INTER (Founded: 1908. Stadio “Giuseppe Meazza” - Capacity: 85,443.)
One of Italian football’s big three, they can also hold their head proudly among the world and European elite with a trophy list that is the envy of most. Formed as a breakaway group from archrivals Milan, they soon found success with a first League title in 1910 and it became something of a tradition for them to win titles at each decade as championships also came in 1920, 1930 and 1940. The biggest name in these formative days was undoubtedly Giuseppe Meazza who made his debut for the club in 1927 as a teenager and went on to set all kinds of records including hitting 197 Serie A goals which still makes him the club’s top scorer of all time. The post-war years were lean ones for the club which had to change its name to Ambrosiana during the fascist era but came bouncing back in the early 1950s. A couple of championships came then with foreign stars like Lennart Skoglund and the antics of the Kamikaze Giorgio Ghezzi in goal. But it was to be another ten years before Inter enjoyed the most glorious spell in the club’s history. Taken over by oil giant Angelo Moratti in 1954, the club brought in controversial Argentine Helenio Herrera to take over as Coach and he led them to unprecedented - and never repeated - success. Inter won the championship in 1963, both the European Cup and World Club Cup in 1964 and 1965 and the title again in 1965 and 1966. It was the kind of domestic, European and world domination that only their city rivals could match. That side contained some of the top talent of the day in the shape of dominant full back Giacinto Facchetti, elegant attacking midfielder Sandro Mazzola, and Spanish tactical wizard Luis Suarez. A side that oozed class, composure and catenaccio they made winning their trademark and set a tough act for Inter sides of the future to follow. The remnants of this side took another Scudetto in 1971 but as this team disintegrated. It was not until 1989 that Inter truly returned to the heights they had previously scaled - by their own standards the title win of 1980 was small fry. They won the League with a record 58 points out of a possible 68 and finished 11 points clear of Napoli. Much credit was given to German imports Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthaus but it was also a great season for Aldo Serena who bagged 22 goals. Inter added another German to their ranks in the shape of Jurgen Klinsmann but despite UEFA Cup wins in 1991 and 1994 this powerful side did not achieve all it might have and faded into the background behind rivals Milan. A succession of managers, superstar players and boardroom revolutions have failed to put the Nerazzurri back into the title mix with their closest bid coming in 1998 when they went head-to-head with old rivals Juve. Four weeks from the finish there was a point between the two as they clashed in Turin and when Inter’s Brazilian ace Ronaldo was tumbled in the box they thought they should have had the penalty that could have swung the title their way. Instead, it was Juve who won the game and all Inter were left with were recriminations that have lasted to this day.
Inzaghi, Filippo (Piacenza, 9/8/73)
This goal poacher par excellence started off on home ground, but quickly his striking sense took him up the ladder from Parma to Atalanta to Juventus. With the Bianconeri he enjoyed four prolific seasons and one Scudetto win before a dwindling goal count saw him shifted on to Milan. He found new life with the Rossoneri where he played a part in another title and even a Champions’ League victory. But a string of injuries started to dog his career and meant that the impact of this great European scorer became less and less.
Inzaghi, Simone (Piacenza 5/4/76)
The little brother of this famous goalscoring family, he never quite made the impact of big brother Filippo. A Scudetto did come his way when with Lazio but while Inzaghi senior became a star with the national team that never happened for the younger version. And by 2005 he was off to Sampdoria to try to spark new life into his career.
Iuliano, Mark (Cosenza, 12/8/73)
Having served his Serie B apprenticeship with the likes of Salernitana and Bologna, he made the move to Juve in 1996 and never looked back. An unsung and unglamorous hero of that side he still saw four Scudetti, and a couple of Italian Supercups come his way during eight great years with the club. A solid performer, he also moved into the national team during this time before eventually moving to Spain with Mallorca in 2004-05.
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