Football Club Internazionale Milano History

HISTORY
1908 At the beginning of the century, Milan derbies did not exist. At that time there was only "Milan Cricket and Football Club" (now AC Milan). But on 9 March 1908, a group of rebels form "Football Club Internazionale Milano". The name of the club derives from the wish of its founding members to accept foreign players as well as Italians, hence the name Internazionale. Indeed, the first captain of the side is a Swiss player - Hernst Manktl. The club colours are gold, black and blue, a tradition which has been kept right up to the present day.
1910Inter win the Italian league for the first time. The captain of the championship-winning team is Virgilio Fossati, who several years later dies in World War I. But even without Fossati, Inter win their second title in 1920.
1930During the Fascist era, the club is forced to merge with the Milanese Unione Sportiva and the team wins its third Scudetto under the name of Ambrosiana Inter.
1934Nerazzurri Allemandi, Castellazzi, Demaria and the legendary Giuseppe Meazza win the World Cup with the Italian national team in Rome in 1934. Two years later, Frossi and Locatelli win the gold medal at the Berlin Olympics.
1938Inter players Ferraris II, Ferrari, Locatelli and Meazza are involved in the Azzurri set-up that wins the 1938 World Cup in Paris. The same year, Inter win their fourth Scudetto, while the clubs first Coppa Italia success comes in 1939. Another league title arrives in 1940, while the name Ambrosiana is abandoned in October 1945, after which the club returns to its previous name Inter.
1947Giuseppe Meazza plays the last of his 408 official matches in an Inter shirt. The Inter striker, who attains legend status with his 287 goals for the club, dies in 1979, and a year later the San Siro stadium is named in his honour.
1953The Nerazzurri win their sixth Scudetto in 1953 and repeat the success a year later thanks to four great protagonists Italian Benito "Veleno" Lorenzi, Swede Skoglund Dutchman Wilkes and the stateless Nyers.
1963The "Great Inter" era begins. The club president is Angelo Moratti, the coach is Helenio Herrera and the line-up is unforgettable: Sarti, Burgnich, Facchetti, Bedin, Guarneri, Picchi, Jair, Mazzola, Milani (Domenghini), Suarez, and Corso. The Great Inter side win three Serie A titles (in 1964, 1965 and 1966 the latter is the tenth Scudetto which allows the club to wear one gold star on their shirts), two European Cups (in 1964 against Real Madrid and 1965 against Benfica) and two Intercontinental Cups (in 1964 and 1965, both against Argentine outfit Independiente). In 1964, Suarez wins the European championship with the Spanish national team.
1968Burgnich, Domenghini, Facchetti, Guarneri and Mazzola contribute to the Italian national team's success at the 1968 European championship in Rome. Three years later, the Nerazzurri win their eleventh Scudetto under the guidance of coach Gianni Invernizzi.
1982After the twelfth Serie A title won in 1980, Altobelli, Bergomi, Bordon, Marini and Oriali win the World Cup with Italy in Madrid in 1982
1989Inter win their thirteenth Scudetto in 1989, garnering a record 58 points from 34 matches (two points awarded for a win). A year later at Italia '90, Inter's German trio of Brehme, Klinsmann and Matthaeus win the World Cup in Rome. The same year, Lothar Matthaeus becomes the first Inter player to be awarded the prestigious European Player of the Year award.
1991On 22 May 1991, exactly 26 years since their last international success, Inter defeat Roma 2-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup final. Matthaeus and Berti score for the Nerazzurri in the first leg at the Meazza. Inter defeat Salzburg in the final three years later to win their second UEFA Cup.
1998Ronaldo is the first Inter player to win the FIFA World Player award and the second to win the coveted Ballon d'Or. Inter lose out on the Scudetto after a long duel with rivals Juventus, but beat Lazio 3-0 in Paris to lift their third UEFA Cup. Frenchman Djorkaeff beats Brazilian Ronaldo in another prestigious match played in Paris - the 1998 World Cup final.
2000On 12 April, the world is struck by Ronaldo's injury during the Coppa Italia final against Lazio. The "Phenomenon" makes a return to the pitch and scores again in the 2001/02 season. In the meantime, Nerazzurri defender Laurent Blanc is part of the French side that beats Italy in the final of Euro 2000.
2001The season concludes with Inter overtaking AC Milan to finish 5th in the Serie A championship. During the summer, a "Ronaldo Day" is held to celebrate the Phenomenon's return to competitive football. In November, one of Inter's most legendary players, the unforgettable full-back Giacinto Facchetti, becomes vice president of the club. Unfortunately, in December, Inter fan par excellence and vice president of the Beneamata Avv. Giuseppe Prisco passes away two days after his eightieth birthday.
2002Inter go very close to winning their fourteenth Scudetto. Leaders going into the last match of the season and with a one-point advantage over Juventus, they lose 4-2 away to Lazio at Rome's Olimpico stadium. The Scudetto goes to Juventus, while Roma beat Inter into second place. Just as in 1967, the last match of the championship is fatal to the Nerazzurri.
2004Hector Cuper guides Inter to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and a historic two-legged 'Euroderby' with AC Milan. The Nerazzurri lose out on the away goals rule.
2005Roberto Mancini's debut season as Inter coach ends with the club's first trophy in seven years - a 3-0 Coppa Italia final victory over Roma thanks to a brace from Adriano at the Olimpico and a Sinisa Mihajlovic free kick at the Giuseppe Meazza. The Nerazzurri, who finish third in the Serie A and reach the Champions League quarter-finals, lose just three matches in 2004/05. In August Inter lift the Italian Super Cup for the second time in their history with a 1-0 victory over Juventus at Turin's Delle Alpi Stadium. Juan Sebastian Veron scores the winning goal.
2006In a repeat of the 2005 Coppa Italia final Inter beat Roma over two legs (1-1 at the Olimpico, 3-1 at the Giuseppe Meazza) to retain the trophy. Julio Cruz scores in both matches, with Cambiasso and Martins the other two Nerazzurri players on target. Two months later Inter are officially awarded their 14th Serie A title by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after a sports tribunal strips Juventus of the Scudetto in the wake of the match-fixing scandal. In the 2006/07 season curtain raiser in August, Inter come back from three goals down to beat Roma 4-3 in extra time at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza and retain the Italian Super Cup.
2007Marco Materazzi scores twice at Siena's Stadio Franchi on 22 April 2007 as the Nerazzurri wrap up their second consecutive league title with a 2-1 away victory over Siena. Inter secure their 15th Serie A title with five games to spare, with 26 wins, 6 draws and just 1 defeat from 33 games. Robero Mancini becomes the third coach in Inter history to win back-to-back league titles after Alfredo Foni (1952/53 and 1953/54) and Helenio Herrera (1964/65 and 1965/66).