A.C. Milan was founded as Milan Cricket and Foot-Ball Club on 16 December 1899 by English expatriates Alfred Edwards and Herbert Kilpin,[4] who came from the English city of Nottingham. In honour of its English origins, the club has retained the English spelling of the city's name, as opposed to the Italian spelling Milano which it was forced to bear under the fascist regime. Milan won its first Italian championship in 1901 and a further two in succession in 1906 and 1907.[2]
In 1908, Milan experienced a split caused by internal disagreements over the signing of foreign players, which led to the forming of another Milan-based team, F.C. Internazionale Milano.[14] Following these events, Milan did not manage to win a single domestic title until 1950–51.[5] The 1950s saw the club return to the top of Italian football, headed by the famous Gre-No-Li Swedish trio Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm. This was one of the club's most successful periods domestically, with the Scudetto going to Milan in 1951, 1955, 1957, 1959 and 1962.[5] In 1963, Milan won its first continental title by beating S.L. Benfica in the final of the European Cup.[15] This success was repeated in 1969, with a 4–1 win over AFC Ajax in the final, which was followed by the Intercontinental Cup title the same year.[5] During this period Milan also won its first Coppa Italia, with victory over Padova in the 1967 final, and three European Cup Winners' Cups; in 1967–68, 1972–73 and 1973–74.[5]
Milan won a tenth league title in 1979, but after the retirement of Gianni Rivera in the same year, the team went into a period of decline. The club was involved in the 1980 Totonero scandal and as punishment was relegated to Serie B for the first time in its history.[16] The scandal was centered around a betting syndicate paying players and officials to fix the outcome of matches.[16] Milan achieved promotion back to Serie A at the first attempt, winning the 1980–81 Serie B title,[5] but were again relegated a year later as the team ended its 1981–82 campaign in third last place. In 1983, Milan won the Serie B title for the second time in three seasons to return to Serie A,[5] where they achieved a sixth place finish in 1983–84
In 1908, Milan experienced a split caused by internal disagreements over the signing of foreign players, which led to the forming of another Milan-based team, F.C. Internazionale Milano.[14] Following these events, Milan did not manage to win a single domestic title until 1950–51.[5] The 1950s saw the club return to the top of Italian football, headed by the famous Gre-No-Li Swedish trio Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm. This was one of the club's most successful periods domestically, with the Scudetto going to Milan in 1951, 1955, 1957, 1959 and 1962.[5] In 1963, Milan won its first continental title by beating S.L. Benfica in the final of the European Cup.[15] This success was repeated in 1969, with a 4–1 win over AFC Ajax in the final, which was followed by the Intercontinental Cup title the same year.[5] During this period Milan also won its first Coppa Italia, with victory over Padova in the 1967 final, and three European Cup Winners' Cups; in 1967–68, 1972–73 and 1973–74.[5]
Milan won a tenth league title in 1979, but after the retirement of Gianni Rivera in the same year, the team went into a period of decline. The club was involved in the 1980 Totonero scandal and as punishment was relegated to Serie B for the first time in its history.[16] The scandal was centered around a betting syndicate paying players and officials to fix the outcome of matches.[16] Milan achieved promotion back to Serie A at the first attempt, winning the 1980–81 Serie B title,[5] but were again relegated a year later as the team ended its 1981–82 campaign in third last place. In 1983, Milan won the Serie B title for the second time in three seasons to return to Serie A,[5] where they achieved a sixth place finish in 1983–84
