Inter Milan facts for kids
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| Full name | Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A. | ||
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| Founded | 9 March 1908 (as Football Club Internazionale) | ||
| Ground | Stadio Giuseppe Meazza | ||
| Capacity | 75,817 (limited capacity) 80,018 (maximum) |
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| Chairman | Giuseppe Marotta | ||
| Head coach | Cristian Chivu | ||
| League | Serie A | ||
| 2018–19 | Serie A, 4th of 20 | ||
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Football Club Internazionale Milano, often called Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional football club from Milan, Lombardy, Italy. In English-speaking countries, it is often known as Inter Milan. Inter is special because it is the only Italian team that has always played in the top football league since it started in 1909. It has never been moved down to a lower league.
Since 1947, Inter has shared its home stadium, San Siro, with AC Milan. AC Milan is the club from which Inter originally separated. The San Siro is the biggest stadium in Italy, holding 75,817 fans. The rivalry between these two Milan clubs is called the Derby della Madonnina. It is one of the most famous football rivalries in the world.
Inter was founded in 1908 after a disagreement within the Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club (now AC Milan). Inter won its first championship in 1910. Since then, the club has won 37 national trophies. These include 20 league titles, nine Coppa Italia cups, and eight Supercoppa Italiana cups. From 2006 to 2010, Inter won five league titles in a row, which was a record at the time. They have also won the European Cup/Champions League three times. Their most recent win in 2010 completed a special achievement called the Italian seasonal treble. This means they won the Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League all in the same year. The club has also won three UEFA Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Inter is the only Italian club to have won at least one official trophy in every ten-year period since it was founded in 1908. Inter has the highest attendance for home games in Italy and the fourth-highest in Europe. Since May 2024, the club has been owned by an American company called Oaktree Capital Management.
Contents
Inter Milan's History
Early Years and First Wins (1908–1960)
Inter was founded on March 9, 1908, as Football Club Internazionale. A group of players left the Milan Cricket and Football Club (now AC Milan) to start a new club. They wanted to allow more foreign players to join. The name "Internazionale" comes from this idea of welcoming players from all over the world.
The club won its first championship in 1910 and its second in 1920. The captain and coach of the first winning team was Virgilio Fossati. He later died fighting in World War I. In 1922, Inter almost got moved down to a lower league. But they won two play-off games and stayed in the top division.
During the Fascist era, the club had to merge with another team, Unione Sportiva Milanese. For political reasons, its name was changed to Società Sportiva Ambrosiana. In the 1928–29 season, the team wore white jerseys with a red cross. This design was inspired by the flag of Milan. In 1929, the club's chairman changed the name to Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana and brought back the black-and-blue jerseys. However, fans still called the team "Inter." In 1931, the name was changed again to Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana-Inter.
Inter won its third championship in 1930 with Hungarian coach Arpad Weisz. This was in the very first season of Serie A. They won their fourth title in 1938 with former player Armando Castellazzi as coach. He was only 33, making him the youngest coach to win the national title. Inter also won its first Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) in 1939. The winning goal in the final was scored by Annibale Frossi.
The main star and captain of the team during this time was Giuseppe Meazza. He is one of the greatest Italian players ever and won two World Cups with the national team. Meazza is Inter's all-time top scorer with 284 goals. The San Siro stadium was officially named after him when he died in 1980. Meazza's 38 goals in 39 matches in 1929–30 is still Inter's record for goals in a single season.
Inter also finished second three times in a row between 1933 and 1935. Many South American players of Italian origin joined Inter then. This helped the club get around rules that limited foreign players. These included Uruguayan players like Hector Scarone and Ernesto Mascheroni, and Argentinian players like Attilio Demaría. Inter won a fifth championship in 1940. This ended a decade where Inter, Bologna, and Juventus were the top teams. AC Milan did not win a title for 44 years during this time.
In the 1930s, Inter also played seven times in the Central European Cup. Meazza was the top scorer in this competition three times. Coached by Árpád Weisz, Inter reached the final in 1933. Four players from that team – Meazza, Luigi Allemandi, Attilio Demaría, and Armando Castellazzi – went on to win the 1934 World Cup with Italy. Five other Inter players helped Italy win the 1938 World Cup.
After World War II, the club's name went back to Internazionale. They almost won the Serie A title twice. Once in 1949, against the famous Grande Torino team, and again in 1951, missing by just one point. Great players like Gino Armano, Amedeo Amadei, Faas Wilkes, and István Nyers joined the club. Inter won its sixth championship in 1953 and its seventh in 1954. This was the first time they won two years in a row. They were coached by Alfredo Foni and led by top strikers Nyers and Benito Lorenzi, along with Lennart Skoglund. A key match in 1954 was a 6-0 victory over Juventus, Inter's biggest win in the Derby d'Italia.
In May 1955, Angelo Moratti became Inter's new owner. The first few years were tough, even with strong players like Eddie Firmani and Antonio Angelillo. Angelillo scored 33 goals in 33 matches in the 1958–59 season, matching Meazza's record. Moratti then started building one of the greatest teams in football history. This began with the debut of 16-year-old Mario Corso and the signing of Aristide Guarneri in 1958. In 1960, under Argentinian coach Helenio Herrera, they signed Giacinto Facchetti and Armando Picchi.
The "Grande Inter" Era (1960–1967)
In 1960, manager Helenio Herrera joined Inter from Barcelona. In his first season, Inter lost the league title in the final games. There was a controversial match against Juventus in April 1961. Juventus fans invaded the pitch, and Inter was awarded a 2-0 win. However, the Italian Football Federation, led by Juventus's president, later decided the match had to be replayed. Inter's owner, Angelo Moratti, protested by sending Inter's youth team to play. Juventus won 9-1, with Inter's only goal scored by 18-year-old Sandro Mazzola, who became a club legend.
After his first season, Herrera brought Spanish midfielder Luis Suárez to Inter for a record fee. Suárez had won the European Footballer of the Year award in 1960. Herrera transformed Inter into one of Europe's top teams. They won three Serie A titles in four years, two European Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups in a row. Herrera used a tactic called "Verrou" (meaning "door bolt"), which was a version of the catenaccio system. This system focused on strong defense and quick counterattacks. Herrera added a fifth defender, called a libero or sweeper, who would cover any attackers who got past the main defenders.
Inter finished third in Herrera's first season, second the next year, and first in his third season. Then came back-to-back European Cup victories in 1964 and 1965. This earned Herrera the nickname "il Mago" ("the Wizard"). The key players in Herrera's team included goalkeeper Giuliano Sarti, defenders Tarcisio Burgnich and Giacinto Facchetti, sweeper Armando Picchi, playmaker Suárez, wingers Jair and Mario Corso, and Sandro Mazzola.
After winning the Serie A title, Inter reached the European Cup Final in 1964. They beat Borussia Dortmund and Partizan to get there. In the final in Vienna, they played against Real Madrid, a team that had been in many finals. Mazzola scored two goals and Milani scored one, leading to a 3-1 victory. Inter became the first team to win the tournament without losing a single game. The team also won the Intercontinental Cup. They lost the first match against Independiente in Argentina but won the second leg 2-0 in San Siro. In the third deciding match, Inter won in extra time with a goal from Mario Corso. This made them the first Italian club to become world champions.
In 1964, Inter added more important players like Angelo Domenghini, Gianfranco Bedin, and Spanish player Joaquín Peiró. A year later, Inter reached the European Cup final again. They beat Liverpool in the semi-final, coming back from a 3-1 defeat. Facchetti scored the winning goal. In the final, held at home, Inter beat Benfica 1-0 with a goal from Jair. They then beat Independiente again in the Intercontinental Cup with a 3-0 win at San Siro. This made them the first European team to win the competition two times in a row. Inter almost won the Treble for the first time in European football history that year, having already won the Serie A title. But they lost the Coppa Italia final against Juventus. Facchetti was voted second in the 1965 Ballon d'Or awards.
Inter reached the European Cup semi-finals again in 1966 but lost to Real Madrid. In the national championship, Herrera's team won their tenth league title, earning their first "Star" (a badge given for every ten league titles). At the end of the season, Inter tried to sign two of the greatest players of all time, Franz Beckenbauer and Eusebio. However, after the 1966 World Cup, the Italian Federation stopped new foreign player signings until 1980.
In 1967, Inter lost the European Cup Final in Lisbon 2-1 to Celtic. A week later, they also lost the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia semi-final. This marked the end of the "Grande Inter" era. In that year, the club changed its name to Football Club Internazionale Milano. In 1968, Angelo Moratti sold the team, and Helenio Herrera also left.
Achievements After the Golden Era (1967–1991)
Facchetti, who was captain of the Italian National team for a record 11 years, along with Burgnich and Guarneri, formed Italy's defense that won UEFA Euro 1968. Mazzola and Domenghini were also part of that team. With the addition of Inter players Roberto Boninsegna and Mario Bertini, they also reached the final of the 1970 World Cup against Brazil.
After the golden era of the 1960s, Inter won its eleventh league title in 1971. Coach Giovanni Invernizzi took over during the season. The team made a great comeback with 23 matches in a row without a loss. Roberto Boninsegna, one of the club's greatest strikers, led the league with 24 goals that season and 22 the next. Inter reached the European Cup final for the second time in five years in 1972. They beat Borussia Mönchengladbach, Standard Liège, and Celtic. The team still had Facchetti, Mazzola, Burgnich, Jair, Bedin, and Corso, plus a young Gabriele Oriali. The final in Rotterdam saw Johan Cruyff's Ajax win 2-0.
Helenio Herrera returned as Inter coach in 1973 but only for 16 matches due to a heart attack. Mazzola retired in 1977, and Facchetti, the last member of "La Grande Inter," retired in 1978. He was the most prolific defender in Serie A history with 59 goals.
Inter won its twelfth league title in 1980. This was the last time a Serie A title was won by a team made entirely of Italian players. They also added two more Coppa Italia trophies in 1977–78 and 1981–82, both under coach Eugenio Bersellini. Striker Alessandro Altobelli became the club's all-time leading scorer in Coppa Italia and international competitions. He played for Inter for 11 seasons, scoring 209 goals, second only to Giuseppe Meazza. Altobelli also scored three goals against Juventus in a 4-0 victory in 1979.
During this time, AC Milan was moved down to Serie B twice. Once in 1980 due to a betting scandal, and again in 1982. In 1981, Inter reached the European Cup semi-finals for the sixth time, playing against Real Madrid. This classic matchup happened again in three different European competitions in the 1980s.
Giuseppe Bergomi made his professional debut for Inter at 16 years old in 1980. He stayed at Inter for his entire career, a record 20 seasons, until 1999. Bergomi, along with Oriali, Altobelli, Gianpiero Marini, and Ivano Bordon, were part of the Italy squad that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
The Italian federation allowed foreign players again in 1980. Inter then signed players like Hansi Müller, two-time Ballon d'Or winner Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Liam Brady, and Argentinian Daniel Passarella. Other important Italian players were goalkeeper Walter Zenga (voted World's Best Goalkeeper three years in a row), and defenders Giuseppe Baresi, Bergomi, and Riccardo Ferri.
Led by German stars Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthäus, with Aldo Serena as top scorer, and also Ramón Díaz and Nicola Berti, Inter won the 1989 Serie A championship under coach Giovanni Trapattoni. They set many records, including the most points in Serie A history with 58 points out of 68. They had 26 wins out of 34 matches, the best offense, and the best defense. They finished 11 points ahead of Maradona's Napoli. Inter could not defend their title the next season, even after adding German player Jürgen Klinsmann and winning their first Supercoppa Italiana.
Challenging Times (1991–2004)
The 1990s were tough for Inter in terms of winning the league. Their rivals, Milan and Juventus, had more success in Serie A and won the Champions League. Inter struggled in the domestic league, finishing as low as thirteenth in 1993–94, just one point above the relegation zone. However, they did achieve success in Europe, winning the UEFA Cup three times (in 1991, 1994, and 1998) out of four finals.
After West Germany won the 1990 World Cup with three Inter players, Matthäus was awarded the 1990 Ballon d'Or. He had his best season in 1990–91, scoring 23 goals, including 6 in the 1991 UEFA Cup. Inter won this cup against Roma in May 1991, their first European trophy since the "Grande Inter" period. Trapattoni left the team after five seasons. At the end of 1991, Matthäus also received the first-ever FIFA World Player of the Year award.
In 1992, after a disappointing season, Inter signed important players like future Ballon d'Or winner Matthias Sammer, Rubén Sosa, and Igor Shalimov. However, some players like Darko Pancev and Salvatore Schillaci did not perform as well. Inter finished second behind AC Milan that season. The next season, Inter acquired Wim Jonk and Dennis Bergkamp from Ajax. Bergkamp, with 8 goals, led Inter to their second UEFA Cup victory, despite the club's worst Serie A result.
When Massimo Moratti took over as chairman in 1995, Inter twice broke the world record transfer fee. They paid £19.5 million for Ronaldo from Barcelona in 1997 and £31 million for Christian Vieri from Lazio two years later. Among Moratti's first signings in 1995 were Javier Zanetti from Banfield, who stayed at Inter until 2014 and played a record 858 games, Paul Ince from Manchester United, and Roberto Carlos from Palmeiras. Roberto Carlos was sold to Real Madrid the next season, which many fans regretted.
The 1990s remained the only decade in Inter's history, along with the 1940s, where they did not win a single Serie A championship. This lack of success led to poor relationships between fans and the chairman, managers, and even some players.
In 1996–97, Inter reached the UEFA Cup final for the third time but lost on penalties to Schalke 04. In 1997–98, with the signing of Ronaldo, Inter won its third UEFA Cup under coach Luigi Simoni. They beat Lazio 3-0 in the Paris final with goals from Ivan Zamorano, Zanetti, and Ronaldo. They almost won the Serie A title that year, but there were many controversial referee decisions. A big scandal happened in a key match against Juventus when a penalty was not given to Ronaldo, but then one was given to Juventus moments later. The referee sent off Simoni, and President Moratti left, saying he would not "be made fun of." At the end of 1998, Inter was ranked as the Best Club in the World by IFFHS.
Moratti became unpopular with fans, especially when he fired the popular coach Simoni in 1998, just after Inter beat Real Madrid 3-1 in the Champions League. That season, despite four coach changes, Inter reached the Champions League quarter-finals but lost to Manchester United. Inter failed to qualify for any European competition for the first time in seven years, finishing eighth.
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The next season, 1999–2000, Moratti hired former Juventus manager Marcello Lippi. They signed players like Angelo Peruzzi, Laurent Blanc, Iván Córdoba, and Clarence Seedorf. The team almost won its first national trophy since 1989, reaching the Coppa Italia final, but lost to Lazio. This match is also remembered for Ronaldo's second serious knee injury, which kept him out for over a year and a half.
Inter's bad luck continued the next season. They lost the 2000 Supercoppa Italiana to Lazio 4-3. They were also knocked out of the Champions League by Swedish club Helsingborg, with Álvaro Recoba missing a crucial late penalty. Lippi was fired after only one game of the new season. Marco Tardelli, who replaced Lippi, did not improve results and is remembered for a 6-0 loss to AC Milan in the city derby.
After selling Andrea Pirlo to rival AC Milan in 2001, Inter had a new coach, Hector Cuper. They signed goalkeeper Francesco Toldo and Marco Materazzi. Ronaldo returned from injury to play with Vieri. Inter reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals. They were also just 45 minutes away from winning the league title, needing to hold a one-goal lead against Lazio. But Lazio scored three goals in the second half to win, and Juventus won the championship. Ronaldo, after winning the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, asked to be sold to Real Madrid for €45 million. He was replaced by Hernan Crespo from Lazio.
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The next season, Inter finished second in the league. Vieri was the top scorer in Serie A with 24 goals in 23 matches. Crespo set a new record in the Champions League group stage with 8 goals in 6 matches but was injured for most of the season. In October 2002, Inter lost a home game in the Champions League for the first time in 39 years. Inter reached the 2002–03 Champions League semi-finals against AC Milan, losing on the away goals rule after two draws.
Crespo was sold to Chelsea for €26 million after only one season and replaced by Julio Cruz. The 2003–04 season started well with a historic 3-0 win against Arsenal in the Champions League. But after a draw in Serie A, coach Cuper was fired. Alberto Zaccheroni replaced him, but Inter was eliminated from the Champions League group stage and finished only fourth in Serie A. Massimo Moratti resigned as president in January 2004, and Giacinto Facchetti took over until his death in 2006.
Return to Success and the Treble (2004–2011)
On July 8, 2004, Inter hired former Lazio manager Roberto Mancini as their new head coach. Players who would become Inter legends, like Esteban Cambiasso, Julio Cesar, and later Walter Samuel and Luis Figo, joined the team. In his first season, Inter had 18 wins, 18 draws, and only two losses. They also won the Coppa Italia against Roma and later the Supercoppa Italiana against Juventus. On May 11, 2006, Inter won the Coppa Italia for the second season in a row, defeating Roma.
Inter was awarded the 2005–06 Serie A championship after Juventus was moved down to a lower league for match-fixing in the Calciopoli scandal. Other clubs, including AC Milan, also had points taken away. The next season, Inter, with new players like Maicon, Maxwell, Patrick Vieira, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and the return of Crespo, went on a record-breaking run of 17 consecutive victories in Serie A. On April 22, 2007, Inter won their second consecutive league title, their first on the field since 1989. They finished the season with a record 97 points, 22 points ahead of second-place Roma. Marco Materazzi scored both goals in the title-winning match.
During this period, Inter reached the Champions League quarter-finals twice and the round of 16 once. In the last two cases, they were eliminated by Villarreal and Valencia on the away goals rule.
Inter started the 2007–08 season aiming to win both Serie A and the Champions League in their centenary year. They started well in the league and qualified for the Champions League knockout stage. However, a late collapse, including a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League, put manager Roberto Mancini's job in doubt. He announced he would leave but changed his mind the next day. On the final day of the 2007–08 Serie A season, Inter played Parma. Zlatan Ibrahimović scored two goals, securing Inter's third consecutive championship. Mancini was fired soon after.
On June 2, 2008, Inter appointed former Porto and Chelsea boss José Mourinho as the new head coach. In his first season, Inter won the Supercoppa Italiana and their fourth consecutive league title. However, they were knocked out of the Champions League in the first knockout round for the third year in a row. By winning the league, Inter became the first club since 1949 to win the title four seasons in a row.
In the summer of 2009, Inter built the team for perhaps the greatest season in its history. They signed Diego Milito and Thiago Motta from Genoa, and Lúcio from Bayern Munich. The club sold Ibrahimovic to Barcelona in exchange for Samuel Eto'o and €49 million. The transfer period ended with the signing of Wesley Sneijder from Real Madrid on August 26. Three days later, he played against AC Milan, who Inter easily defeated 4-0.
Inter won the 2009–10 Champions League. They beat favorites Chelsea in the round of 16, then CSKA Moscow, and reigning champions Barcelona in the semi-final. The second leg against Barcelona was played with 10 men for most of the match. They then beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final in Madrid, with two goals from Diego Milito. In this season, Chelsea, Barcelona, and Bayern all won their domestic leagues. Inter also won the 2009–10 Serie A title by two points over Roma, their fifth consecutive. They also won the 2010 Coppa Italia by defeating Roma 1-0 in the final. This made Inter the first and only Italian team to win the treble. At the end of the season, Mourinho left to manage Real Madrid and was replaced by Rafael Benítez.
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In the summer, Inter sold 20-year-old Balotelli to Manchester City for €29.5 million. On August 21, 2010, Inter defeated Roma 3-1 and won the 2010 Supercoppa Italiana, their fourth trophy of the year. In December 2010, they won the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time after a 3-0 win against Mazembe in the final, becoming world champions for the third time. However, after this win, on December 23, 2010, due to poor performance in Serie A, the club fired Benítez. He was replaced by Leonardo the next day. Inter was also ranked as the Best Club in the World by IFFHS for the second time in 2010.
Leonardo started well, earning 30 points from 12 games. On March 6, 2011, Leonardo set a new Italian Serie A record by collecting 33 points in 13 games. Leonardo led the club to the Champions League quarter-finals, beating Bayern Munich in the Round of 16. They lost to Schalke 04. Inter finished second in Serie A and won the Coppa Italia title. At the end of the season, he resigned. He was followed by new managers Gian Piero Gasperini, Claudio Ranieri, and Andrea Stramaccioni. Inter finished sixth in the league, ending a record of ten consecutive Champions League qualifications and their first season without a trophy since 2003–04.
Changes in Ownership (2011–2019)
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From 2011, to meet financial rules and become more stable, Inter started to greatly reduce transfer fees and player salaries. They sold older players with high salaries and replaced them with younger ones. This made the team less competitive for several years. In August 2011, Eto'o was sold to Anzhi. In January 2012, Thiago Motta went to PSG. In the summer of 2012, Julio Cesar, Maicon, and Lucio left, followed by Sneijder in January 2013.
On August 1, 2012, the club announced that Moratti would sell a small part of the club to a Chinese group. On the same day, Inter announced a deal for a new stadium project, but this deal later fell apart. The 2012–13 season was one of the worst in recent club history, with Inter finishing ninth in Serie A and not qualifying for any European competitions. However, they became the first team to win at Juventus Stadium, ending Juventus's 49-match unbeaten streak in Serie A. Walter Mazzarri was appointed manager for the 2013–14 season. He led the club to fifth place in Serie A and qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League. After that season, the last players from the 2010 treble team left: Chivu, Samuel, Zanetti, Milito, and Cambiasso.
On October 15, 2013, an Indonesian group led by Erick Thohir bought 70% of Inter's shares. Moratti's company still kept 29.5% of the shares. Thohir, who also owned other football clubs, announced a partnership between Inter and D.C. United. During Thohir's time, the club started to change its financial approach, aiming to be more self-sustainable. However, the club still broke UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations in 2015 and received a fine and a reduced squad size for UEFA competitions. During this time, Roberto Mancini returned as manager in November 2014, with Inter finishing eighth. Inter finished 2015–2016 season fourth, missing out on the Champions League.
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On June 6, 2016, Suning Holdings Group, a Chinese company, bought most of Inter's shares from Thohir's group and the Moratti family. Suning invested €270 million and acquired a 68.55% stake in the club. The first season under the new ownership started poorly. On August 8, 2016, Inter parted ways with coach Roberto Mancini due to disagreements. He was replaced by Frank de Boer, who was fired on November 1, 2016, after a poor start. His successor, Stefano Pioli, could not prevent the team from having its worst group result in UEFA competitions. Despite an eight-game winning streak, he left before the season ended, as it was clear they would finish outside the top three for the sixth season in a row. On June 9, 2017, former Roma coach Luciano Spalletti was appointed Inter manager. Eleven months later, Inter secured a UEFA Champions League spot with a 3-2 victory against Lazio in the final game of 2017–18 Serie A. Spalletti's good moves included changing Marcelo Brozovic's position, making him one of Europe's best defensive midfielders. Due to this success, the club extended Spalletti's contract to 2021.
On July 4, 2018, Inter signed 20-year-old Argentinian striker Lautaro Martinez for €25 million. He later became one of the club's best and most important players. On October 26, 2018, Steven Zhang became the new president of the club. On December 13, 2018, Giuseppe Marotta joined Inter Milan as CEO for sport. On January 25, 2019, LionRock Capital from Hong Kong became a new minority shareholder, acquiring 31.05% of Inter's shares. After the 2018–19 Serie A season, despite Inter finishing fourth, Spalletti was fired.
New Successes (2019–Present)
On May 31, 2019, Inter appointed former Juventus and Italian manager Antonio Conte as their new coach. In mid-2019, Inter acquired Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United for €74 million, making him the club's most expensive player at the time. They also signed Nicolò Barella for €44.5 million from Cagliari. They sold Mauro Icardi, one of Italy's best strikers, to Paris Saint-Germain for €50 million. Alessandro Bastoni, who joined Inter in 2017 at age 18, made his debut in the 2019–20 season. He, along with Milan Škriniar and Stefan de Vrij, formed a strong defensive trio in a 3-5-2 formation, which became the best defense in Serie A in the following years.
In September 2019, Steven Zhang was elected to the board of the European Club Association. In the 2019–20 season, Inter Milan finished second in Serie A. After an early exit from the Champions League group stage, they reached the 2020 UEFA Europa League final on August 21 in Cologne. Despite two goals from Lukaku and Diego Godin, they lost 3-2 to Sevilla. Inter improved their team with new signings, including Christian Eriksen in January 2020 and Achraf Hakimi in July 2020.
Despite their worst Champions League group stage result in club history, Inter won the Serie A title on May 2, 2021, for the first time in eleven years. This ended Juventus's run of nine consecutive titles. The Zhang family became the first foreign owners to win Serie A. However, Conte left the club by mutual agreement on May 26, 2021, reportedly due to disagreements over player transfers. In June 2021, Simone Inzaghi was appointed as Conte's replacement. On July 6, 2021, Achraf Hakimi was sold to Paris Saint-Germain for €60 million and replaced by Denzel Dumfries. On August 8, 2021, Romelu Lukaku was sold to Chelsea for €115 million, the most expensive transfer ever by an Italian football club. Eriksen could no longer play in Italy after a cardiac arrest he suffered during the European Championship. Nicolò Barella and Alessandro Bastoni were part of the Italian National team that won UEFA Euro 2020 in the summer of 2021.
Inter qualified for the UCL Round of 16 for the first time in ten years. Despite their first-ever win at Anfield Road, they were eliminated by Liverpool. On January 12, 2022, Inter won the Supercoppa Italiana, defeating Juventus 2-1. On May 11, 2022, Inter won the Coppa Italia, defeating Juventus 4-2 in extra time. The 2021–22 Serie A season saw Inter finish in second place, scoring the most goals with 84. After the break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup won by Lautaro Martinez's Argentina, on January 18, 2023, Inter won the Supercoppa Italiana, defeating Milan 3-0.
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Inter passed the UCL group stage again, eliminating Barcelona. They then defeated Porto and Benfica to reach the semi-finals. On May 16, 2023, Inter defeated archrivals Milan in the semi-finals of the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League, advancing to the Champions League final for the first time since 2010. However, they lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the final.
In July 2023, Inter sold goalkeeper Andre Onana to Manchester United for €50 million. They had acquired him for free the previous season, similar to Hakan Çalhanoğlu in 2021, Henrikh Mkhitaryan in 2022, and Marcus Thuram in 2023. Samir Handanović retired after 11 seasons. Marcelo Brozovic was sold to Al Nassr, and Škriniar moved to Paris Saint-Germain for free. Other players were added, including Davide Frattesi, Benjamin Pavard, and Yann Sommer.
Inter started the 2023-24 season very well with five consecutive wins, including a 5-1 victory over AC Milan, their largest win in the Milan derby since 2009. In January 2024, Inter won its eighth Supercoppa Italiana and its third in a row, tying AC Milan's record for consecutive wins. On April 22, 2024, Inter secured their 20th Serie A title and their second "Star" by defeating Milan 2-1 in the San Siro. This was a record sixth consecutive win in the Derby della Madonnina. They finished the season with 94 points, 19 points ahead of second-place Milan. The team had the best attack and defense in the league.
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On May 22, 2024, Oaktree Capital Management took ownership of Inter Milan. This happened after Suning Holdings Group failed to repay a large loan. Oaktree had provided this loan in 2021, using Suning's ownership stake in the club as collateral. As a result, Oaktree gained control of the club. The new ownership appointed CEO Giuseppe Marotta as the club's new chairman.
Inter Milan began their first season under the new ownership by drawing 2-2 with Genoa. The 2024–25 season was a bit disappointing. Inter finished second in Serie A, just one point behind Napoli. They also exited the Coppa Italia in the semi-finals after losing to AC Milan. In the Champions League, Inter finished fourth in the new league phase, moving directly to the round of 16. They only conceded one goal in eight matches, a record in the UCL League phase. Inter then beat Feyenoord 4-1, Bayern Munich 4-3, and Barcelona in a thrilling 7-6 semi-final. They reached the Champions League final for the seventh time in their history. Despite losing only once in 14 UCL matches that season, Inter lost the final 5-0 to Paris Saint-Germain. This meant they had their first season without a trophy since 2019–20.
Three days after the final, Simone Inzaghi left the club by mutual agreement. Former Inter player Cristian Chivu was appointed as the new head coach. In the FIFA Club World Cup played in the United States, Inter drew their first match against Monterrey. They then won their next two matches against Urawa Red Diamonds and River Plate, finishing first in their group. However, they were eliminated in the round of 16.
Club Colors and Badge
One of Inter's founders, a painter named Giorgio Muggiani, designed the first Inter logo in 1908. The first design had the letters "FCIM" in the middle of several circles that formed the club's badge. The main parts of the design have stayed the same, even as small details have changed over the years. From the 1999–2000 season, the original club crest was made smaller to add the club's name and founding year.
In 2007, the logo went back to how it looked before 1999–2000. It was given a more modern look with a smaller "Scudetto" star and lighter colors. This version was used until July 2014, when the club updated its brand. The biggest change was removing the star from other media, keeping it only on match kits.
Since its founding in 1908, Inter has almost always worn black and blue stripes. This earned them the nickname Nerazzurri (The Black and Blues). The colors were chosen to represent the night sky, as the club was founded late on March 9. Blue was chosen by Giorgio Muggiani because he saw it as the opposite of red, which was worn by their rivals, Milan Cricket and Football Club.
During the 1928–29 season, Inter was forced by the Fascist government to change its black and blue uniforms. In 1928, Inter's name and ideas made the ruling Fascist Party uncomfortable. So, the club merged with Unione Sportiva Milanese and was renamed Società Sportiva Ambrosiana, after Milan's patron saint. The flag of Milan (a red cross on a white background) replaced the traditional black and blue. In 1929, the black-and-blue jerseys were brought back. After World War II, the club returned to its original name. In 2008, Inter celebrated its 100th anniversary with a red cross on its away shirt. This cross is a symbol of Milan. In 2014, the club used a mostly black home kit with thin blue pinstripes before returning to a more traditional design the next season.
Animals are often used to represent football clubs in Italy. The grass snake, called Biscione, represents Inter. The snake is a symbol for the city of Milan. It often appears in Milanese heraldry as a coiled viper with a person in its jaws. This symbol is on the coat of arms of the House of Sforza (who ruled Milan during the Renaissance), the city of Milan, and the historical Duchy of Milan. For the 2010–11 season, Inter's away kit featured the snake.
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1908–1928
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1963–1979
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1998–2007
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2007–2014
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2014–2021
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2021–present
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Inter Milan's Stadium
Inter's home stadium is the 75,923-seat San Siro. Its official name is Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, named after the former player who played for Inter for 14 seasons and for Milan for two. The more common name, San Siro, comes from the district where it is located. San Siro has been Milan's home since 1926, built by Milan's chairman at the time, Piero Pirelli. It took 120 workers about 13 and a half months to build. The stadium was owned by the club until it was sold to the city in 1935. Since 1947, Inter has shared it as a joint tenant.
The first game played at the stadium was on September 19, 1926, when Inter beat Milan 6-3 in a friendly match. Milan played its first league game there on the same day, losing 1-2 to Sampierdarenese. The stadium started with a capacity of 35,000 spectators and has been renovated several times. Major renovations were done for the 2016 UEFA Champions League Final and in late 2021 for the UEFA Nations League final. The stadium will be updated again for the Milano Cortina 2026.
San Siro is designed specifically for football matches, unlike many multi-purpose stadiums in Serie A. It is known in Italy for its exciting atmosphere during matches because the stands are very close to the pitch.
Future Stadium Plans
Since 2012, there have been many ideas and plans for a new Inter stadium. Between June and July 2019, Inter and Milan announced they would build a new shared stadium in the San Siro area. In early 2022, Inter and Milan revealed a "plan B" to build the new stadium outside the San Siro area, in the Greater Milan.
Fans and Rivalries
According to an August 2024 study, Inter is the second-most supported football club in Italy, just behind Juventus. In the early years, Inter fans from Milan were usually from the middle class, while Milan fans were typically working class. During Massimo Moratti's ownership, Inter fans were seen as leaning towards the moderate left.
Inter's main fan group is Boys San, one of the oldest Italian fan groups, founded in 1969. Inter fans are known as Interisti or Nerazzurri. Inter's most passionate fans gather in the Curva Nord, or north curve, of the San Siro. This area is known for its dedicated supporters who display banners and wave flags for their team. In 2024, the Curva Nord Milano worked with the rap duo ¥$ (Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign) on their hit song "Carnival".
Inter has several rivalries, two of which are very important in Italian football. First, they play in the city derby, the Derby della Madonnina, against Milan. This rivalry started when Inter split from Milan in 1908. The derby's name refers to the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on top of the Milan Cathedral. These matches are usually very lively, with many banners displayed. Flares are common, but they caused a Champions League quarter-final match between Milan and Inter to be stopped in 2005 when a flare hit Milan's goalkeeper Dida.
The other main rivalry is with Juventus. Matches between these two clubs are called the Derby d'Italia. Until the 2006 Italian football scandal, which saw Juventus moved down a league, these two were the only Italian clubs never to have played below Serie A. In the 2000s, Inter also developed a rivalry with Roma, who finished second to Inter in most of Inter's league-winning seasons between 2005–06 and 2009–10. They have also played in many Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana finals since 2006. Other clubs like Atalanta and Napoli are also considered rivals.
Inter Milan's Trophies
Inter has won 37 national trophies. This includes the Serie A twenty times, the Coppa Italia nine times, and the Supercoppa Italiana eight times. From 2006 to 2010, the club won five league titles in a row, which was a record before 2017. They have won the UEFA Champions League three times: two in a row in 1964 and 1965, and another in 2010. The last win completed a special Italian treble with the Coppa Italia and the league title. The club has also won three UEFA Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Inter has never been moved down from the top league of Italian football in its entire history. It is the only club to have played in Serie A and its earlier versions in every season since its debut in 1909.
| Type | Competition | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Serie A | 20 | 1909–10, 1919–20, 1929–30, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66  , 1970–71, 1979–80, 1988–89, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2020–21, 2023–24 |
| Coppa Italia | 9 | 1938–39, 1977–78, 1981–82, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2021–22, 2022–23 | |
| Supercoppa Italiana | 8 | 1989, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2021, 2022, 2023 | |
| Continental | European Cup / UEFA Champions League | 3 | 1963–64, 1964–65, 2009–10 |
| UEFA Cup | 3 | 1990–91, 1993–94, 1997–98 | |
| Worldwide | Intercontinental Cup | 2 | 1964, 1965 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 1 | 2010 |
Club Records and Statistics
Javier Zanetti holds the record for the most games played for Inter, with 858 official matches, including 618 in Serie A.
Giuseppe Meazza is Inter's all-time top goalscorer, with 284 goals in 408 games. He is followed by Alessandro Altobelli with 209 goals and Roberto Boninsegna with 173 goals.
Helenio Herrera was Inter's coach for the longest time, nine years, and is the most successful coach in Inter history. He won three league titles, two European Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups. José Mourinho, who became coach in June 2008, won the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana in his first season. In his second season, he won the first "treble" in Italian history: the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and UEFA Champions League.
Players
First-team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Retired Jersey Numbers
3 – 
Giacinto Facchetti, a left back, played his entire career at Inter from 1960 to 1978. His number was retired on September 8, 2006, after he passed away.
4 – 
Javier Zanetti, a wing-back and full-back, played 858 games for Inter between 1995 and his retirement in 2014. In June 2014, the club chairman confirmed that Zanetti's number 4 would be retired to honor him.
Coaching Staff
- As of 14 June 2025[update]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Cristian Chivu |
| Vice coach |  Aleksandar Kolarov |
| Technical assistant | Mario Cecchi Angelo Palombo Riccardo Rocchini |
| Fitness coach | Stefano Rapetti Maurizio Franchini |
| Goalkeeper coach | Gianluca Spinelli Paolo Orlandoni |
| Functional rehab | Andrea Belli |
| Head of match analysis | Filippo Lorenzon |
| Match analyst | Stefano Castellani Giacomo Toninato Salvatore Rustico |
| Fitness data analyst | Marcello Muratore |
| Head of medical staff | Piero Volpi |
| Squad doctor | Claudio Sprenger Alessandro Quaglia Lorenzo Brambilla |
| Physiotherapists coordinator | Marco Dellacasa |
| Physiotherapist | Leonardo Arici Ramon Cavallin Miro Carli Davide Lama |
| Physiotherapist/osteopath | Andrea Veschi |
| Nutritionist | Matteo Pincella |
Club Leaders: Chairmen and Managers
Chairmen History
Below is a list of Inter chairmen from 1908 until today.
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Managerial History
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Below is a list of Inter coaches from 1909 until today.
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Kit Sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (chest) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Shirt sponsor (sleeve) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979–1981 | Puma | None | None | None |
| 1981–1982 | Inno-Hit | |||
| 1982–1986 | Mecsport | Misura | ||
| 1986–1988 | Le Coq Sportif | |||
| 1988–1991 | Uhlsport | |||
| 1991–1992 | Umbro | FitGar | ||
| 1992–1995 | Cesare Fiorucci | |||
| 1995–1998 | Pirelli | |||
| 1998–2015 | Nike | |||
| 2015–2016 | Pirelli (Home) / Driver (Away) | |||
| 2016–2021 | Pirelli | Driver | ||
| 2021–2022 | $INTER Fan Token | Lenovo | DigitalBits | |
| 2022–2023 | DigitalBits (Matchday 1-32) / Paramount+ (Matchday 38 & UEFA Champions League Final) | eBay | ||
| 2023–2024 | Paramount+ | U-Power | ||
| 2024– | Betsson.sport | Gate.io |
See also
In Spanish: Inter de Milán para niños
