AC Milan began as a cricket club when three British men, Kilpin, Allison and Davies proposed the idea to two businessmen Alfred Edwards and Herbert Kilpin. The two men then created the club on December 16, 1899. Edwards became the first president of the Milan Cricket and Football Club. The two men form Nottingham, Britain used the city name Milan, and it has not been translated to the Italian version, Milano, to respect its origins. The opening match was played in March 1900 against another team from Milan named Mediolanum. Only two years after its creation, AC Milan won its first championship in 1901. Milan grew in popularity and strength and won back to back championships in 1906 and 1907. The next year the club went through massive changes that altered the club and the future of Italian football. With internal conflicts over allowing International players onto the team at a height, there was a split. Another team was created, F.C. Internazionale Milano, which became A.C. Milan’s biggest rival. The first match against Inter has been played on the 18th of October 1908, Milan winning 2-1.

In 1916 the Italian League Championship was suspended due to World War I. During the 1915 and 1916 seasons the league was replaced with the Federal Cup, which Milan actually won. During the war the team was also called Milano at the Fascist regime’s request. The 1920’s were a time of new change for Italian football and Milano. San Siro Stadium was built in 1926 as the club’s home field, and funded by a man named Pietro Pirelli. A few years later in 1929 Serie A was created, and was called Girone Unico. In 1938 the club finalized their name, they were officially A.C. (Associazione Calcio) Milan.

AC Milan then was in a huge slump during these years. With the team split into two they did not win another championship until 1950, only holding 3rd place positions. Slowly the team gained momentum, winning the 1963 European Cup in a final match against S.L. Benfica. The end of the 1950's looked hopeful as three new players joined AC Milan. Gianni Rivera from Alessandria, joined the team for $200,000, a record at that time. The other two are the Brazilian striker Jose Altafini and the Uruguayan midfielder Schiaffino. In 1968 AC Milan won the Scudetto and their superstar Gianni Rivera won the European Footballer of the Year award. They were also able to take the 1969 European Cup for the second time and the Intercontinental Cup for the first time. After Gianni Rivera, the man who carried the team, retired in 1979, Milan found themselves in the midst of a scandal.

A.C. Milan found themselves in the dark age once again. The team was dropped from Italy’s Serie A to Serie B, after the 1980 Totonero Match fixing scandal. Two players and the President Felice Colombo were seen as part of the match fixing bets that were found by the Italian Finance department. Due to their involvement, the club was been relegated for the only time in its history.

Milan stayed in Serie B only for the 1980-81 season, because it dominated the league with 50 points with 18 wins and player Antonelli was the top scorer in Serie B.

By 1981-82 season Milan was back in Serie A, but had a rough season. They finished 14th in the league, and powerhouse Juventus won their second Scudetto in a row.

As this dark age went on, Silvio Berlusconi, an Italian Entreprenuer took owenership of the club in 1986. He was able to invest lots of funds into the club and bring in Fabio Capello Arrigo Sacchi as the new coach. Also Berlusconi arranged the signing of, Marco van Bastern, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard, three Dutch players. And it was here that A.C. Milan went into their golden age. They were able to win 7 European titles, 2 Intercontinental Cups and 5 UEFA Champions League tournaments. done Their performances were internationally highlighted. In 1991 the club hired new coach Fabio Capello, who had previously played for the team. Capello’s reign with Milan was stunning. He won the Serie A title that year, and managed to not lose a single game for the cub. A.C. went on to win 58 games straight.

In 1996 the club won its 15th Scudetto. This same year Capello moved to Real Madrid and A.C. welcomed new coach Oscar Tabarez. His coaching career with Milan was shortlived as he quickly replaced by former coach Arrigo Sacchi, who was then replaced as well with Capello for the 1998 season.

In Summer 2006, Milan's Serie A campaign began with a 15 point deduction resulting from the Calciopoli scandal. A.C. Milan appealed their penalty and were successful. Their point deduction was reduced to 8 and they were again allowed to play in the UEFA Champions League. A.C. Milan met the challenge by not only participating in the 2006-2007 Champions League, but winning the entire tournament taking the trophy home. In the finals of that cup against Liverpool, Filippo Inzaghi scored two goals, putting A.C. Milan on top again.

Hot off the heels of winning their seventh Champions League title, Milan continued their international success by winning the 2007 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla FC in a game marked with sadness over the recent on-field death of Sevilla player Antonio Puerta. Milan's Champions League success also made the club eligible to compete in the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup where they would win their 18th officially recognized international trophy - tied for most club international trophies in the world. Ironically, Milan won their 18th title in a match against Boca Juniors, the team they are tied with in total international trophies.