Former AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, who also served as Italian Prime Minister, has passed away at the age of 86.
The flamboyant media tycoon died at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan on June 12, 2023.
Berlusconi was taken into medical care back in April after suffering with a lung infection that was linked to a previously undisclosed case of chronic leukaemia.
In 2016, he underwent surgery to replace a faulty aortic valve and was hospitalised with Covid in September 2020.
AC Milan posted the following tribute to Berlusconi on the club’s official website.
“Deeply saddened, AC Milan grieves the passing of the unforgettable Silvio Berlusconi and wishes to reach out to the family, associates, and most cherished friends to share our sympathies.
“Tomorrow, we will dream of new ambitions, create new challenges, and seek new victories. Which will represent the good, the strong, and the true that lies inside us, in all of us who shared this adventure of binding our lives to a dream called Milan.”
“Thank you, Mr. President. Always with us.”
Berlusconi, who married on two occasions, is survived by five children.
A career that began in property developments saw Berlusconi go on to found Mediaset while also leading four governments over the course of his political career.
He was first elected to the position of PM in 1994, while his second term in office between 2001 and 2006 was the longest served by an Italian leader since the Second World War.
Berlusconi returned to power in 2008, but was forced to resign in 2011 amid a financial crisis.
On the sporting front, he owned Serie A giants AC Milan between 1986 and 2017.
During that time, the club won eight league titles, the Coppa Italia and five Champions League crowns.
Source: GOAL