4 Gianni Rivera
Juventus have broken the Serie A transfer record by signing Gonzalo Higuain for 90 million euros, although when AC Milan spent 90 million in 1960, it was in lire, to sign Gianni Rivera from Alessandria in what was then a record transfer fee, worth about $200,000. To make things even more stunning, Rivera was 16-years-old and was handed the #10 jersey, and he went on to prove his ‘Golden Boy’ moniker was extremely apt.
In his 19 year stay at Milan, Rivera went on to captain the club for 12 of those seasons, appearing 501 times and scoring 160 goals in total. His passing and driblling ability was second to none, and Rivera managed to earn a Ballon d’Or win in 1969, after a couple of heart-breaking near misses.
Rivera’s silverware cabinet bulged with multiple medals at the end of his career, with the Italian winning 3 league titles, 4 Coppa Italia trophies and 2 European Cups for AC Milan. Little wonder then, that many who saw him in the flesh for Milan still argue that he was the greatest Italian footballer to play the game.
Rivera’s association with AC Milan carried on after his retirement, as he rose to the position of Vice-President, before leaving when Silvio Berlusconi bought the club.
