Ronaldo and AC Milan's Ten Best Acquisitions Since 2001

AC Milan have always been one of the best football clubs of all time and celebrate some of the greatest players to ever take the pitch.

Since Silvio Berlusconi took control of the club in the 1980s, Milan have bought some of the greatest players of their respective generations and won incredible amounts of trophies.

There are too many great purchases to recognize them all in a top 10 list, but there have been some fantastic players purchased in the last 10 years.

These players have become heroes, some of them legends and immortals in Milan history.

As difficult as it is to rank legends, many of whom played with each other and worked together to bring trophies to the San Siro, this is 10 best purchases by Milan in the last 10 years.

Honorable Mention: Ronaldo

Year Joined: January 2007

Previous Club: Real Madrid

Price: €8.05 million

Ronaldo joined AC Milan in 2007—much to the excitement of the Milan faithful—however, his time at the club was short lived.

The Brazilian legend scored nine times in 20 matches, including a goal against old club Inter in the Derby della Madonnina, but an injury against Napoli in February of 2008 forced him out for the season. It was the last time he ever played for Milan.

Who knows what could have happened for Ronaldo if he stayed at Milan? It was terrible to watch him be taken off, never to play for Milan again. One of the greatest players of all time, he could have had a good run.

He is here as an honorable mention because he did show greatness in his short stint for the Rossoneri and could have provided even more goals given the chance.

10) Ronaldinho

Year Joined: Summer 2008

Previous Club: FC Barcelona

Price: €21 million

Ronaldinho's arrival after snubbing a move to Manchester City brought along with it a lot of excitement. AC Milan were getting the best player in the world.

In reality, Ronaldinho had already begun the transformation into a player beyond his prime. Not to mention his move came on the tail end of several injuries that plagued him.

The Gaucho still, despite this, put up solid numbers for Milan. In his debut season, he had 11 goals and eight assists in 43 matches. He improved greatly the next season after recovering from injuries that affected him early on in his Milan career. That next year he had 15 goals and 17 assists in 42 games, leading the team in overall goals.

He started to fall out of the plans at the start of the 2010-11 season and was sold to Flamengo in the winter.

9) Cafu

Year Joined: Summer 2003

Previous Club: Roma

Price: Free

Milan got a bargain when they landed Brazilian captain Cafu for free in 2003. After several great years with Roma, it was time to move on, and he chose the Rossoneri over Yokohama F. Marinos.

From 2003 to 2008, he joined an elite defense that featured the likes of Milan legends Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta.

In his first season, Milan won the Scudetto, with Cafu playing a big role on that devastating back line. During that season, only Roma allowed less goals.

In 2005 and 2007, Cafu helped Milan reach the Champions League Final, winning it in 2007. After one more season, the Brazilian hung up the boots.

The midfielder-turned-wing back may hold his Roma days more dear, but he was a Milan star and will never be forgotten among the red and black faithful.

8) Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Year Joined: Summer 2010 (loan), Purchased Summer 2011

Previous Club: FC Barcelona

Price: €24 million

For years, playing for both Juventus and Inter Milan, Ibrahimovic was hated in the Curva Sud.

Now, he is celebrated as a key reason for Milan ending the title drought last season.

Zlatan left Inter Milan for Barcelona in 2009, in a deal which sent Samuel Eto'o to the San Siro. He was criticized throughout his time at the Nou Camp, despite some brilliant goals, like the volley against Real Madrid. But when David Villa joined from Valencia before the start of the 2010-11 season, it was evident that Ibra's run at the Blaugrana had ended.

With only a couple days left in the summer transfer window, Ibra joined Milan on loan for the 2010-11 season. After 20 goals, 14 in the league, Milan were crowned champions and Ibrahimovic was seen as a critical member of the squad.

The loan turned into a full sale at the end of the season, and the Swede has said he wants to end his career wearing red and black.

The way things are going up at Milan, Ibra could be making additions to the trophy case quite often, at which point he may be much higher on this list.

7) Alexandre Pato

Year Joined: Summer 2007

Previous Club: SC Internacional

Price: €24 million

Pato was worth every euro Milan paid for him.

The Brazilian joined the club at 17 after turning heads with Internacional, especially after becoming the youngest player to score in a FIFA competition during the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup, breaking Pele's long-standing record.

Since Pato's arrival at Milan, he has emerged as one of the elite young strikers in the world, nearing 60 goals now.

If it weren't for all the injuries, Pato would be well past 60. His skill in front of goal is world class.

Pato may well be the top striker in Italy one of these days. It's only a matter of time.

6) Rui Costa

Year Joined: Summer 2001

Previous Club: Fiorentina

Price: €34 million

Thank you Fatih Terim for not leaving Fiorentina without this guy.

When Terim became Milan's new manager in 2001, he was able to bring the playmaker along to the club with him as the most expensive purchase in AC Milan history.

Rui Costa won it all playing for Milan. The Portuguese international won the Scudetto, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup.

As the predecessor to Kaka, he was a star in the midfield at the San Siro. His numbers were more dominant at Fiorentina, but he was a standout in nearly 200 games for the Rossoneri.

5) Thiago Silva

Year Joined: Summer 2009

Previous Club: Fluminense

Price: €10 million

Thiago Silva moved to Italy two years ago, and no one expected the immediate success. He has proven to be one of the bargains of the century thus far.

In two short seasons for the Rossoneri, he is already considered one of the three best center backs in the world. Many even consider him to be better than Nemanja Vidic, who is widely regarded as the best.

His play in the back has been a reason for Milan's return to prominence. Most fans consider him the most valuable player of the 2010-11 team, which won the Scudetto. With his defensive prowess and ability to cause trouble in the attacking third on set pieces, he is the ideal all-around back.

He is signed on to Milan until the end of the 2015-16 season, during which time he could very easily play his way to very near the top of the all-time Milan greats in the back.

4) Clarence Seedorf

Year Joined: Summer 2002

Previous Club: Inter Milan

Price: Francesco Coco

Il Professore has been a star in the Milan midfield for nearly 10 years.

By the time he arrived in 2002, the Dutchman was already a well-traveled and highly regarded star. He made his debut for Ajax at 16 and in three years made a name for himself, putting himself on the map when he helped the Amsterdam club to a victory over Milan in the 1995 Champions League Final.

Following another European triumph at Real Madrid and a successful run at Inter, Seedorf, like Pirlo and several others in the past, switched dressing rooms at the San Siro and joined Milan.

He will always be remembered for his Milan days above all else. Since joining Milan, he has played 396 games, scored 61 goals, and won two Scudettos, the Coppa Italia, the Italian Super Cup, the European Super Cup, the Club World Cup, and became the only player to win the Champions League with three different clubs. He has won the Champions League twice at Milan.

Few midfielders to have played at the San Siro are as decorated and as loved as Seedorf. He will long be remembered among the Milan faithful for all he has done for the club.

3) Filippo Inzaghi

Year Joined: Summer 2001

Previous Club:  Juventus

Price: Believed to be €19 million plus Cristian Zenoni

Few players can captivate a crowd the way Filippo Inzaghi can.

Since joining Milan 10 years ago, he has become a legend, an immortal giant at the San Siro.

Known as the "Super Sub," Inzaghi, even at 38 and when healthy, is a scary sight for any opposing team and a reason to sing for the Milan faithful. Despite his age, he still influences matches, like the Real Madrid match at the San Siro last year which ended 2-2, with Inzaghi providing the influence off the bench for Milan.

The thing that many love about Inzaghi, besides his incredible goalscoring prowess, is the reaction to every goal he scores. He treats every goal like it is the first or biggest he has ever scored.

No match in Inzaghi's career will ever compare to his night in Athens on May 23, 2007, when he netted twice against Liverpool in a 2-1 victory for Milan in the UEFA Champions League Final. His second goal, which slid past Pepe Reina, will forever live in Milan folklore.

Inzaghi's career is nearly over, but it is one that will live in Milan and all football legend forever.

2) Andrea Pirlo

Year Joined: Summer 2001

Previous Club: Inter Milan

Price: €18 million

Andrea Pirlo may now be at Juventus, but his career will be marked by his time at Milan.

One of the best playmakers of modern times, Pirlo influences any time he steps on the pitch. He may be in his 30s, but he is still one of the greatest players in the world and shows no signs of slowing down in Turin.

He is a Milan legend, part of the great teams with others on this list like Seedorf, Inzaghi and Rui Costa, who won it all.

Filling Pirlo's void will be difficult at Milan. The man is one of the greatest midfielders of a generation, and that is difficult to replace.

1) Kaka

Year Joined: Summer 2003

Previous Club: Sao Paulo

Price: €8.5 million

Silvio Berlusconi once said that the €8.5 million fee that Milan paid for Ricardo Kaka was "peanuts."

Getting Kaka, especially for the price they paid, turned out to be one of the best moves of the Berlusconi era at Milan.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite joined Milan at 21 after turning heads across Europe while playing for Brazil's Sao Paolo, his local club that he joined when he was eight. In his time at the San Siro, he became one of the greatest and most respected players in the world.

His legendary stature was earned during the 2006-07 season, primarily with his play in the UEFA Champions League. In 15 matches during the competition, the Brazilian scored 10 times, leading Milan to glory and a seventh title. In total, he netted 18 times in 48 games and provided nine assists. His key role as the playmaker and his incredible season led to his selection as the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year, ahead of Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Kaka has moved on to Real Madrid, but only left Milan because of the financial struggle the club was facing in 2009. He had made it known before that it was his dream to captain Milan. It very well may happen still. Kaka has been linked with a move back to Milan practically since the time he left. If he leaves Real Madrid, it will likely be for Milan. Long odds, but still possible.