Inter is one of the strongest teams in Italy. Since the birth of Serie A, the team has never been relegated and has brought home many titles. In fact, it is the Italian team with the third most trophies, and the only Italian one that has won the treble. This happened in 2010, under the guidance of Portuguese coach José Mourinho.
Here is a list of the five most exciting matches in Inter Milan‘s history.
Inter Milan – AC Milan 1949: Goal madness
During the 1949 season, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Juventus were in a real goal-scoring competition. Juventus was first on the table with exactly 100 goals in 38 matches and Milan followed behind with 118 goals scored during the season. Inter completed the podium, having scored ‘only’ 99 goals in a season.
On 6 November 1949, an exciting match was played between Inter and Milan that ended 6-5 to Inter.
Within the first 7 minutes of action, Enrico Candiani scored two goals for Milan. It looked too easy for the Rossoneri, who found themselves winning 1-4 by the 19th minute thanks to Swedish duo Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm. Inter, however, refused to quit and the first half ended with a 3-4 score.
After the half-time break, Inter took the lead with two early goals. Milan levelled the score to make it 5-5, but in the 64th minute Amedeo Amadei brought the victory home after scoring the decisive 6-5 for the nerazzurri. Probably the craziest Derby della Madonnina of all time!
Inter Milan – Real Madrid 1964: The Birth of La Grande Inter
In 1964, Inter Milan clashed with Real Madrid in the 9th edition of the European Cup. Over 71,000 spectators watched the match at the Praterstadion in Vienna.
The team was guided by Argentinian tactician Helenio Herrera from the sidelines and the squad featured stars, such as Giacinto Facchetti, Sandro Mazzola and Luis Suárez. Despite Real Madrid having won the tournament several times, the Nerazzurri beat the Spanish side 3-1. The final gave birth to la Grande Inter, as the team came to be known. They successfully defended their European crown in 1965 with a very strong defensive mindset known as Catenaccio, which made them one of the strongest teams on the continent.
Inter Milan – Lazio 1998: An Italian UEFA Cup Final
The Nerazzurri came up against Lazio in Paris at the Parc des Princes during the 1997/1998 UEFA Cup final. This match ended in a 3-0 victory for Inter Milan.
Inter showed themselves right from the first minutes, with a goal in the fifth minute. Lazio tried throughout the match to score but Inter did not let go and brought home two more goals, one in the 60th and one in the 70th minute, thus winning the UEFA Cup that season.
AC Milan – Inter Milan 2006: Derby under Calciopoli shadow
The 2006/07 Serie A season faced the consequences of the Calciopoli scandal. AC Milan and Lazio were sanctioned, and Juventus was sent to Serie B. Inter Milan came out on top by winning its 15th Scudetto with almost no opposition. During this season, on 28 October 2006, Inter Milan and AC Milan clashed at the San Siro stadium in a spectacular derby.
Right from the first minutes, Inter proved they were the best team of the country with a 0-2 lead at half-time. The Nerazurri didn’t stop after half-time, and managed to score four goals. Marco Materazzi, one of the best defenders to play for Inter, scored the last goal with a header. But he was sent off after seeing a second yellow card for taking off his shirt during the celebration. That woke Milan up and almost tied the game, which ended 3-4 in dramatic fashion.
Inter Milan – Bayern Munich 2010: Mourinho takes Inter to glory
In the 2009/10 season Inter were a formidable team, led by José Mourinho. He guided Inter to winning the treble, achieving victory in the Scudetto, Coppa Italia and Champions League. Thanks to Argentinian striker Diego Milito and Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, the Nerazzurri proved to be the better team against Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final.
The game, played at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, ended 2-0. In the 35th minute, goalkeeper Julio César kicked a long ball, which Milito controlled and passed to Sneijder. The Dutch playmaker sent the ball again to him to beat the German keeper. It was an example of how well Inter played in both areas. Bayern couldn’t get past Julio César, and Milito scored again in the 70th minute. It was the Nerazzurri’s first triumph in the European Cup since la Grande Inter in the 1960s.