Definition of I Rossoneri

Plenty of clubs throughout Europe have nicknames that back up their club colours or histories. Chelsea are the Blues, Arsenal are the Gunners, Real Madrid are Los Blancos (The Whites) and so on.

One of the most famous examples of this trend comes from the Italian city of Milan. Associazione Calcio Milan, or Milan as they are commonly referred to, are just that club. Their nickname is I Rossoneri, or 'The Red and Blacks'. Unsurprisingly, this comes from their famous red and black striped kit. The kit that has seen some of the greatest successes in world football throughout the ages. The 50s, 60s, 90s and early 2000s were all highlights of the club's success, with league titles, Coppa Italia's and European trophies all flowing into the silverware cabinet in that time.

Some of the greatest players in the history of the game have worn the famous colours of I Rossoneri. Paolo Maldini, widely considered the best defender of all time, spent his entire career in the red and black. Dutch legends like Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard have also all left their marks on the club. Prolific forwards like Andriy Schevchenko and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are some of the more recent high-profile players to play for the club.

Despite their Scudetto success in 2010-11, the club has faltered recently in terms of its performance. However, I Rossoneri are unlikely to fade away anytime soon, as they continue to try and recapture the legendary form of past teams.