1988/89 AC Milan Retro Home jersey

The 1988/1989 AC Milan home kit is one of the most iconic shirts in football history, marking the height of the club’s dominance under Arrigo Sacchi and featuring legendary players like Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Franco Baresi. 

• Primary Colors: The jersey featured black and red vertical stripes, the classic Rossoneri look.

• Stripes: The front of the shirt had equal-width red and black stripes, extending from top to bottom and across the sleeves, creating a uniform, bold visual identity.

• Back Design: The back had a solid red panel for better visibility of the white player numbers, a style common in Serie A kits during that era.

• Collar Style: A simple V-neck collar in black added a clean, sharp finish.

• Sleeve Cuffs: No elaborate trim; sleeves were plain, maintaining a minimalistic aesthetic typical of 1980s kits.

• Sponsor: The jersey featured the Mediolanum sponsor in white text across the chest — a financial services company owned by Milan’s then-president Silvio Berlusconi.

• Club Crest: The traditional red cross on a white shield (St. George's cross) was stitched on the left chest — this crest was used only briefly during the late '80s before the return of the round AC Milan badge.

Material & Fit

• Material: Made from a poly-cotton blend, typical of the late 1980s, offering some stretch but heavier than modern fabrics.

• Fit: It had a regular fit, slightly looser compared to modern slim-fit shirts.

Notable Features

• Historic Significance: This shirt was worn during AC Milan’s legendary 1988–89 season, in which they:

  • Won the European Cup (now Champions League), beating Steaua Bucharest 4–0 in the final.

  • Played with a tactical revolution under Sacchi, emphasizing pressing and team structure.

• Iconic Players in This Kit:

  • Marco van Basten

  • Ruud Gullit

  • Frank Rijkaard

  • Franco Baresi

  • Paolo Maldini (youngster at the time)