History of AC Milan in Timeline
AC Milan, founded in 1899, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, competing in Serie A, the top tier of Italian football. Initially playing in various grounds, they moved to the San Siro in 1926, which they share with Inter Milan since 1947. The San Siro is the largest stadium in Italian football, with a capacity of 75,817. A significant aspect of Milan's identity is its rivalry with Inter, manifested in the Derby della Madonnina, one of football's most followed derbies.
1900: Milan Managers List
A list of Milan managers from 1900 until the present day
1901: First Serie A Title
In 1901, AC Milan won its first Serie A title, marking a significant milestone in the club's history.
1901: First Italian Championship
In 1901, Milan won its first Italian championship, ending Genoa's three-year dominance.
1903: Milan moved to the Acquabella pitch
In 1903, Milan moved to the Acquabella pitch, where the stands consisted of a section of ground raised for the purpose.
1905: Milan moved from the Acquabella pitch
In 1905, Milan moved from the Acquabella pitch.
1906: Second Italian Championship
In 1906, Milan won its second Italian championship in succession.
1907: Third Italian Championship
In 1907, Milan won its third Italian championship in succession.
1908: Split leading to Inter Milan formation
In 1908, internal disagreements over signing foreign players caused a split in Milan, leading to the formation of F.C. Internazionale.
1908: First Derby della Madonnina
The first Derby della Madonnina was held on 18 October 1908 in the final of the Chiasso Cup; the Rossoneri won 2–1.
1914: Milan played at the Velodromo Sempione
In 1914 Milan played at the Velodromo Sempione.
1914: Largest Victory
In the 1914–15 season, Milan achieved its largest ever victory, winning 13–0 against Audax Modena in a league match.
1915: Coppa Federale Win
In 1915-16, Milan won the Coppa Federale, a tournament during World War I.
1917: Coppa Mauro Win
In 1917-18, Milan won the Coppa Mauro, a tournament during World War I.
1920: Milan played at the Viale Lombardia stadium
In 1920 Milan played at the Viale Lombardia stadium.
1922: Heaviest Defeat
In the 1922–23 season, Milan recorded its heaviest defeat in the league, losing 0–8 to Bologna.
September 1926: First game and first league game played at the stadium
On 19 September 1926, Milan lost 6–3 in a friendly match against Internazionale. Milan played its first league game in San Siro on 19 September 1926, losing 1–2 to Sampierdarenese.
1926: Milan moved to San Siro
In 1926 Milan moved to the stadium where they still play nowadays: The San Siro.
1926: Milan played at the Viale Lombardia stadium
In 1926 Milan played at the Viale Lombardia stadium.
1926: Move to San Siro Stadium
In 1926, AC Milan moved to the San Siro stadium, which was built by the club's second chairman, Piero Pirelli.
1935: Stadium was sold to the city
In 1935, The San Siro stadium was sold to the city.
1947: Sharing San Siro with Inter Milan
Since 1947, AC Milan has shared the San Siro stadium with Inter Milan.
1947: San Siro shared with Internazionale
Since 1947, the San Siro stadium has been shared with Internazionale.
1950: Gunnar Nordahl's Goalscoring Record
In 1950, Swedish forward Gunnar Nordahl scored 38 goals in the 1950–51 season, 35 of which were in Serie A, setting an Italian football and club record.
1950: Domestic Title Drought Ends
In 1950-51, Milan won its first domestic title since 1907.
1951: Scudetto and Latin Cup Victory
In 1951, Milan won the Scudetto and the Latin Cup against Lille.
1953: Release of "Sunday Heroes" movie
In 1953, the movie "Sunday Heroes" was released, featuring Milan players.
1955: Another Scudetto Title
In 1955, Milan secured another Scudetto title.
1956: Latin Cup and European Cup Debut
In 1956, Milan won the Latin Cup against Athletic Bilbao and debuted in the European Cup.
1957: Scudetto and European Cup Final
In 1957, Milan won the Scudetto and reached the European Cup final, losing to Real Madrid.
1960: Gianni Rivera's Debut
In 1960, Gianni Rivera, a Milan legend, made his debut and remained with the club for 19 seasons.
1961: Nereo Rocco Appointed Coach
In 1961, Nereo Rocco was appointed as the new coach of Milan.
1963: Forza Milan! founded
In 1963 Forza Milan! was founded by journalist Gino Sansoni.
1967: Coppa Italia Victory
In 1967, Milan won its first Coppa Italia, defeating Padova in the final.
1969: European and Intercontinental Cup Titles
In 1969, Milan won the European Cup, defeating Ajax, and the Intercontinental Cup.
1971: Milan lost the scudetto to Juventus
In the 1971-72 season, Milan lost the scudetto to Juventus by just one point.
1972: Second Place in Serie A
In 1972, Milan finished second in Serie A for the second consecutive year.
1972: European Cup Winners' Cup
In 1972-73, Milan won their second European Cup Winners' Cup, defeating Leeds United.
1972: Milan lost the scudetto to Juventus
In the 1972-73 season, Milan lost the scudetto to Juventus by just one point.
1973: Second Place in Serie A
In 1973, Milan finished second in Serie A for the third consecutive year.
1978: Perugia's unbeaten season
In 1978, Perugia managed to go unbeaten over an entire Serie A season but finished second in the table
1979: Surnames of the players added above the number for the first time in Italian football
Between the 1979–80 and 1980–81 seasons, the AC Milan shirt achieved an important record by adding the surnames of the players above the number for the first time in Italian football.
1979: 10th Serie A Title, Rivera Retirement and Baresi Debut
In 1979, Milan won its 10th Serie A title, Gianni Rivera retired, and Franco Baresi debuted for his first full season.
1980: Stripes changed to a middle size
From 1980 to 1982, the stripes changed to a middle size again.
1980: Totonero Scandal and Serie B Relegation
In 1980, Milan was involved in the Totonero scandal and was relegated to Serie B for the first time.
1980: First Season Outside Serie A
In the 1980-81 season, Milan played outside Serie A for the first time in their history.
1981: Serie B Title and Promotion
In 1981, Milan won the Serie B title and achieved promotion back to Serie A.
1981: Genoa avoided relegation condemning the Rossoneri to Serie B
In the 1981-82 Serie A season, Genoa avoided relegation in Naples just a few minutes from the final whistle of the last game of the season condemning the Rossoneri to the second Serie B season of their history.
1982: Stripes changed to a middle size
From 1980 to 1982, the stripes changed to a middle size again.
1982: Second Season Outside Serie A
In the 1982-83 season, Milan played outside Serie A for the second time in their history.
1983: Serie B Title
In 1983, Milan won the Serie B title for the second time and returned to Serie A.
1985: Return to thin stripes on kit
The 1985–86 season marked a return to the origins, with the use of thin stripes on Milan's kit.
February 1986: Silvio Berlusconi's Acquisition
On February 20, 1986, Silvio Berlusconi acquired AC Milan and saved it from bankruptcy.
1986: Berlusconi changed kit stripes and sock color
From the 1986–87 season, the stripes were brought back to a middle size, and the colour of the socks was changed to white.
1986: Silvio Berlusconi purchased the club
In 1986, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi purchased the club, beginning his tenure as Milan's longest-serving president.
1987: First Scudetto in Nine Years
In the 1987-88 season, Milan won its first Scudetto in nine years.
1988: AC Milan Anthem launched
In 1988, "AC Milan Anthem – Milan Milan" debuted. It was composed by Tony Renis and Massimo Guantini.
1988: Ballon d'Or Podium Sweep
In 1988, three of Milan's players, Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard, were ranked in the top three on the Ballon d'Or podium.
1988: European Cup Victory
In 1988-89, Milan won its first European Cup in two decades, beating Steaua Bucuresti.
1990: Retained European Cup
In 1989-90, Milan retained their European Cup title with a win over Benfica.
1990: Renovations for the FIFA World Cup
In preparation for the 1990 FIFA World Cup the stadium has undergone several major renovations.
May 1991: Start of Unbeaten Streak
On May 26, 1991, Milan began an unbeaten streak that lasted 58 games, starting with a 0–0 draw against Parma.
1991: Serie A Title Without Loss
During the 1991-92 season, Milan became the first team to win the Serie A title without losing a single game.
1991: Fabio Capello Takes Over
In 1991, Fabio Capello replaced Arrigo Sacchi as Milan's manager.
1992: Start of Serie A Domination
In 1992, Milan began a run of three consecutive Serie A titles.
March 1993: End of Unbeaten Streak
On March 21, 1993, Milan's unbeaten streak ended with a 1–0 home loss to Parma. The streak lasted for 58 games.
1993: Champions League Final Appearance
In 1993, Milan lost 1-0 to Marseille in the Champions League final.
1994: Champions League Victory Against Barcelona
In 1994, Milan won the Champions League final, defeating Barcelona 4-0.
1994: Fifth European Cup Win
In 1994, Milan's fifth European Cup win meant that the club was awarded the trophy permanently and is allowed to display a multiple-winner badge on its shirt.
1995: Champions League Final Appearance
In 1995, Milan had back-to-back UEFA Champions League final appearances in 1993, 1994 and 1995.
1995: Club badge made its definitive appearance on the match strips
In 1995, the club badge made its definitive appearance on the match strips, in a form that remained basically unchanged until present days.
1995: Lost Champions League finals against Ajax
Milan lost Champions League finals against Ajax in 1995 wearing an all white strip.
1995: Genoa fan murdered by Milan supporter
The rivalry with Genoa worsened in 1995 after Genoa fan Vincenzo Spagnolo was stabbed to death by a Milan supporter.
1996: Capello Leaves for Real Madrid
In 1996, Fabio Capello left Milan to manage Real Madrid.
1998: 16th Championship Title
In 1998-99, Milan lifted its 16th championship in the club's centenary season.
1998: Kits started to be modified on a yearly basis
Starting from the 1998–99 season, the kits started to be modified on a yearly basis in their design.
December 1999: Launch of Milan Channel
On 16 December 1999, on the day of the centenary of the club's foundation, Milan Channel was launched.
November 2001: Carlo Ancelotti's Appointment
In November 2001, Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as Milan's manager.
2001: Madrid bought Zidane
In 2001, Madrid bought Zidane for €77.5 million, about £46 million at that time.
2003: Milan won the UEFA Champions League final
In 2003 Milan won the UEFA Champions League final against Juventus at the penalties, which granted Milan the sixth Champions League title of their history.
2003: Champions League Victory
In 2003, Milan defeated Juventus on penalties to win the Champions League final.
2003: "Meriva" on Milan Shirt
In the 2003–04 season, "Meriva" was displayed on the front of the Milan shirt as part of the Opel sponsorship.
2003: Prior Scudetto Title
Milan won the Scudetto in the 2003-04 Serie A season.
2004: Serie A titles contested by Milan and Juventus
Between the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons, Milan and Juventus contested each other the Serie A titles, both won by Juventus but then revoked due to the Calciopoli scandal.
2004: President Vacancy
In 2004 there was a president vacancy for two years.
2004: Champions League match abandoned after flare incident
On 12 April 2005, the second leg of the 2004–05 Champions League quarter-final match between Milan and Inter was abandoned after a flare thrown from the crowd by an Inter supporter struck Milan goalkeeper Dida on the shoulder.
April 2005: Champions League match abandoned after flare incident
On 12 April 2005, the second leg of the 2004–05 Champions League quarter-final match between Milan and Inter was abandoned after a flare thrown from the crowd by an Inter supporter struck Milan goalkeeper Dida on the shoulder.
December 2005: Milan vice-president announced relocation plans
On 19 December 2005, Milan vice-president announced that the club was seriously working towards a relocation.
2005: Fifth-Highest Earning Football Club
According to Deloitte, in the 2005–06 season, Milan was the fifth-highest earning football club in the world.
2005: Serie A titles contested by Milan and Juventus
Between the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons, Milan and Juventus contested each other the Serie A titles, both won by Juventus but then revoked due to the Calciopoli scandal.
2005: Champions League Final Loss
In 2005, Milan lost the Champions League final to Liverpool on penalties despite leading 3-0 at half-time.
2005: "Zafira" on Milan Shirt
In the 2005–06 season, "Zafira" was displayed on the front of the Milan shirt as part of the Opel sponsorship.
2005: Lost Champions League finals against Liverpool
Milan lost Champions League finals against Liverpool in 2005 wearing an all white strip.
2006: President Vacancy
In 2006 there was a president vacancy for two years.
2006: Calciopoli Scandal
In 2006, Milan was involved in the Calciopoli scandal, resulting in point deduction and Champions League ban, which was later reduced on appeal.
2006: Financial Year
Re-capitalization figures were obtained from item versamenti soci in conto capitale e/o copertura perdite for 2006 financial year
December 2007: FIFA Club World Cup Victory
In December 2007, Milan won its first FIFA Club World Cup.
2007: FIFA Club World Cup Win
In 2007, AC Milan won the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time, completing an international treble of Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.
2007: Most International Club Titles
Since 2007, along with Boca Juniors, Milan has won more FIFA recognised international club titles than any other club in the world with 18 titles.
2008: Superleague Formula Participation
In 2008, Milan took part in the Superleague Formula with the Dutch team Scuderia Playteam, finishing third in the championship.
2008: Stadium capacity reduced
In the summer of 2008 its capacity was reduced to 80,018, to meet the new standards set by UEFA.
May 2009: Maldini's Appearance Record
As of May 2009, Paolo Maldini held the record for both total appearances and Serie A appearances for Milan, with 902 official games played in total and 647 in Serie A.
2009: Ancelotti Leaves for Chelsea
In 2009, Carlo Ancelotti left Milan to become the manager of Chelsea.
2009: Superleague Formula Participation
In 2009, Milan took part in the Superleague Formula with the Azerti Motorsport team.
2009: Kaká's Transfer to Real Madrid
In 2009, the sale of Kaká to Real Madrid broke the world football transfer record.
2010: Milan most supported Italian team in Europe
According to a study from 2010, Milan is the most supported Italian team in Europe and seventh overall, with over 18.4 million fans.
2010: Superleague Formula Participation
In 2010, Milan took part in the Superleague Formula with the Atech Grand Prix team.
2010: Last league title before 2021-22 season
In the 2010, AC Milan won their last league title before the 2021-22 season.
2010: Recapturing the Scudetto
In the 2010-11 season, Milan recaptured the Scudetto.
2010: Emirates as Main Sponsor
Starting from the 2010–11 season, Emirates became the main shirt sponsor for Milan.
2011: Highest Finish Since 2011-12
The 2020-21 Serie A campaign led to Milan's highest finish since the 2011-12 Serie A season.
2013: Last Champions League Appearance
The 2021-22 UEFA Champions League season would be Milan's first appearance in the UEFA Champions League in seven years since their last appearance in the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League.
December 2014: Property stadium proposal
On 11 December 2014, Barbara Berlusconi announced a proposal to build a property stadium of 42,000 seats in Portello.
2014: Eighth-Wealthiest Football Club
As of 2014, Milan is ranked as the eighth-wealthiest football club in the world by Forbes magazine.
2014: Overtaken by Al Ahly SC
In 2014, Milan was overtaken by Al Ahly SC from Egypt after their CAF Confederation Cup win.
2014: Financial Fair Play Regulation
Milan violated Financial Fair Play regulations for the years 2014-2017.
September 2015: End to plans to build a new stadium
On 20 September 2015, Silvio Berlusconi called an end to his club's plans to build a new stadium in the city.
December 2015: Financial Result
Financial result in the reporting period ending at 31 December 2015.
2015: Financial Fair Play Regulation
Milan violated Financial Fair Play regulations for the years 2015-2018.
July 2016: Milan Channel rebranded as Milan TV
On 1 July 2016, Milan Channel took on the new name of Milan TV, renewing its graphics and logo.
August 2016: Preliminary Agreement with Sino-Europe Sports
On August 5, 2016, a preliminary agreement was signed for Fininvest to sell a 99.93% stake of Milan to Sino-Europe Sports Investment Management Changxing Co.
December 2016: Financial Result
Financial result in the reporting period ending at 31 December 2016.
2016: Supercoppa Italiana Victory
In 2016, Milan won the Supercoppa Italiana under Vincenzo Montella, defeating Juventus in a penalty shootout.
April 2017: Subsidiary of Rossoneri Sport Investment Luxembourg
On 13 April 2017, Milan became a subsidiary of Rossoneri Sport Investment Luxembourg, which acquired 99.9% shares of AC Milan S.p.A. from Fininvest.
April 2017: Deal Completion with Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux
On April 13, 2017, the deal with Sino-Europe Sports was completed, and Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux became the new direct parent company of the club.
June 2017: Financial Result
Financial result in the reporting period ending at 30 June 2017.
October 2017: Early Termination of Adidas Deal
In October 2017, an early termination of the deal with Adidas was announced, effective on 30 June 2018.
November 2017: Montella Sacked, Gattuso Appointed
In November 2017, Vincenzo Montella was sacked and replaced by Gennaro Gattuso as manager.
2017: Real Madrid win back-to-back European Cups
In 2017 Real Madrid was the first team to win back-to-back European Cups since Milan won in 1990.
2017: Club considering staying at San Siro or building a new stadium
In 2017, new CEO Marco Fassone stated that the club may look at either staying in the San Siro or moving to a new stadium.
2017: Financial Fair Play Regulation
Milan violated Financial Fair Play regulations for the years 2014-2017.
2017: Financial Year
Re-capitalization figures were obtained from item versamenti soci in conto capitale e/o copertura perdite for 2017 financial year
June 2018: Effective Date of Adidas Deal Termination
On 30 June 2018, the early termination of the deal with Adidas became effective.
June 2018: Last issue of Forza Milan! published
The last issue of the magazine Forza Milan! was published in June 2018.
July 2018: Elliott Management Control
In July 2018, Elliott Management Corporation gained control of Milan after Li Yonghong failed to meet loan repayment obligations.
July 2018: Reinstatement into Europa League
On July 20, 2018, Milan's ban from the Europa League was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
2018: Financial Fair Play Regulation
Milan violated Financial Fair Play regulations for the years 2015-2018.
June 2019: Giampaolo Hired, Europa League Exclusion
In June 2019, Milan hired Marco Giampaolo as manager and was excluded from the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League due to Financial Fair Play violations.
2019: End of Emirates Sponsorship
Ending in the 2019–20 season, Emirates was the main shirt sponsor for Milan.
2019: Thirteenth highest average attendance of European football clubs
Milan had the thirteenth highest average attendance of European football clubs during the 2019–20 season.
2020: Pioli Contract Extension
In 2020, after an unbeaten streak following the Serie A restart, Milan extended Stefano Pioli's contract.
June 2021: Allowed to Achieve the Break Even Condition
Milan was allowed to achieve the break even condition on or before 30 June 2021.
2021: Champions League Qualification
In 2021, Milan qualified for the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League, their first appearance in seven years.
2021: Milan secured their 19th Italian championship title
In 2021, Milan secured their 19th Italian championship title, their first since the 2010–11 season, with a club-record tally of 86 points. Rafael Leão was named Serie A's most valuable player, Mike Maignan was named best goalkeeper, and Pioli was named coach of the season.
June 2022: RedBird Capital Partners agreed to acquire AC Milan
In June 2022, RedBird Capital Partners agreed to acquire AC Milan at $1.3 billion, while Elliott Management Corporation kept a minority stake.
2022: Most Recent Serie A Title
In 2022, AC Milan won its most recent Serie A title, adding to their list of domestic honors.
September 2023: Proposal to build a new 70,000-seater stadium
On 27 September 2023, chairman Paolo Scaroni announced the club had filed a proposal to build a new 70,000-seater stadium.
2023: Pioli stepped down at the end of 2023–24 season
At the end of the 2023 season, Pioli stepped down after five seasons with Milan and Paulo Fonseca was named as his replacement.
2023: Adidas Deal Scheduled End
The Adidas deal was scheduled to run until 2023.
