AC MILAN TO PLAY WITH THEIR MOTHERS' MAIDEN NAMES | OneFootball

AC Milan is celebrating Mother's Day by continuing a new tradition launched last year, a first in Italian football. Over the course of the celebratory weekend, players from the men's First Team will take the field wearing their mothers' surnames on their match jerseys, instead of the surnames they usually wear.

The initiative will kick off during the Serie A match against Bologna on Friday 9 May, when the players' maternal surnames will feature in AC Milan's official line-up announcement, displayed on the stadium's giant screens and read aloud by the matchday announcer. The same big screens and the LED displays in and around San Siro, thanks to a special version of the Rossoneri photo wall will feature Mother's Day-themed graphics, displaying images of mothers sent in by players, Legends, and Milanisti fans from all over the world. Special invitations to watch the match from the stadium's VIP Lounge will also be reserved for mother-and-child Rossoneri pairs.

The initiative will involve all those who make up the Rossoneri family – from players to the over 500 million AC Milan fans across the globe – and will be brought to life across all of the Club's digital touchpoints with specially designed graphics and dedicated photo and video content. Among those celebrating the role of mothers in their lives will be the men's First Team, Milan Futuro, the Youth Sector and the women's First Team, who will have a rest weekend during the final round of the season. Men's First Team Head Coach Sérgio Conceição will also feature in a special, emotional feature dedicated to the occasion.

As part of the initiative, Fondazione Milan will support around 70 teenage mothers through a fundraising campaign in aid of a parenting support programme run at the Spazio Indifesa Hub in the Gallaratese district of Milan. Managed by Terre des Hommes and opened in 2021 with the support of the Foundation, the Hub provides vital services to young mothers in need. A portion of the proceeds from the auction of match-worn shirts and Mascot experiences – generously provided by ComAve, AC Milan's Global Partner and Shopping Experience Platform Partner – will go towards the fundraiser.

Purchases of items from the Club's new Women's Collection made in physical and online stores between Friday 9 and Sunday 11 May, as well as tickets to the Mondo Milan Museum during the AC Milan v Bologna matchday and on Sunday 11 May too, will also contribute to the cause through a share of the proceeds. Some children from the Spazio Indifesa programme will also have the unique opportunity to walk onto the pitch with the players ahead of Friday's match.

Through this integrated initiative, the entire Rossoneri family wishes to express its gratitude to those who have supported us every day and taught us respect, courage, and the strength to believe in our dreams – both on the pitch and in life.