Gattuso Revisits Milan Glory Days, Teammates, and Autoimmune Battle

FolioPitch.com – 06 October 2026 | Gennaro Gattuso, the fiery midfielder who became an icon at AC Milan, recently opened up about his remarkable journey at the club, from his humble beginnings to winning countless trophies, and his ongoing battle with an autoimmune disease. In a candid interview at the Teatro Sociale in Trento, Gattuso revisits early days at Milan important team-mates and autoimmune disease, offering a rare glimpse into the mind of one of football’s most passionate characters.

Gattuso spent 13 seasons at Milan from 1999 to 2012, winning 10 major honours including two Champions Leagues, two Scudetti, and the Club World Cup. Yet, he admits he initially felt out of his depth. “I wasn’t up to that Milan,” he confessed. “I could tell by the noise the ball made when I kicked it compared to when they kicked it.” The midfielder credited teammates like Zvonimir Boban, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, and Demetrio Albertini for setting the standard. “You just had to observe them and copy and paste. They never got their attitude wrong.”

Boban, in a video message, praised Gattuso: “Rino is extraordinary, special, I immediately understood that he was ahead of everyone, in fact he was World Champion.” Gattuso’s admiration for Maldini was particularly strong, calling him “a true all-round champion” who would even take medication to avoid missing training. “That player who, to avoid missing a single training session, would take Aulin at 39 even when he was ill,” Gattuso recalled.

As Gattuso revisits early days at Milan important team-mates and autoimmune disease, he also reflected on his own temperament. He remembered a heated moment with Fabio Capello during a Milan-Juve match: “I get a red card, I walk past Capello, I tell him ‘shame on you’ and unspeakable things… I remember so many things I’m not proud of. I would never want a Gattuso in my team.” He also shared a light-hearted anecdote about Alexandre Pato: “Ale had lost three or four balls on his way out, but he didn’t chase down his opponent. I started shouting at him, and he signalled me to shut up. I lost my mind, I was about to eat him… (laughs).”

Despite his success, Gattuso’s career was cut short at 34 when he was diagnosed with ocular myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that causes double vision. “I still had something left, but I stopped playing because I contracted an autoimmune disease at 34,” he said. “I’ve been taking cortisone for 15 years, and if I don’t take it, I get double vision, meaning I can’t see clearly.” He remains resilient: “There are people with the same disease as me who spend four or five months in bed, unable to move. I always thought, ‘Imagine if they’d told me I had five months to live.’ So I accepted it, I work with it, I’m stronger than the disease.”

Gattuso also touched on the defacement of Franco Baresi’s mural, expressing anger but acknowledging the troubled world we live in. Now coaching Lazio, he looks back on his Milan years with a mix of pride and humility. “Inside Milanello there were tons of photos of trophies we’d won, and in the early years we won little or nothing. So I worked to put my photos at Milanello too. I have to thank these champions and special people.”

In conclusion, Gattuso’s story is one of determination, growth, and resilience. From a self-doubting newcomer to a World Cup winner and Milan legend, he embodies the spirit of the Rossoneri. His battle with autoimmune disease adds another layer of inspiration, showing that even in the face of adversity, one can continue to fight and succeed. As Gattuso revisits early days at Milan important team-mates and autoimmune disease, his journey serves as a reminder that true strength lies not just in victories, but in how we handle life’s challenges.