Five of Calcio’s Best Special Edition Shirts as Milan Celebrate 125th Anniversary

AC Milan this week released a new shirt to commemorate the club’s 125th anniversary, and it won plaudits across social media for its simplicity in design.

The shirt, modelled by the legendary Franco Baresi and a host of current players, evoked memories of a simpler time in the game, when sponsors hadn’t become front and centre of football kits, allowing the Rossoneri colours to shine bright.

In honour of Milan’s new anniversary shirt, Destination Calcio decided to take a look some of the best anniversary shirts produced by Italian clubs in the last few years.

Juventus 120th Anniversary Shirt (2017)

The Turin club released a stripped back shirt in line with their 120th anniversary, and the end result was an instant best-seller. 

Sported by the likes of Paulo Dybala, Giorgio Chiellini and Gonzalo Higuain, Juve wore the special shirt only once, in the 2-1 home win against Benevento.

The shirt, which didn’t even display Juve’s badge and consisted merely of three stars to represent every 10 Scudetti the club have won, is now considered a collectors’ item and can be found on eBay from time to time, selling for considerable amounts of money.

Inter Centenary Shirt (2008)

To celebrate the club’s centenary, Inter’s home shirt that season stuck to the basics of all Inter shirts: black-and-blue stripes with a collar. 

The only discernible difference in design from other Inter shirts of the era is around the badge, where a gold trim is broken up with the the dates of the club’s existence. 

The Beneamata also produced a centenary away shirt, a white and red number that pays homage to its English roots. 

Inter won their second consecutive Scudetto that season, Roberto Mancini’s last at the club. 

Genoa 125th Anniversary Shirt (2018)

The oldest club in Italy produced a nice number to celebrate their 125th anniversary in the 2018-19 season.

Originally founded as a football and cricket club back in 1893, Genoa nowadays is known chiefly for the former and not the latter.

Like Juve the season prior, the Grifone‘s anniversary shirt lacked a sponsor, instead displaying only the kit manufacturer Lotto and the club’s badge. 

The shirt is simple, a half-and-half rossoblu design with a navy collar. Having the Lotto logo in gold is a nice touch.

It remains one of the best Genoa shirts released in recent years, with the club falling victim, like so many modern clubs, of plastering sponsors over every inch of shirt space.

AC Milan Centenary shirt (1999)

Milan won an unlikely Scudetto in 1998/99 and, timely enough, it coincided with their centenary. The following season, the club’s released a centenary shirt, which was worn in several matches.

Modelled by the likes of Paolo Maldini, Oliver Bierhoff and new signing Andriy Shevchenko, Milan paid homage to their history, like Inter, by including the St. George’s cross on the shirt at the expense of their badge.

Milan went for more of a pinstripe design, but kept their sponsor at the time, German car manufacturer Opel, on the shirt. 

The shirt, which now sells for hundreds of pounds, was worn against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Torino Superga 75th anniversary Shirt (2024)

A somewhat sombre choice for the list. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Superga disaster, Torino’s current kit manufacturer Joma released a limited edition home shirt, dedicated to the victims of the tragedy that robbed Italy of one of its greatest sides.

Joma opted for a traditional thick, white collar with buttons at the top of the shirt.

The club’s current sponsors, Suzuki and Beretta, are brushed over with maroon, making the logos appear dim in comparison to the normal shirt. The sleeves also feature white trims.

Only 750 shirts were made, with each one individually numbered and presented in a nice box. 

It may represent the biggest tragedy in Italian football history, but the shirt itself is a stunning tribute. 

Finally, here is Milan’s 125th Anniversary kit!