5 UEFA Super Cups, 2 UEFA Cup Winners' Cups, and a joint record 2 Latin Cups. Additionally, Milan has secured a joint record 3 Intercontinental Cups and 1 FIFA Club World Cup, underscoring their consistent excellence on the world stage. Despite brief relegations to Serie B in the 1980-81 and 1982-83 seasons following a match-fixing scandal, the club quickly returned to the top flight, maintaining its position as a founding member of the now-defunct G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs as well as its replacement, the European Club Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Derby della Madonnina?

It is the intense local football match between Inter Milan and AC Milan played at their shared home ground, San Siro. This fixture represents a deep cultural divide within the city of Milan, pitting blue-and-black supporters against red-and-black fans.

When did this rivalry begin?

The conflict originated in 1908 after a schism within the founding Milan Cricket and Football Club created two separate teams. Since that division, they have competed as distinct entities while sharing the same stadium for over a century.

Where do these matches take place?

Both teams play their home games at the iconic Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, commonly known as San Siro. This unique arrangement means they share one pitch while fiercely competing for bragging rights within its walls.

Is the rivalry still active today?

Yes, this remains a premier event in Italian football and continues to generate intense passion every season. The competition is ongoing, with each match adding new chapters to their shared legacy of blue-and-black versus red-and-black.