AC Monza facts for kids
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Full name | Associazione Calcio Monza S.p.A. | |||
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Founded |
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Ground | Stadio Brianteo | |||
Capacity | 17,102 | |||
Owner | Beckett Layne Ventures Fininvest (20%) |
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Honorary chairman | Paolo Berlusconi | |||
Head coach | Paolo Bianco | |||
League | Serie C Group A | |||
2018–19 | Serie C Group B, 5th of 20 | |||
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Associazione Calcio Monza, or just Monza, is a professional football club from Monza, Lombardy, Italy. The team currently plays in Serie B, which is the second-highest football league in Italy. They were recently relegated from Serie A after the 2024–25 season.
Monza was started in 1912 as Monza FBC. For most of its history, the club played in lower leagues. They almost made it to Serie A several times in the 1970s. The club faced money problems in the early 2000s, which led to them going bankrupt in 2004 and again in 2015.
In 2018, Silvio Berlusconi bought the club. Monza then returned to Serie B in 2020 after 19 years away. In 2022, they made history by getting promoted to Serie A for the very first time. Before this, Monza had played more seasons in Serie B (40) than any other team without ever reaching the top league.
Monza has won the Coppa Italia Serie C a record four times. They also won the Serie C championship four times and an Anglo-Italian Cup. The club first wore blue and white, but changed to their famous red and white colors in 1932. This is why they are nicknamed i biancorossi (the white and reds). Since 1988, Monza has played its home games at the Stadio Brianteo. Their main rivals include Como, Pro Sesto, and Pisa.
Contents
- Club History
- Early Years and First Games (1912–1927)
- Becoming the Biancorossi and Serie B Promotion (1932–1953)
- Simmenthal Partnership and Aftermath (1955–1967)
- Trying for Serie A (1969–1979)
- Valentino Giambelli's Time (1980–1999)
- Financial Challenges (1999–2018)
- Berlusconi's Time (2018–2025)
- After Berlusconi and American Owners (2025–Present)
- Team Colors and Look
- Stadiums
- Supporters
- Rivalries
- Monza in the Media
- Players
- Club Officials
- Club Achievements
- See also
Club History
Early Years and First Games (1912–1927)
Monza Foot-Ball Club was founded on September 1, 1912. It was formed by combining two local clubs, Pro Italia and Pro Monza. The new club's first office was in a coffeehouse in Monza. The team first wore blue and white uniforms. Monza's first recorded game was against a team from Milan. Their first win was on September 20, 1912, when they beat Juventus Italia 2–1. In early 1913, they won their first trophy, the Coppa Colli.
In November 1913, Monza FBC joined with Juventus FBC to create Associazione Calcio Monza. Monza first played in the Terza Categoria (third level) in the 1913–14 season. The next season, they played in the Promozione (second level). Even during World War I, Monza kept playing with younger players.
After the war, football started again in 1919. Monza played in the Promozione (second level) and finished first in their group. They lost the promotion finals but were still moved up to the Prima Categoria, which was the top league in Italy at the time. In 1919, Monza played a friendly game against the Czechoslovakia military team, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
Monza played their first game in the Prima Categoria on October 24, 1920, losing 4–1 at home to Milan. They finished the 1920–21 season in last place. The next season, they finished second in their group, just missing the final stage. Due to league changes, Monza moved to the Seconda Divisione (second level) for the 1922–23 season. They avoided being moved down by winning play-off games. In 1926–27, Monza won the Seconda Divisione Lega Nord (third level) and were promoted to the Prima Divisione (second level).
Becoming the Biancorossi and Serie B Promotion (1932–1953)
In the 1930s and 1940s, Monza played in the Prima Divisione, which later became Serie C in 1935. In September 1932, Monza changed their uniform colors to red and white. They have worn these colors ever since, earning them the nickname "i biancorossi" (the white and reds). Monza finished first in their league in the next season. They played in a special tournament for promotion to Serie B (second level) but finished fourth. On April 23, 1939, the club reached the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, losing to Serie A team Genoa. They were the first Serie C team to reach this stage of the competition.
World War II stopped football in Italy between 1942 and 1945. After the war, Monza was placed in Serie C (third level). They almost got promoted in the 1946–47 season, finishing third in the play-offs. In 1947, Peppino Borghi became Monza's president. With coach Annibale Frossi, Monza had a strong team for the 1950–51 Serie C season. On June 4, 1951, Monza won a key game against Omegna with a penalty kick. This win gave Monza their first promotion to Serie B.
Monza played their first Serie B game on September 9, 1951, drawing 1–1 with Siracusa. They avoided being moved down on the very last day of the season. In the 1952–53 Serie B season, Monza surprised many by finishing fourth, just three points away from automatic promotion.
Simmenthal Partnership and Aftermath (1955–1967)
In July 1955, Monza joined with GS Simmenthal, a football club owned by the Simmenthal food company. AC Monza was renamed AC Simmenthal-Monza. This partnership helped the club afford new players. On October 8, 1955, a game between Monza and Verona was the first football match shown live on TV in Italy. Monza had a good first season under the new name, finishing third. For the next few years, Monza had mixed results in Serie B. The partnership ended on July 14, 1964, and the club went back to its old name.
Even though Monza had money, no one wanted to buy the club, so Claudio Sada stayed as president. Monza barely avoided being moved down in the 1964–65 season. However, in the next season, after 15 years in the second league, Monza was relegated to Serie C. They returned to Serie B just one year later, in 1966–67, after winning a play-off game against Como 1–0.
Trying for Serie A (1969–1979)
Three years after returning to Serie B, Monza almost reached Serie A for the first time in the 1969–70 Serie B season. They needed to win an away game against Varese, but lost 2–1, missing their chance for promotion.
In 1972, Giovanni Cappelletti became the club president. In his first year, Monza was relegated to Serie C. Despite this, Monza did well in the Coppa Italia Semiprofessionisti, reaching the finals in 1974, 1975, and 1976. They won the first two trophies. Five games before the end of the 1975–76 season, Monza was promoted back to Serie B. They also won an Anglo-Italian Cup on June 19, 1976, beating Wimbledon 1–0 in the final.
In the late 1970s, Monza came very close to being promoted to Serie A many times. In the 1976–77 season, they lost their final match 2–1. The next season was similar, as they missed direct promotion in the second-to-last game. In the 1978–79 Serie B season, Monza again missed promotion in the final games. They tied with Pescara for third place but lost the play-off game 2–0. In Cappelletti's last season, 1979–80, Monza failed to get promoted for the fourth year in a row.
Valentino Giambelli's Time (1980–1999)
Valentino Giambelli became the club president in 1980, and the club was renamed Calcio Monza. In the 1980–81 Serie B season, Monza played against famous teams like Milan and Lazio. Monza finished last and was relegated to Serie C1 (third level), but they were promoted back to Serie B one season later. They stayed in Serie B for four more seasons before being relegated again in 1986.
In the 1986–87 season, future Italian football stars like Alessandro Costacurta, Francesco Antonioli, and Pierluigi Casiraghi started their careers with Monza. Monza was promoted to Serie B in the 1987–88 season. They also won their third Coppa Italia Serie C. The final game on June 11, 1988, was Monza's last at the Stadio Gino Alfonso Sada. The team then moved to the new Stadio Brianteo. The first game at the new stadium was on August 28, 1988, a Coppa Italia match against Roma. Monza won 2–1.
After almost being relegated in 1988–89, Monza lost a play-off game in 1989–90 Serie B and was relegated to Serie C1. On June 13, 1991, Monza won a record fourth Coppa Italia Serie C. They were promoted to Serie B in the 1991–92 season. However, two years later, Monza finished last in the 1993–94 season and returned to the third league.
In March 1997, Monza became a "satellite team" of Milan, meaning they worked closely together. In June 1997, Monza returned to Serie B after winning a promotion play-off final. They were coached by Luigi Radice, who had also helped them get promoted 30 years earlier. The next season, Monza changed most of its players, bringing in young talent from Milan's youth team. The team barely avoided relegation.
Financial Challenges (1999–2018)
In April 1999, after 19 years, Giambelli left the club. Monza then faced a period of instability, with new owners coming and going. Monza was relegated to Serie C1 in 2001, and then to Serie C2 (fourth level) for the first time in 2002. Because of money problems, the city of Monza cut off water and gas to Stadio Brianteo in December 2003. Monza had to play home games in a nearby city.
On March 18, 2004, Monza went bankrupt. On June 3, the club was bought by Gian Battista Begnini, who renamed it AC Monza Brianza 1912. Monza played in the 2004–05 Serie C2 and was later moved up to Serie C1. Monza almost got promoted to Serie B twice, losing two play-off finals in a row. In the 2005–06 season, they lost to Genoa. The 2006–07 season was even more dramatic, as Pisa scored in extra time to win promotion over Monza.
On July 13, 2009, Begnini sold the club. The new ownership didn't last long. In 2012, the club was relegated to Serie C2. On May 12, 2013, it was sold to Anthony Armstrong Emery. After broken promises about money, Monza was sold again on December 12, 2014, for just €1. The new president was criticized for not paying players' salaries.
After another sale in March 2015, Monza won a play-off to stay in the third league. However, Monza was declared bankrupt again on May 27. The club was bought by Nicola Colombo on July 2, 2015, and renamed SSD Monza 1912. Monza joined Serie D (fourth level) and finished in the middle of the table in the 2015–16 season. In May 2016, the club changed its name to SS Monza 1912. They were promoted back to Serie C in 2017 under coach Marco Zaffaroni. They also won the Scudetto Serie D trophy.
Berlusconi's Time (2018–2025)
On September 28, 2018, Fininvest, a company led by former Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, bought Monza for about €3 million. Adriano Galliani, who used to be CEO of Milan, also joined the board. Berlusconi and Galliani had been a very successful team in football, winning 29 trophies with Milan.
In their first season under the new owners, Monza finished fifth in the 2018–19 Serie C with Cristian Brocchi as coach. They lost in the final minute of the Coppa Italia Serie C final. On July 1, 2019, the club went back to its historical name, AC Monza. To get promoted directly to Serie B, Monza brought in experienced players for the 2019–20 season. In March 2020, Monza was in first place with a 16-point lead. The league was then stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 8, Monza was officially declared champions and promoted to Serie B after 19 years.
Monza was expected to finish first in the 2020–21 Serie B season. They were in second place at the halfway point, which would have meant direct promotion. But they dropped one spot and had to play in the promotion play-offs. They lost to Cittadella in the semi-finals. Brocchi was replaced by Giovanni Stroppa as head coach.
In the 2021–22 season, Monza missed direct Serie A promotion on the last day. They finished fourth and played in the play-off semi-finals, beating Brescia. In the final against Pisa, Monza won the first game 2–1. Pisa won the second game 3–2, but Monza scored two goals in extra time to win 4–3 (6–4 overall). This earned them their first-ever promotion to Serie A. Before this, Monza had played 40 Serie B seasons, more than any other Italian club without reaching the top division. Christian Gytkjær scored five goals in the play-offs, helping Monza greatly.
Playing in Serie A (2022–2025)
Monza started their Serie A journey on August 13, 2022, with a 2–1 home loss to Torino. Dany Mota scored Monza's first goal in the top league. After losing their first five games, Monza earned their first point with a 1–1 draw against Lecce on September 11. With only one point from six games, Monza replaced Stroppa with their under-19s coach, Raffaele Palladino. He led them to their first historic Serie A win on September 18, a surprising 1–0 victory against Juventus.
In their first top-flight season, Monza avoided relegation six games early, which was a great achievement for a new team. Monza finished the season in 11th place with 52 points under Palladino. This was the highest point total for a newly promoted team in Europe's top five leagues that season.
In their second Serie A season, Monza continued to impress under Raffaele Palladino. Even though some key players left and owner Silvio Berlusconi passed away in June 2023, the team played well. They finished in a solid 12th place in the 2023–24 season, staying in the top league.
However, the next season was much tougher. After Palladino left, the club hired Alessandro Nesta as coach. Monza had a very bad start, getting only 10 points from their first 17 games, with just one win. Nesta was replaced by Salvatore Bocchetti, but results didn't get better. The club then brought Nesta back, but it didn't help. Monza's relegation was confirmed three games before the end of the season after a 4–0 home loss to Atalanta. They finished the 2024–25 season in 20th place, returning to Serie B after three seasons in Serie A. With only 18 points, Monza just avoided matching Salernitana's lowest point total in a 20-team Serie A.
After Berlusconi and American Owners (2025–Present)
On July 1, 2025, Fininvest sold 80% of its shares in AC Monza to an American investment company called Beckett Layne Ventures. This deal was worth about €45 million, including the club's debts. The remaining 20% of shares are planned to be transferred by June 2026, which will mean the Berlusconi family no longer owns the club.
Team Colors and Look
Colors
When Monza was formed in September 1912, the team wore blue shirts with white collars and cuffs. The blue color was chosen because a local cloth seller gave the club some blue fabric he couldn't sell. After World War I, the blue shirts faded, so they were replaced with new shirts that were half-white and half-blue.
The club wore blue and white for 20 years. Then, in September 1932, Monza changed its colors to red and white, which they have worn ever since. This change happened after a report found that the city's historical colors were red and white. Monza first wore their new colors in a friendly tournament celebrating the club's 20th anniversary. The uniform was a white shirt with a red vertical stripe and black shorts. The away uniform was the opposite. If Monza played a team also wearing red and white, they wore a blue uniform. Since then, the home uniform has been red and the away uniform white.
In the 1950s, the shorts were usually white. Goalkeepers wore black or gray uniforms. In 1971, Monza's home uniform changed slightly: a vertical white stripe was added on the left side of the red shirt. For the white away shirt, the stripe was red. The next year, the stripe went down to the shorts, and player numbers were put on the sleeves. The Corona Ferrea (Iron Crown) was used as a logo at the top of the stripe on the chest. After Monza won the Coppa Italia Serie C in 1974, 1975, 1988, and 1991, the Italian cockade (a symbol) replaced the crown. On August 22, 1979, Monza showed players' names above their numbers on the back of their shirts, which was new at the time. Monza first had a sponsor on their shirt in 1982.
From 1981, the side white stripe was removed, and shirts became mostly red. The stripe came back sometimes for short periods. In 2019, when the club's name changed back to AC Monza, new Lotto shirts were revealed. They had a small Autodromo logo on the back of the collar, referring to the Monza Circuit. On their 110th anniversary on September 1, 2022, Monza introduced a light blue uniform as their third color. This was to honor the club's very first shirt.
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Monza's first kit in 1912 was blue and white. |
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In 1920 the kit changed to blue-and-white halves. |
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The first red-and-white kit appeared in 1932. |
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In 1937–38 and 1961–62, Monza wore stripes. |
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Variations of a full red shirt were worn between the 1930s and 2010s... |
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...which alternated with the white striped kit, first introduced in 1971. |
Club Badge
Monza's first club crest was designed in 1920. It was a blue shield with a red border and a golden Corona Ferrea (Iron Crown) inside. The words "AC Monza" were written in black on a white band. This crest was used until 1932 when Monza changed its colors. In 1933, the badge became round, split vertically into red and white, with golden letters "ACM" and the crown at the bottom.
After World War II, in 1945, the badge became rectangular, divided into red and white halves. The white side had the club's name and founding year, and the crown was on the red side. After Monza was promoted to Serie B in 1951, the crest became oval again. This design lasted five years until the merger with Simmenthal. The logo then became more detailed, shaped like an ox head. The colors were diagonal, and the letters S (for Simmenthal) and M (Monza) were in the center, with the crown above them.
After the merger ended in 1966, the badge became a stylish golden Corona Ferrea with red details. The club's name was written in the inner circle. In 1984, Monza's logo returned to a rectangular shape. It had a white upside-down V-shape (chevron) with "Calcio" and "Monza" on each side. A vertical sword, linked to Estorre Visconti, was inside the triangle formed by the chevron, and the crown was the sword's handle.
In 2000, the logo changed to a shield with a rounded bottom. A red crown was at the top on a white background, and "Calcio Monza 1912" was written in white on a red background below. This logo was used until 2004, when a new crest was introduced. It was a more rounded red shield with white details. "AC Monza Brianza" was written at the top, and a simple drawing of a sword cutting through a crown was at the bottom.
For Monza's 100th anniversary in the 2012–13 season, a special version of the logo was made. It had a gold crown with red and white gems on top of the crest. "MB" (for Monza Brianza) was written below the crest, surrounded by "2012" and "1912" and "100".
From the 2013–14 season, Monza's logo was a red shield with the club's name ("AC Monza Brianza") in white letters. The Corona Ferrea was above the shield, and two white crossed "Visconti" swords were inside the shield. The logo was slightly changed in 2015. The two crossed swords were replaced with one vertical sword, and the text changed to "SSD Monza" to match the club's new name. In 2016 and 2019, the text in the badge changed to "Monza" and "AC Monza". In 2021, a thin red outline was added to the logo. That same year, Monza released a guide about their brand, including details about their badge's design, fonts, and their special color called "Rosso Monza" (Monza Red).
Club Song
Since 2006, the club's official song has been "Monza Alè." It was written by the band Amusia, whose leader was a former Monza player, Michele Magrin.
Stadiums
Early Fields
The clubs that formed Monza in 1912 used to play in the Boschetti Reali. After the merger, Monza first played in the Triante area. This field was called "fuori porta" (outside the door) because it was outside the city. Small stands were built for fans. The first game there was between Milan and Chiasso on May 13, 1912.
Monza's first stadium within the city was the Grazie Vecchie, which opened on May 13, 1915. It also hosted a friendly match between Monza and the Czechoslovakia military team in 1919. In late 1923, Monza moved to a new stadium on Via Ghilini. It opened in early 1924 with a friendly game against Gloria from Fiume, which Monza won 2–1. The Via Ghilini field was used until 1939, when World War II made it unusable.
Stadio Gino Alfonso Sada
In 1945, after the war, a new playing field was built and called the San Gregorio field. It opened on October 21 with Monza's 2–0 friendly win over Pavia. After Monza was promoted to Serie B in 1951, a main stand and other stands were built. The stadium was renamed Stadio Città di Monza, but fans still called it by its traditional name.
In 1965, the stadium was renamed Stadio Gino Alfonso Sada to honor a former Monza president who had passed away. The club's last game at the "Sada" was on June 11, 1988. It was the Coppa Italia Serie C final against Palermo, which Monza won 2–1.
Stadio Brianteo
Plans for a new stadium, the Stadio Brianteo, began on May 28, 1979. Construction started on November 13, 1982, and finished in 1986. The stadium was originally planned for 30,000 people, but for safety reasons, the capacity was lowered to just under 20,000. Monza played their first game at the "Brianteo" on August 28, 1988, against Serie A team Roma in the Coppa Italia. Monza won 2–1.
On September 4, 2020, the stadium was renamed U-Power Stadium due to a sponsorship deal. Monza reopened the east stand, which had been closed for 20 years, before the 2022–23 Serie A season. This increased the seating capacity from 10,000 to about 17,000.
Monza opened their training ground, Centro Sportivo Monzello, on November 3, 1986. It was renamed "Centro sportivo Silvio e Luigi Berlusconi – Monzello" on June 12, 2024. This was done to honor owner Silvio Berlusconi and honorary president Paolo Berlusconi's late father.
Supporters
The first organized fan groups appeared in the early 1970s, like Commandos (1971) and Club Ultras Monza (1972). Eagles Monza started in the early 1980s. After Monza moved to the new Stadio Brianteo in 1988, some fan groups stopped. Eagles was abandoned in 1992. In 1993, Gioventù Brianzola was formed and became a main group for the Curva Sud (South Stand). They used the eagle as their symbol to honor the old group. In 1994, Sempre Al Bar (S.A.B.) was formed. When other groups dissolved in 2001, S.A.B. became the main group in the curva.
After Berlusconi bought the club in 2018, more fans started coming to games, and new fan groups appeared. On March 31, 2022, Monza started the AC Monza Club. This project aims to bring official Monza fan clubs together by organizing meetings and events.
The Curva Sud of the Brianteo stadium is also called "Curva Davide Pieri." This is in memory of a young fan who passed away in 1998. The press stand is named after Claudio Parma, a journalist and Monza fan who died in 2008. The entire west stand is named after Angelo Scotti, a long-time fan who died in 2018.
Rivalries
Monza has a big rivalry with fellow Lombardy club Como. This is known as the "hottest derby in Serie B." The two clubs first played on November 19, 1922, ending in a 0–0 draw. The rivalry became more intense on June 4, 1967, when Monza beat Como 1–0 in a key promotion play-off game for Serie B. It grew even stronger on April 13, 1980, when Como scored a penalty in the last minute to draw 3–3. This draw ended Monza's chances of promotion to Serie A.
Another important rivalry is with Pro Sesto, from the nearby city of Sesto San Giovanni. Historically, these two teams often win when playing away from home against each other. Monza also has a more recent rivalry with Pisa. In 2007, they played in the Serie C promotion play-off final. Pisa won in extra time, and there were clashes between opposing fans. In 2022, the two teams met again in a crucial promotion play-off final, this time for Serie A. Monza won in extra time and reached the top division for the first time in their history.
Monza in the Media
During the 1955–56 Serie B season, Monza's San Gregorio stadium hosted the first live televised football match in Italy. The game was shown by RAI on October 8, 1955, between Monza and Verona. It ended in a 0–0 draw. Monza earned ITL700,000 (about €13,000) from the broadcast. Only 1,500 fans attended the game because most people watched it on TV in local bars.
In the 1979 film The Finzi Detective Agency, Italian actor Renato Pozzetto played a private investigator who was a Monza supporter. He famously said, "Io sono del Monza, non riusciremo mai a venire in Serie A" (I support Monza, we will never be able to reach Serie A). This line became part of local culture and was used in a fan chant.
Esports Team
In September 2019, Monza started its esports team to compete in FIFA video games. They reached the semi-finals of the 2021 FIFA eClub World Cup Europe and were ranked 12th overall. In January 2022, Monza received the "OIES Badge" from the Italian Esports Observatory.
Players
Current Team Squad
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Club Officials
Management Team

Position | Staff |
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Honorary chairman | ![]() |
Deputy chairman and CEO | ![]() |
Sporting director | ![]() |
Technical area coordinator | ![]() |
Chief operating officer | ![]() |
Club secretary | ![]() |
Chief sales officer | ![]() |
Chief marketing officer | ![]() |
Team manager | ![]() |
Press officer | ![]() |
Press secretary | ![]() |
Supporter liaison officer | ![]() |
Head of youth academy | ![]() |
Head of grassroots program | ![]() |
Last updated: 4 July 2025
Source:
Coaching Staff
Last updated: 1 July 2025
Source:
Club Achievements
Monza has won several titles and achieved important milestones throughout its history.
League Titles
- Serie C (Third Level)
- Winners (4): 1950–51, 1966–67, 1975–76, 2019–20
- Seconda Divisione (Third Level)
- Winners (1): 1926–27
- Serie D (Fourth Level)
- Winners (1): 2016–17
- Scudetto Serie D (Fourth Level)
- Winners (1): 2016–17
Cup Wins
- Coppa Italia Serie C
- Winners (4; record): 1973–74, 1974–75, 1987–88, 1990–91
International Trophies
- Anglo-Italian Cup
- Winners (1): 1976
Other Notable Achievements

- Serie B (Second Level)
- Play-off winners (1): 2021–22
- Serie C (Third Level)
- Runners-up (5): 1947–48, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1991–92
- Play-off winners (1): 1996–97
- Prima Divisione Lombardia (Fourth Level)
- Runners-up (1): 1941–42
- Coppa Italia Serie C
- Runners-up (4): 1975–76, 1995–96, 2013–14, 2018–19
- Anglo-Italian Semiprofessional Cup
- Runners-up (1): 1975
See also
In Spanish: Associazione Calcio Monza para niños