Reigning champions AC Milan won the Italian league 18 times. A remarkable period in its rich history was marked by Dutch influence. Dutch stars Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten played an important role in the club’s successes in the late 1980s and first half of the 1990s. National and international titles came to Milan and to this day, the Milan fans and (former) players still express their gratitude.

Gullit and Van Basten joined the club in 1987, Rijkaard a year later. In the beginning, it was Gullit who had the greatest influence. The charismatic Dutch captain Ruud Gullit’s first season in Milan saw the club win the “Scudetto” for the first time in 9 years. To sign Gullit, AC Milan paid the world record transfer fee (at the time) to PSV Eindhoven. But they got it back in no time.

Marco van Basten played for Ajax in Amsterdam before moving to AC Milan. In the Netherlands, he became the league’s top scorer for four seasons, from 1983 to 1987, scoring 117 goals in 112 games. In 1987, he also scored the only goal in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final. That was the last European trophy Ajax was missing. So it was a great parting gift for the club, as a new adventure in Italy was expected.

Like Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard took his first professional steps on the field playing for Ajax. He lived in the same part of Amsterdam as Ruud Gullit during his teens. After becoming the best in Europe with the Netherlands in 1988, he completed the Dutch Trinity of AC Milan. In the end, each played an important role in the other’s career.

AC Milan were almost invincible and played a revolutionary type of football, displaying skills almost never seen before in Serie A. This was part of the owner’s master plan. In 1986 businessman Silvio Berlusconi acquired the club and saved it from bankruptcy. Berlusconi got coach Arrigo Sacchi to lead the team to success. He was followed by Fabio Capello, the current England manager. The “rossoneri” signed the Dutch trio, where they already had players like Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini and Carlo Ancelotti. This was the beginning of possibly the most successful era in AC Milan’s history.

During the time of the Dutch trinity (1987-1994) they managed to win four national titles, reach the final of the Coppa Italia in 1990 and conquer four Italian Supercoppa. They were also a force to be reckoned with in Europe. They won three Champions League trophies, three UEFA Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups. In all of this, the Dutch players effectively used their super soccer skills. AC Milan won the 1989 Champions League final 4-0 against Steaua Bucuresti. Gullit and Van Basten scored 2 goals and Van Basten became the top scorer with 10 goals in total. The following year it was Frank Rijkaard’s turn. In the final against Benfica he scored the only goal, Van Basten assisted.

Together with Boca Juniors, Milan won more FIFA-recognized international club titles than any other club in the world. It cannot be denied that the Dutch trinity played its part.