Marco Borriello explains why AC Milan has ‘different DNA’ ahead of its 125th anniversary: ‘It’s like a mother’

It’s a special weekend for the AC Milan community. The Italian giants will be celebrating their 125th anniversary, counting from when the iconic club was founded in Milan on December 16, 1899. Sunday’s match against Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday is the perfect opportunity to celebrate one of the most decorated teams of the world, one that has shaped soccer culture since its foundation. 

Former AC Milan striker Marco Borriello understands why this club is so special. “It’s like my mother.” Borriello grew up in the AC Milan academy and also had the chance to start his professional career with some of the greatest names of the sport, such as Kakà, Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf and many more as he was on the roster during the years when the Rossoneri managed to play three Champions League finals from 2003 to 2007, winning two. The Italian striker played a total of 445 games over his career and scored 127 goals, and also played with some of the best and most iconic teams, including AS Roma, Juventus, and Genoa among others.

How to watch AC Milan vs. Genoa

• Date: Sunday, Dec. 15 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
• Location: San Siro — Milan, Italy
• Live stream: Paramount+
• Odds: AC Milan -280; Draw +380; Genoa +750

Borriello played 75 games over his career with the Rossoneri, scoring 21 goals in all competitions. 

“It’s the team that has given me the most in my career. I grew up in the youth sector. I was part of the first team, even if I wasn’t a star for them, I grew up with great legends who gave me so much in the trainings as well. Also for the other experiences I had later, it was like a school.

“I won my first Scudetto as a ball boy in 1998, with Alberto Zaccheroni’s Milan. My idols were the strikers I was looking at so closely: George Weah, Gabriel Batistuta, Zvonimir Boban, but also Paolo Maldini and Gianluca Vialli. 

“Compared to all the other teams I played for, Milan has a different DNA. Milan is an international city, but the special touch was given by former president Silvio Berlusconi who made the club successful in Italy and around the world. That team was invincible, and that DNA remained in the minds of the fans and the club”. 

Borriello also played with Inter Miami’s owner, England legend David Beckham at AC Milan: “He was a wonderful teammate, an exemplary professional who made himself available to the group. It is no coincidence that when there was a fight on the pitch, he was in the front row for us. Then, he became what we know today. It seemed impossible a legend like Lionel Messi could leave European soccer, but he did it I think also thanks to him. I am sure he will bring others. He has a particular charm and gives credibility to the whole American soccer community”. 

On Sunday, ahead of the game against Genoa, a special award ceremony will honor some of the greatest names of history of the club. Marco van Basten, Andriy Shevcenko and Filippo Inzaghi will receive a trophy designed by Tiffany & Co. to celebrate their inclusion in the AC Milan Hall of Fame alongside honorary vice president Franco Baresi, the first official inductee of the Hall of Fame. 

The celebration will continue also during the game against Genoa, as the Rossoneri players will wear the Anniversary kit designed in collaboration with PUMA and with the help of AC Milan fans worldwide, who played an active role in choosing key design elements,. The kit pays tribute to AC Milan’s long history with traditional features and timeless references to the club’s iconic style.

The Italian club are working closely with multiple international brands to expand their success also off the pitch, like the photographic book crafted in collaboration with luxury publisher Assouline, or the ones with Off-White and the New York Yankees, a collaboration that reflects the deepening ties between the two teams under RedBird Capital Partners’ ownership, with Yankee Global Enterprises holding a minority stake in AC Milan.

Fondazione Milan, the charity foundation of the club, will also give ten children from socially vulnerable backgrounds in Milan the opportunity to walk onto the field as little mascots alongside the players. Additionally, €2 from every ticket sold for the Genoa match will be donated to charitable initiatives. On Monday, December 16 alone, €3 from every special-price admission to the Mondo Milan Museum will also be donated to Fondazione Milan’s accessibility programs — “Milan for Everyone” and “Sport for All,” which promote inclusivity and accessibility in the Club.

Borriello was also part of the Fondazione Milan’s visit to the Pio XI Desio children hospital last week, where he had the chance to meet some of the kids: “I want to thank Fondazione Milan and the club for this opportunity. It’s always touching because even if it shouldn’t be like that, it brings you back down to earth, it’s a wonderful bath of humility, and something we should remember every single day”.