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AC Milan
AC Milan crest
Full nameAssociazione Calcio Milan SpA
Nickname(s)Rossoneri (Red-Blacks)
il Diavolo (the Devil)
FoundedDecember 16, 1899
GroundSan Siro, Milan
Capacity82,955
ChairmanItaly Silvio Berlusconi
Head CoachItaly Carlo Ancelotti
LeagueSerie A
2007-08Serie A, 5th

Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to by the abbreviation Milan, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. The club was founded in 1899 and has since spent most of its history in the top flight of Italian football.

In European and World competitions AC Milan have won 18 officially recognized international titles, more than any other club in the world.[1] The club have won what is today known as the UEFA Champions League on seven occasions; only Real Madrid have won it more times (9).[2] As far as Italian competitions are concerned, AC Milan is the second most successful club with 17 league titles; only Juventus have won more (27).[3] AC Milan have won Intercontinental Cup/Club World Cup four times, more than any other team in the world.

Other important titles which Milan have won includes the European Super Cup five times, the Cup Winners' Cup twice, however they have never reached the UEFA Cup final (only two semi-finals). In Italy, the Coppa Italia five times as well as five Italian Super Cups. AC Milan is also one of the G-14’s founding members, a group that represented eighteen of the largest and most prestigious European football clubs before its disbandment.[4]

Their home games are played at San Siro, also known as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. The ground, which is shared with rivals Internazionale, is the largest in Italian football, with total capacity of 82,955.

History

The club was founded as a cricket club in 1899 by British expatriates Alfred Edwards and Herbert Kilpin, who came from the British city of Nottingham. In honor of its origins, the club has retained the English spelling of its city's name, instead of changing it to the Italian Milano (though it was forced to do it during the fascist regime, like Genoa and Inter); it should be noted that the Italian pronunciation is actually MEE-lan, coming from the local dialect. AC Milan won their first Italian championship title in 1901, and then again in 1906 and 1907.

In 1908 the club experienced a split caused by internal disagreements over the signing of foreign players, which led to the forming of another Milan-based team, F.C. Internazionale Milano. Following these events, AC Milan did not manage to win a single domestic title until 1950-51. In 1963 they ensured their first continental title, winning European Cup beating S.L. Benfica in the final. This success was repeated in 1969, and followed by an Intercontinental Cup title the same year. Following retirement of Gianni Rivera, Milan started a declining period, during which they were involved in the 1980 Totonero scandal and were relegated to Serie B as punishment, for their first time in history. The scandal was centred on a betting syndicate paying players and officials to fix the outcome of matches. AC Milan quickly returned back to Serie A, but returned to Serie B only one year later as they ended in the relegation zone their 1981-82 Serie A campaign.

Milan defend a corner

In 1986, entrepreneur Silvio Berlusconi acquired the club, and immediately invested a lot of money in the team, appointing rising coach Arrigo Sacchi at the helm of the rossoneri and signing a Dutch trio of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard. This was the beginning of the most successful time in the club's history, as AC Milan won seven domestic titles, five UEFA Champions League trophies, and three Intercontinental Cups.

More recently, Milan were involved in the 2006 Serie A scandal where five teams were accused of fixing matches by selecting favourable referees. Milan were initially punished with a 15 point deduction and consequently did not qualify for the Champions League. An appeal saw their penalty reduced to 8 points and allowed to retain their 2006-07 Champions League participation, where they won the competition.

Players

Current Squad

As of August 13 2008.[5] Jersey numbers officialized.[6] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Brazil BRA Dida
2 DF Italy ITA Massimo Oddo
3 DF Italy ITA Paolo Maldini (captain)
4 DF Georgia (country) GEO Kakha Kaladze
5 MF Brazil BRA Emerson
7 FW Brazil BRA Alexandre Pato
8 MF Italy ITA Gennaro Gattuso
9 FW Italy ITA Filippo Inzaghi
10 MF Netherlands NED Clarence Seedorf
11 FW Italy ITA Marco Borriello
12 GK Italy ITA Christian Abbiati
13 DF Italy ITA Alessandro Nesta
14 MF Uruguay URU Mathías Cardaccio
15 DF Italy ITA Gianluca Zambrotta
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 GK Australia AUS Željko Kalac
18 DF Czech Republic CZE Marek Jankulovski
19 DF Italy ITA Giuseppe Favalli
20 FW Uruguay URU Tabaré Viudez
21 MF Italy ITA Andrea Pirlo
22 FW Brazil BRA Kaká
23 MF Italy ITA Massimo Ambrosini (vice-captain)
25 DF Italy ITA Daniele Bonera
32 MF Italy ITA Cristian Brocchi
36 DF Italy ITA Matteo Darmian
43 FW Italy ITA Alberto Paloschi
77 DF Italy ITA Luca Antonini
80 FW Brazil BRA Ronaldinho
84 MF France FRA Mathieu Flamini
TBC MF Netherlands NED Chedric Seedorf

From the Youth Team

As of August 20 2008.[7] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
- GK Italy ITA Antonio Donnarumma
- GK Italy ITA Filippo Perucchini
- DF Brazil BRA Feliciano Cafu'
- DF Italy ITA Luca Colombo
- DF Italy ITA Mattia De Sciglio
- DF Italy ITA Andrea De Vito
- DF Italy ITA Denis Fondrini
51 MF Sierra Leone SLE Rodney Strasser
52 MF Italy ITA Giargio Gianola
53 DF Italy ITA Nicola Pasini
54 DF Italy ITA Simone Romagnoli
No. Pos. Nation Player
55 DF Italy ITA Alessandro Ruggeri
56 DF Italy ITA Michelangelo Albertazzi
- MF Italy ITA Luca Meregalli
- MF Italy ITA Mitja Novinic
- MF Italy ITA Jordan Pedrocchi
- MF Italy ITA Giovanni Scampini
58 MF Nigeria NGA Wilfred Osuji Chinoye
- FW Italy ITA Manuel Angelilli
- FW Italy ITA Piermaria Carani
- FW Italy ITA Federico Furlan
- FW Italy ITA Luca Scapuzzi

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK Italy ITA Marco Storari (to Fiorentina)[8]
DF Brazil BRA Digão (to Standard Liège)[9]
MF France FRA Yoann Gourcuff (to Bordeaux)[10]

For all transfers and loans pertaining to AC Milan for the current season, please see; Summer 2008 transfers.

Retired numbers

3Italy Paolo Maldini, left full-back and later centre-back (1984–current) to be retired when Maldini retires. May be restored for either of Maldini's sons [11]
6Italy Franco Baresi, sweeper (1977-1997)

Notable players

Presidential history

Milan has had numerous presidents over the course of their history, some of which have been the owners of the club while others have been honorary presidents. Here is a complete list of them.[12]

 
Name Years
Alfred Edwards 1899–1909
Giannino Camperio 1909
Piero Pirelli 1909–1928
Luigi Ravasco 1928–1930
Mario Bernazzoli 1930–1933
Luigi Ravasco 1933–1935
Pietro Annoni 1935
Pietro Annoni
G. Lorenzini
Rino Valdameri
1935–1936
 
Name Years
Emilio Colombo 1936–1939
Achille Invernizzi 1939–1940
Umberto Trabattoni 1940–1944
Antonio Busini 1944–1945
Umberto Trabattoni 1945–1954
Andrea Rizzoli 1954–1963
Felice Riva 1963–1965
Federico Sordillo 1965–1966
Franco Carraro 1967–1971
Federico Sordillo 1971–1972
 
Name Years
Albino Buticchi 1972–1975
Bruno Pardi 1975–1976
Vittorio Duina 1976–1977
Felice Colombo 1977–1980
Gaetano Morazzoni 1980–1982
Giuseppe Farina 1982–1986
Rosario Lo Verde 1986
Silvio Berlusconi 1986–2004
Presidential Commission 2004–2006
Silvio Berlusconi 2006–2008

Managerial history

Below is a list of Milan coaches from 1900 until the present day.[13]

 
Name Nationality Years
Herbert Kilpin England 1900–1908
Daniele Angeloni Italy 1906–1907
Technical Commission Italy 1907–1910
Giovanni Camperio Italy 1910–1911
Technical Commission Italy 1911–1914
Guido Moda Italy 1915–1922
Ferdi Oppenheim Austria 1922–1924
Vittorio Pozzo Italy 1924–1926
Guido Moda Italy 1926
Herbert Burgess England 1926–1928
Engelbert König Austria 1928–1931
József Bánás Hungary 1931–1933
József Viola Hungary 1933–1934
Adolfo Baloncieri Italy 1934–1937
William Garbutt England 1937
Hermann Felsner
József Bánás
Austria
Hungary
1937–1938
József Viola Hungary 1938–1940
Guido Ara
Antonio Busini
Italy
Italy
1940–1941
Mario Magnozzi Italy 1941–1943
Giuseppe Santagostino Italy 1943–1945
Adolfo Baloncieri Italy 1945–1946
Giuseppe Bigogno Italy 1946–1949
Lajos Czeizler Hungary 1949–1952
Gunnar Gren Sweden 1952
Mario Sperone Italy 1952–1953
Béla Guttmann Hungary 1953–1954
Antonio Busini Italy 1954
Hector Puricelli Uruguay 1954–1956
Giuseppe Viani Italy 1957–1960
Paolo Todeschini Italy 1960–1961
Nereo Rocco Italy 1961–1963
Luis Carniglia Argentina 1963–1964
 
Name Nationality Years
Nils Liedholm Sweden 1963–1966
Giovanni Cattozzo Italy 1966
Arturo Silvestri Italy 1966–1967
Nereo Rocco Italy 1966–1972
Cesare Maldini Italy 1973–1974
Giovanni Trapattoni Italy 1974
Gustavo Giagnoni Italy 1974–1975
Nereo Rocco Italy 1975
Paolo Barison Italy 1975-1976
Giovanni Trapattoni Italy 1976
Giuseppe Marchioro Italy 1976–1977
Nereo Rocco Italy 1977
Nils Liedholm Sweden 1977–1979
Massimo Giacomini Italy 1979–1981
Italo Galbiati Italy 1981
Luigi Radice Italy 1981–1982
Italo Galbiati Italy 1982
Francesco Zagatti Italy 1982
Ilario Castagner Italy 1982–1984
Italo Galbiati Italy 1984
Nils Liedholm Sweden 1984–1987
Fabio Capello Italy 1987
Arrigo Sacchi Italy 1987–1991
Fabio Capello Italy 1991–1996
Oscar Tabárez Uruguay 1996
Giorgio Morini Italy 1996–1997
Arrigo Sacchi Italy 1997
Fabio Capello Italy 1997–1998
Cesare Maldini
Mauro Tassotti
Italy 2001
Fatih Terim Turkey 2001
Carlo Ancelotti Italy 2001–present

Club statistics and records

Paolo Maldini presently holds both records for number of total and Serie A appearances for Milan with a total of 1000 games played in total, and 600 in the Serie A (as of May 14, 2007, not including playoff matches), the latter being also an all-time Serie A record. [14]

Milan's all time top goalscorer is a Swede, Gunnar Nordahl who, in 268 games, managed to score 221 goals.[15] Andriy Shevchenko is in second place with 173 goals in 298 games for the club. The highest scoring present squad member is Filippo Inzaghi who has scored 100 goals in 217 games.

The club hold the unique record of having gone a whole season without losing a game during the 1991-92 season. In total, that unbeaten streak lasted 58 games, starting with a 0-0 draw with Parma on 26 May 1991 and ironically ending with a 1-0 loss at home to Parma on 21 March 1993. This unbeaten streak is a Serie A record and is the 3rd longest unbeaten run in top flight European football. It comes in behind Steaua Bucharest's record of 104 unbeaten games and Glasgow Celtic who went 68 games unbeaten.[16][17]

Currently, AC Milan has the most FIFA recognised international club titles in the world after beating Boca Juniors at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2007.[18] Milan is also the number two team in Europe in line with UEFA Co-Efficient ranking system. This allows Milan to be in the number one spot for all European draws, which allows Milan to avoid other highly rated European teams in UEFA competitions.[19]

Colours and badge

Milan's third kit during the 07-08 Season

Throughout the entire history of the club, they have been represented by the colours red and black. The colours were chosen to represent the players' fiery ardour (red) and the opponents' fear to challenge the team (black). Due to Milan's striped red and black shirts, they have gained the nickname rossoneri.[20] White shorts and black socks are worn as part of the home kit.

Milan's away strip has always been completely white. The latter is considered by both the fans and the club as their "lucky" strip in Champions League finals, due to the fact that Milan won six finals out of eight in an all white strip (losing only to Ajax in 1995 and Liverpool in 2005), while they only won one out of three in their home strip. The third kit changes yearly and is black with red trim for the current season, but it is rarely used.

For many years, Milan's badge was just that of the flag of Milan; which was originally the flag of Saint Ambrose.[21] Another nickname derived from the club's colours is "the Devil". An image of a red devil was used as AC Milan's logo at one point with a Golden Star for Sport Excellence located next to it;[21] the star was awarded to the club when they won 10 league titles. Currently, the badge represents the club colours and the flag of the Comune di Milano, with the acronym ACM at the top and the foundation year (1899) at the bottom.[21]

Stadium

File:Milan - Chievo 04-2006 1.jpg
Curva Sud of the San Siro prior to match

The team's current stadium is the 82,955 seat San Siro, officially known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza after the former player who represented both Milan and Internazionale. The name San Siro is taken from the district where it's located. The stadium is shared with Inter, the other major football club in Milan. The stadium is well known for its fantastic atmosphere due to the closeness of the stands to the pitch. There is the frequent use of flares by the fans which often cause trouble.

On 19 December 2005, AC Milan vice-president and executive director Adriano Galliani announced that the team is seriously working to move out from San Siro. He said that Milan's new stadium will be largely based on the Veltins-Arena and following the standards of football stadiums in the United States, Germany and Spain. It will likely be a stadium for football purposes only (with no athletics track). The new stadium is supposed to be named after a sponsor.[22] It remains to see if this plan will proceed or if this is just a ploy to force the owners (Comune di Milano) to sell the stadium to Milan for a nominal fee so as to proceed with extensive renovations. Rumours have also surfaced of Inter's intention to also build a new stadium which may also affect this decision.

Supporters and rivalries

Milan is one of the most supported football club in Italy, according to an August 2007 research by Italian newspaper La Repubblica[23]. Historically, Milan was supported by the city's working-class and trade unionists,[24] a section of whom were migrants from Southern Italy. On the other hand, crosstown rivals Internazionale were mainly supported by the more prosperous and typically Milanese middle-class.[24]

File:1908 commedia.jpg
Milan banner saying "Inter, the true comedy since 1908," with a caricature of Dante

One of the oldest ultras groups in all of Italian football, Fossa dei Leoni, originated in Milan.[25] Currently the main ultras group is Brigate Rossonere and has been since the mid-1970s.[25] Politically, Milan ultras have never had any particular preference,[25] but the media have traditionally associated them with the left-wing,[26] until recent times under Berlusconi's presidency where they are considered somewhat right-wing.[27]

Genoa fans consider Milan a hated rival after Genoa fan Vincenzo Spagnolo was tragically stabbed to death by a Milan supporter in January 1995.[28] Milan's main rivalry, though, is with intracity neighbor Inter; both clubs meet in the widely-anticipated Derby della Madonnina twice every Serie A season. The name of the derby refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose statue atop the Milan Cathedral is one of the city's main attractions. The match usually creates a lively atmosphere, with numerous (often humorous or offensive) banners unfolded before the match. Flares are commonly present, but they also led to the abandonment of the second leg of the 2004-05 Champions League quarterfinal matchup between Milan and Inter on April 12, 2005, after a flare thrown from the crowd by an Inter supporter struck Milan keeper Dida on the shoulder.[29]

Honours

Milan is one of the most successful clubs in Italy, having won a total of 27 trophies, and the most winning team in the world for international competition won[1] with a record of 14 European trophies and 4 World titles. Milan have earned the distinction of being allowed to wear a star on their shirt representing the fact that they have won more than 10 scudetti. Added to this Milan are allowed to wear the UEFA Badge of Honour on their shirt during Champions League matches as they have won more than 5 European Cups.[30]

National titles

Serie A / Italian Football Championship:

Serie B:

  • Winners (2): 1980–81; 1982–83

Coppa Italia:

  • Winners (5): 1966–67; 1971-72; 1972–73; 1976–77; 2002–03
  • Runners-up (7): 1941–42; 1967–68; 1970–71; 1974–75; 1984–85; 1989–90; 1997–98

Supercoppa Italiana: (record)

  • Winners (5): 1988; 1992; 1993; 1994; 2004
  • Runners-up (3): 1996; 1999; 2003

European titles

UEFA Champions League (former European Cup)

UEFA Super Cup (record)

  • Winners (5): 1989; 1990; 1994; 2003; 2007
  • Runners-up (2): 1973; 1993

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

World titles

FIFA Club World Cup

Intercontinental Cup

  • Winners (3): 1969; 1989; 1990
  • Runners-up (4): 1963; 1993; 1994; 2003

Unofficial titles

Latin Cup

  • Winners (2): 1951, 1956
  • Runners-up (1): 1953

Mitropa Cup

  • Winners (1): 1981–82

AC Milan as a company

According to The Football Money League published by consultants Deloitte, in the season 2005–06, Milan was the fifth highest earning football club in the world with an estimated revenue of €238.7 million.[31] Currently the club are also ranked as the 6th richest football club in the world by Forbes magazine, making them the richest in Italian football.[32]

The Austrian on-line betting company bwin.com are currently Milan's main shirt sponsors after signing a 4 year deal at the start of the 2006–07 season.[33] Previous to this deal, the German car manufacturer, Opel had sponsored Milan for 12 seasons. For most of them, Opel was displayed on the front of the shirt, but in the 2004–05 and the 2005–06 seasons respectively, Meriva and Zafira (two cars from their range) were displayed.

The current shirts are supplied by German sportswear manufacturer Adidas, whose deal runs to the end of the 2007–08 season.[34] The deal makes Adidas the official manufacturer of all kits, training equipment and replica outfits. Prior to Adidas, the Italian sports company, Lotto produced Milan's sportswear.

On the 14th of January, 2008, AC Milan and Adidas renewed the sponsorship contract until 30th of June, 2017. According to the new contract, Adidas will be responsible for 3 separate areas of sponsorship: the sponsorship on the shirt, the merchandising and the distribution of all non-football related Milan products. [35]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Boca Junior with 17 are next in terms of official international titles
  2. ^ "European Champions' Cup". RSSSF.com. Retrieved August. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Campionato Serie A - Albo D'oro". Lega Calcio. Retrieved August. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "G-14's members". g14.com. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help).
  5. ^ "Team Roster 2008/09". ACMilan.com. 2008-07-16. Retrieved 2008-07-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Our numbers". ACMilan.com. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "AC Milan Primavera". acmilan.com.
  8. ^ "Storari firms up Fiorentina". uefa.com. 2008-07-15. Retrieved 2008-07-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Digão POISED FOR Standard Liège MOVE". acmilan.com. 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2008-08-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "GOURCUFF POISED FOR BORDEAUX MOVE". sportinglife.com. 2008-05-31. Retrieved 2008-05-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Maldini shirt waits for 3G". Channel 4. 2007-05-26. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  12. ^ "Associazione Calcio Milan". RomanianSoccer.ro. 2007-06-08.
  13. ^ "Tutti gli allenatori rossoneri". ClubMilan.net. 2007-07-25.
  14. ^ "Maldini sets new Serie A record". BBC.co.uk. 25 July 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "AC Milan". Channel4.com. 2007-07-25.
  16. ^ "Milano History and Records". Milanista Olympia. 2007-07-25.
  17. ^ "Unbeaten half-century for Ahly". BBC Sports. 2007-07-25.
  18. ^ "Milan top of the world!". Channel4.com. Retrieved 17 December. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ "UEFA Team Ranking 2008". UEFA European Cup Football. 2008-08-11.
  20. ^ "AC Milan - Sevilla FC" (PDF). UEFA.com. 2007-07-25.
  21. ^ a b c "AC Milan". WeltFussballArchiv.com. 2007-07-25.
  22. ^ "AC Milan considering move to new stadium". People's Daily Online. 2007-07-25.
  23. ^ "Research: Supporters of football clubs in Italy" (in Italian). La Repubblica official website. 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  24. ^ a b "AC Milan vs. Inter Milan". FootballDerbies.com. 2007-07-25.
  25. ^ a b c "Italian Ultras Scene". View from the Terrace. 29 June 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ "AC Milan". SportsPundit.com. 2007-07-25.
  27. ^ "AC Milan". Extra-Football.com. 2007-07-25.
  28. ^ "Genoa Fans Milan Fans From Sunday Match". ItalyMag.co.uk. 29 June 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Milan game ended by crowd trouble". BBC.co.uk. 2007-07-25.
  30. ^ "Top 5 UEFA's Badge of Honour Winners". About.com. 2007-07-25.
  31. ^ "Real Madrid stays at the top". Deloitte UK. 2007-06-08.
  32. ^ "Football Team Valuations". Forbes. 2008-04-30.
  33. ^ "Betandwin, AC Milan Sign Sponsor Deal". CasinoCityTimes.com. 2007-07-25.
  34. ^ "Adidas Sign AC Milan and Real Madrid". SportBusiness.com. 2007-07-25.
  35. ^ "Unity of Intents". 2008-01-14.

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