AC Milan unveil cricket-inspired away kit to mark 125th anniversary

AC Milan have featured some iconic kits over the years, and their latest release is no exception. This time, Puma, the club’s kit manufacturer, has drawn inspiration from cricket to honor Milan’s storied football heritage with a touch of cricket nostalgia.

The new away kit was unveiled last week during their clash against Premier League champions Manchester City in the United States. The all-white design evokes the classic charm of Test cricket and pays tribute to I Rossoneri’s origins in 1899 when the Milan Football and Cricket Club was founded by British textile businessman Herbert Kilpin.

The fabric is reminiscent of the stripes that Milan’s footballers have worn for 125 years. While the body of the kit is white, the polo jersey’s collar and cuffs are filled with red and black, colors synonymous with AC Milan.

The logos and club crest are also rendered in black, with one star representing Milan’s 19 Scudetto victories. With one more Scudetto, they could match their arch-rivals Inter Milan’s two stars.

The debut of the kit, however, was certainly unique. During their pre-season match against Manchester City, both teams changed their kits at halftime. Manchester City, also sponsored by Puma, wore their third kit, while Milan revealed their new white away kit. The Italian club celebrated a successful debut in their white stripes with a 3-2 victory over City at Yankee Stadium in New York.

AC Milan fans in the United States would have been even more excited to see Christian Pulisic wearing the new kit. The USA international made a nine-minute cameo against Manchester City and was prominently featured in the launch of the away kit.

Olivier Giroud backs Christian Pulisic to shine for AC Milan and USA

Olivier Giroud, who joined AC Milan in 2021 before recently moving to Los Angeles FC, has expressed confidence that his former teammate Christian Pulisic will excel on the big stage. Pulisic, who left Chelsea in 2023 to join Milan, has scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists in 50 appearances for the Italian giants.

Despite a disappointing Copa America, the 25-year-old had a strong season at AC Milan under Stefano Pioli. Giroud, who played alongside Pulisic at both Chelsea and Milan, believes that the American has the potential to become one of the best.

"I had a very good understanding with him at Chelsea and straight away when he arrived in Milan also. I was very pleased about his move and I wish him the very best. He’s someone I estimate a lot. He’s a great player and he still can improve, which is scary because he’s got so many skills. So I hope to see him shining in the following years and also the future World Cup in 2026," Giroud said (via GOAL)

Milan’s new era under Paulo Fonseca has started positively with victories over Manchester City (3-2) and Real Madrid (1-0) in their pre-season friendlies. Their next clash will be against Barcelona on Tuesday, August 6, followed by their Serie A opener against Torino on August 18.