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Chris Wright, Toe Poke writer
AC Milan have a landmark birthday later this month, and to celebrate the Serie A giants have unveiled a special anniversary kit — and it is really rather lovely.
Officially founded as “Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club” on Dec. 13, 1899 by English expatriate Herbert Kilpin, the Rossoneri are one of Europe’s most historic clubs with seven European Cup/Champions League triumphs and 19 domestic league titles.
The club are gearing up to celebrate their 125th birthday and will do so while looking the business in their new quasquicentennial (yes, it’s a word) retro shirt. The club’s women’s team will wear it when they take on Inter Milan in the Milan derby on Sunday, before the men’s team wear it when they host Genoa at San Siro on Dec. 15.
Milan’s legendary defender Franco Baresi added an extra layer of vintage lustre by modelling the jersey alongside some of the club’s current stars including Theo Hernández, Álvaro Morata, Nadia Nadim and United States captain Christian Pulisic.
The achingly beautiful jersey was designed in conjunction with Milan fans, who were asked for input as to which elements of the clubs’ historic visual identity they would like to see represented.
In a process that begun last December, the fans helped to whittle down the key design components to three: the famous broad red and black stripes worn from the 1950s onwards, the club’s original square emblem used between 1899 and 191, and the “Diavoletto” — the little devil mascot that was popularised during the 1980s. As such, the 2024 anniversary shirt features all three, with the Diavoletto printed inside the collar.
Further in keeping with the heritage style, the shirt will only feature numbers on the back when being worn on field by both Milan’s men’s and women’s teams. It will also not any sponsor logos, aside from that of manufacturer Puma on the left shoulder.
The outfield shirt forms part of a wider 125th anniversary capsule which also includes a matching bespoke all-black goalkeeper kit and a vintage brown leather football. As a nod to Milan’s venerable age, the limited-edition jersey will also only be available in a run of 1,899 units.
Buon compleanno, Associazione Calcio Milan!
