AC Milan have contributed more than their fair share to the pantheon of legendary footballers. Throughout the club’s illustrious history, however, there were also players who didn’t quite hit such prestigious heights.

These players weren’t necessarily global superstars of their era nor are they remembered with quite the same reverence. But within the collective consciousness of Milanisti, they live on thanks to their talent, contribution, loyalty and love for the shirt.

Some of these cult heroes provided Milan’s fans with brief individual moments of joy, others provided years' worth of memories. Some were admired for their skill, others for their work ethic.

Picking a team from Milan’s cult heroes is a hard task given the sheer quantity of players to choose from, but that’s exactly what we here at Bleacher Report have done.

Read on to find out who made the cut, and don’t hesitate to join the debate if one of your favourites has been left out.

A Note on Selection Criteria

Before we continue, please note that the following team specifically pertains to Milan’s cult heroes, not their all-time best players. As such, the likes of Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Gianni Rivera and Marco van Basten won’t be found in this lineup.

Instead the selection criteria for this team values those who, while important to Milan, did not quite achieve iconic levels of renown.

The team will be lined up in the 4-4-2 formation synonymous with the great Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan side. The following slide details the players who didn’t quite make the cut.

Honourable Mentions

Goalkeepers

Enrico Albertosi (1974-1980)

The eccentric Albertosi joined Milan at 34 years old. Despite his advanced age, he didn’t miss a league game in his first five years with the club before helping them to a Scudetto in 1979.

Giovanni Galli (1986-1990)

A European Cup winner in both 1989 and 1990, Giovanni Galli was an important yet understated component in one of Milan’s greatest-ever teams.

Defenders

Filippo Galli (1981-1996)

A versatile defender, Filippo Galli found it difficult to obtain regular football with Milan as he had to compete with Mauro Tassoti, Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi and Alessandro Costacurta. He nonetheless served the club well during a 15-year spell.

Jaap Stam (2004-2006)

By the time he joined Milan, Stam was arguably beyond the peak of his powers, but he remained a solid influence for two seasons before returning to the Netherlands with Ajax.

Angelo Anquilletti (1966-1977)

An effective defensive full-back, Anquilletti played an important role in helping Nereo Rocco’s Milan side to European Cup victory in 1969.

Serginho (1999-2008)

A voraciously energetic full-back, Serginho patrolled Milan’s left touchline with attacking intent, earning the nickname "Concorde" for his speed.

Midfielders

Romeo Benetti (1970-1976)

An uncouth hard man and Milan captain, Benetti was feared by opponents and loved by team-mates for his relentless graft and unapologetically ferocious tackling.

Dino Sani (1961-1964)

A player of immense technical gifts, Sani was the lesser known of Milan’s playmaking forces in the 1960s, where he created quietly in the shadow of Gianni Rivera.

Alberigo Evani (1980-1993)

A disciplined and intelligent player, Evani starred on the left side of midfield for Sacchi’s Milan and scored the winning goal in the 1989 Intercontinental Cup victory over Atletico Nacional.

Juan Alberto Schiaffino (1954-1960)

A 1950 World Cup winner with Uruguay, Schiaffino’s signature saw Milan break the world transfer record at the time. The skilled inside forward would go on to win three Scudetti with the Rossoneri.

Forwards

Angelo Sormani (1965-1970)

The Brazilian-born Sormani made his name in Italy, particularly enjoying his spell with Milan, where he would spend more time than with any other club. A hulking centre-forward, he won almost everything there was to win during his five years at San Siro.

Hernan Crespo (2004-2005)

Although Crespo only spent one season with Milan, he left an indelible mark. He hit 18 goals, one of which was a stunning chipped effort in the 2005 Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.

Goalkeeper: Christian Abbiati (1998-Present)

Christian Abbiati’s career is a testament to self-sacrifice. After arriving from Monza in 1998, he enjoyed four fruitful years before being benched in favour of Dida. However, instead of leaving at the first attempt, he remained loyal to Milan.

Eventually the agile shot-stopper would reclaim his spot between the posts, and in 2013 he would break the legendary Sebastiano Rossi’s record for most goalkeeping appearances for the club, per Football Italia.

Now aged 38, Abbiati is still on the club’s books though currently finds himself behind Gianluigi Donnarumma—a player 22 years his junior—in the pecking order.

Right-Back: Christian Panucci (1993-1996)

Christian Panucci was one of the most underrated defenders of his generation.

Joining Milan in 1993, he gradually took over the great Mauro Tassotti’s right-back berth, displaying the attacking vigour and defensive resolve of a prototypical modern full-back.

Dynamic and tactically flexible, he became a core member of Fabio Capello’s Milan side in the early 1990s, winning the Champions League in 1994 with the Rossoneri before following his manager to Real Madrid.

Centre-Back: Cesare Maldini (1954-1966)

The Maldini name is ingrained in Milan history primarily because of the iconic Paolo Maldini’s outstanding performances for the club between 1985 and 2009, though we must not forget his father Cesare’s contribution.

A stout yet technically refined defender, Cesare Maldini operated as the sweeper underpinning the catenaccio style of Nereo Rocco’s Milan, captaining them to European Cup success in 1963.

He would go on to make 412 appearances for the club before enjoying two separate spells as Milan head coach.

Centre-Back: Roberto Rosato (1966-1973)

A quick and composed centre-back, Roberto Rosato was a one-man microcosm of catenaccio. His job was to harry, stifle, mark and chase, all of which he did with the requisite diligence.

With his graceful persona and relatively small stature—he stood at 5’9”—Rosato was not the most physically imposing of players, but he was nonetheless a persistent, rugged defensive terrier.

While not as celebrated as modern greats such as Alessandro Nesta or Paolo Maldini, Rosato—alongside Angelo Anquiletti, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger and Giovanni Trapattoni—formed an impenetrable back line which became the basis Milan’s success in the 1960s.

Left-Back: Aldo Maldera (1971-1982)

Born and raised in Milan, Aldo Maldera came through the Rossoneri’s youth system before making his debut for the first team in the 1971-72 season. He would go on to become one of the club’s best-ever left-backs.

He showed the full extent of his commitment when deciding to stay with Milan in spite of their relegation to Serie B following the 1980 Totonero match-fixing scandal.

Right Wing: Dejan Savicevic (1992-1998)

An attacking midfielder of impeccable technique, Dejan Savicevic arrived at Milan in 1992 from Red Star Belgrade for a fee of £9.4 million, which at the time represented serious money.

He was already a star after featuring at the 1990 World Cup with Yugoslavia and winning the 1991 European Cup with Red Star, though he never quite established himself in the same way with Milan, primarily because he was often marginalised by coach Fabio Capello.

The languid Montenegrin was still able to leave an emphatic mark on the club with his finest moment being a lustrous lob over Barcelona’s Andoni Zubizaretta in the 1994 Champions League final.

That finish embedded his exquisite quality within the hearts and minds of Milanisti.

Central Midfield: Massimo Ambrosini (1995-2013)

Massimo Ambrosini joined Milan at the end of an incredible era. The club had dominated Italian football throughout much of the early 1990s, and the enthusiastic young midfielder was expected to be a part of the next cycle of success.

He played a part in Milan’s Serie A title win in 1999 but would then struggle to regain a regular starting berth due to the intertwined brilliance of Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Clarence Seedorf.

Eventually Ambrosini forced coach Carlo Ancelotti to bring in the "Christmas Tree" 4-3-2-1 formation so that he could utilise the player alongside Gattuso and Pirlo, with Seedorf playing a more advanced role alongside Kaka.

Following Paolo Maldini’s retirement, Ambrosini took the club captaincy, outlasted his aforementioned team-mates and went on to make 489 appearances in all competitions for Milan.

Central Midfield: Giovanni Lodetti (1961-1970)

The indefatigable Giovanni Lodetti ensured Milan’s midfield functioned smoothly throughout the 1960s as Nereo Rocco’s team won multiple domestic and continental trophies.

The defensive midfielder put in the hard yards that allowed the more artistic Gianni Rivera to flourish. In Calcio (2006), John Foot cites the writing of Edmondo Berselli to highlight Lodetti’s importance to the team.

“Lodetti would…run until he dropped…and if he won the ball, he would pass it immediately to Rivera, the man with the extra touch, who would invent something,” claimed Berselli.

Without a dedicated mediano such as Lodetti, a player such as Rivera would have lacked the stable base needed to play with maximum creative licence.

Left Wing: Leonardo (1997-2001, 2002-2003)

Leonardo was already an established force by the time he signed for Milan in 1997. He had played in Europe, Asia and South America and was a Brazilian international.

A lithe left winger, Leonardo was tactically intelligent enough to assume a number of other roles when called upon, something that proved greatly valuable to Alberto Zaccheroni as the coach guided Milan to the 1999 Scudetto.

In Zaccheroni’s unorthodox 3-4-3 system, Leonardo was often utilised on the right of the attack, from where he could cut back on to his favoured left foot. It worked; that season was the Brazilian’s most prolific with the Rossoneri, scoring 12 league goals.

Leonardo spent several of his peak years with Milan before going back to Brazil with Sao Paulo. He would return to Milan in 2002 to finish his career with the club.

Striker: Pietro Paolo Virdis (1984-1989)

Pietro Paolo Virdis was a rare breed of striker; a clinical concoction of elegant finishing with both feet and imperious aerial ability. The combination made him a perfect poacher in and around the opposition penalty area.

After failing to make an impact with Juventus, Virdis suffered injury problems at Udinese before signing for Milan in 1984, where he would experience his prime playing years.

In 1986-87, he was at his ruthless best, scoring 17 times to finish the season as Serie A’s top goalscorer, while in the following campaign, he helped the club to their first league title in nine years.

Striker: Marco Simone (1989-1997, 2001-2002)

With his shaggy hair, short stature and pristine white boots, Marco Simone always stood out on a football pitch. However, beyond the foppish appearance lay a forward of class and efficiency.

A potent taker of chances, Simone was also an ample creator who relished playing in more expansive roles. His ball control and link-up play enabled him to occupy deeper and wider positions, a trait that made him all the more appreciated at Milan.

His versatility and undeniable quality ensured he got regular game time despite the fact he had to compete with three different FIFA World Player of the Year winners—Marco van Basten, Roberto Baggio and George Weah—during his time with the Rossoneri.

Arguably Simone’s best season with the club came in 1995-96, when he hit 21 goals in all competitions whilst aiding Milan to the Champions League final, which they ultimately lost to Louis van Gaal’s precocious Ajax side.