AC Milan Players to Wear Mothers’ Surnames in Heartfelt Tribute for Mother’s Day Match Against Bologna

AC Milan is once again marking Mother's Day with a powerful and emotional tribute. In their Serie A clash against Bologna on Friday, May 9 at San Siro, the players will step onto the pitch wearing the surnames of their mothers on the back of their jerseys.

This gesture, now in its second consecutive year, isn’t just a touching celebration of motherhood — it's part of a larger campaign called “t-SHErt – The surname can be hers,” which promotes awareness about personal identity and gender equality in Italy.

Launched in collaboration with Lega Serie A and Serviceplan Italia, the initiative was inspired by a groundbreaking 2022 Constitutional Court ruling that declared it discriminatory for Italian children to automatically receive only their father’s surname. Since June of that year, Italian law allows parents to choose whether their child takes the father’s surname, the mother’s, or both — a major shift that AC Milan is proudly helping to spotlight through sport.

This weekend's game holds significance beyond the touching jerseys. On the field, both AC Milan and Bologna are battling for vital European spots, and the intensity of this matchup is heightened by the fact that they’ll meet again in the Coppa Italia final just five days later in Rome. The San Siro crowd will be treated to more than just a match — they’ll witness a symbolic stand for identity and inclusion.

In keeping with the spirit of giving, the maternal-surname jerseys worn by AC Milan’s men’s and women’s teams will be auctioned, with proceeds going to the “A Goal to Dream” project by Fondazione Milan. This initiative supports female empowerment through sports in Pakistan, extending the impact of Mother's Day far beyond Italy.

By placing their mothers’ names proudly on their backs, AC Milan players are doing more than paying tribute — they’re wearing a statement about love, equality, and the right to choose one’s own identity. It's a message that echoes far beyond the final whistle.