Picking the Best AC Milan XI of Players Born in Milan
One of the most exciting aspects of the current AC Milan team is the quantity of talent coming through the club’s youth ranks. However, many of these prospects are not locals.
As one of the biggest clubs in Italy, the Rossoneri have always been able to attract youngsters from other regions in the country. This has made it difficult for Milan-born players to break through into the first team.
However, throughout history, an exceptional few have been able to achieve this.
Here Bleacher Report selects a team of the finest Milanese footballers ever to play for AC Milan.
Goalkeeper: Christian Abbiati
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Born in the town of Abbiategrasso, about 14 miles south-west of Milan, Christian Abbiati represented the Rossoneri from 1998 to 2016, an 18-year period that included loan spells at Juventus, Torino and Atletico Madrid.
While not always a regular, he played an integral role in several important seasons in Milan’s history.
Making his debut under Alberto Zaccheroni’s auspices in the Scudetto-winning 1998-99 campaign, he went on to move beyond former Germany international Jens Lehmann to dislodge club legend Sebastiano Rossi as first-choice goalkeeper.
He remained the No. 1 until 2002, at which point the outstanding Dida took his place. But after three years on loan with other clubs, he returned to Milan to reclaim the goalkeeper berth and enjoyed five more seasons between the posts.
Abbiati played on to the age of 38, even appearing on occasion last season, before retiring.
Right-Back: Angelo Anquilletti
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An efficient full-back, Angelo Anquilletti, born in San Donato Milanese, was part of one of the meanest defences in football history. During his 11-year spell with Milan, he was joined in the back line by the likes of Roberto Rosato and Karl-Heinz Schnellinger.
An astute and intelligent full-back, he helped to keep out the great Johan Cruyff during the Rossoneri’s 1969 European Cup final win over Ajax.
Centre-Back: Paolo Maldini
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It’s hard to describe Paolo Maldini. He was, and is, a Milan icon, a player who competed across multiple great eras in the club’s illustrious history.
Born and raised in the city, after making his Rossoneri debut in the 1984-85 season, he went on to become a vital component in arguably the greatest back four of all time alongside Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti as Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello led the club to multiple domestic and continental successes.
An elegant, two-footed and versatile player capable of operating anywhere in defence, Maldini captained Milan just as his father, Cesare, had done.
He played at the highest level well into his 30s, acting as the experienced on-pitch leader during Carlo Ancelotti’s time in charge. And in 2007, he became the oldest player ever to participate in a Champions League final, helping the team to victory over Liverpool at the age of 38.
He made over 900 appearances in all competitions for Milan over 25 years, winning seven Scudetti in the process.
Sweeper: Sandro Salvadore
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Sandro Salvadore was born and raised in Milan before entering the Rossoneri’s youth system at 15 years of age. He went on to make over 70 appearances for the club during four years, but he is best remembered for his time with Juventus.
He joined the Turin club in 1962, having just won a second Serie A title with Milan. He represented the Bianconeri more than 300 times during the course of a 12-year stint with La Madama, during which he served as captain.
A classy libero, his place in the Juventus lineup was eventually taken by Gaetano Scirea, who was also born in Milan.
Centre-Back: Francesco Acerbi
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Francesco Acerbi was born in Vizzolo Predabissi, a town lying 12 miles south-east of Milan, but he never quite made the grade with the Rossoneri.
Beginning his career with lower-league outfit Pavia, he worked his way up the Italian football ladder, eventually making his Serie A bow with Chievo in the 2011-12 season. Some impressive performances there led to a move to Milan the following term, but he made just six league appearances.
Acerbi left for Sassuolo in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since, developing into one of the finest centre-backs in the league and winning two caps for Italy.
Left-Back: Aldo Maldera
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Aldo Maldera didn’t play for Milan during one of their finest eras, but his loyalty to the club was unwavering. The attack-minded left-back came through their youth academy and established himself in the first team after a brief spell at Bologna, going on to make over 200 appearances for the Rossoneri.
When Milan were relegated to Serie B following the 1980 Totonero scandal, he opted to remain and helped them return to Serie A at the first attempt.
Central Midfield: Giovanni Trapattoni
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Giovanni Trapattoni is one of the most successful managers of recent times, though before he began his voyage into coaching, he was an exceptional defensive player for Milan.
Born in Cusano Milanino, he joined the club as a youngster before making his debut during the 1959-60 season. An uncompromising marker with proficient technical skills, he swiftly became an important defensive cog in Nereo Rocco’s great Rossoneri side of the 1960s.
Able to play as a centre-half or a half-back within the catenaccio system of the time, he was pivotal to Milan’s first European Cup triumph in 1963, which came courtesy of a 2-1 final victory over Eusebio’s Benfica.
Trapattoni helped the club to a second European Cup in 1969, and in total, he spent 12 years as a first-team player before departing for Varese in 1971.
Central Midfield: Davide Di Gennaro
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Davide Di Gennaro may not be remembered by many Milan fans. Indeed, he undoubtedly made less of an impression on the club than every other player in this team.
After breaking through the Rossoneri youth academy, he made just one league appearance before being sent out on a succession of generally unproductive loan spells. But just as his career looked to be fizzling out, the 28-year-old was reborn as a deep-lying playmaker.
Formerly an attacking midfielder or winger, Di Gennaro helped Cagliari to promotion from Serie B last season and looks set to play an important role as the Sardinian club aims to survive in Serie A this term.
Central Midfield: Cristian Brocchi
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Cristian Brocchi’s life has revolved around Milan. Born in the city, he joined the club’s youth ranks before leaving in 1998 to help Hellas Verona into Serie A. He returned to his home city to join Inter Milan in 2000 and rejoined Milan after one year with the Nerazzurri.
A dogged, relentless midfield battler, he lacked the sophistication of other players in his position. However, his work rate, determination, stamina and flexibility saw him become a valuable squad player.
Upon his retirement from playing in 2013, he became the Milan Primavera coach before being temporarily appointed first-team head coach following the sacking of Sinisa Mihajlovic in April.
Forward: Giuseppe Meazza
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Giuseppe Meazza was arguably the finest Milanese footballer of all time, though he spent much of his career playing for Inter Milan, for whom he scored 241 goals over 13 seasons.
An all-around attacker who could play anywhere across the front line, he joined Milan from their city rivals in 1940, though he never quite reached the same heights with the Rossoneri. In two years with the club, he scored just nine goals before departing for Juventus.
On top of his sterling club career, Meazza was also a highly prominent figure at international level, scoring 33 goals in 53 caps and helping Italy to World Cup triumphs in 1934 and 1938.
His name lives on through the joint stadium of both Milan giants, the San Siro, which was renamed the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in 1980.
Forward: Pierino Prati
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A lithe, low-socked attacker with quick feet and a sharp mind, Pierino Prati was integral to the catenaccio system incorporated by Milan under Rocco’s leadership.
The tactic required speed and efficiency on the counter-attack, and the man from Cinisello Balsamo, six miles north-east of Milan, was ideally suited to such a style.
Prati was able to play as a striker, though he spent much of his time as a support forward or on the left wing, where his pace and direct running could be used to good effect. He also made good runs, had a poacher’s nose for goal and aerial strength.
He hit double figures in each of his first four seasons with Milan, winning the capocannoniere as Serie A's top goalscorer in 1967-68 after hitting 15 league goals that term, and he scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 win over Ajax in the 1969 European Cup final.
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