From one star to another: Nerazzurri history

All great stories begin, “Once upon a time…”. Ours also begins like this: once upon a time there was a Great Inter side, capable of winning in Italy, in Europe and in the world. It wore the black-and-blue-striped shirt, boasted players of the calibre of Armando Picchi, Luis Suarez, Giacinto Facchetti, Mario Corso and Sandro Mazzola, and was led by a Wizard, an Argentine coach named Helenio Herrera. This team won everything; the players became legends and their formation became a poem to be memorised. It was they who won the tenth Scudetto in Inter's history in 1966, the First Star which marked the beginning of a new chapter, one that continues to this day, the day in which the Nerazzurri won their 20th Scudetto and the Second Star on their chest. It is a chapter to retrace through its milestones.

1970/71: THE SCUDETTO OF PRIDE

November 22, 1970: Inter lost at Napoli and after seven games found themselves seven points behind the Neapolitans, who were top of the table, and six points behind second-placed AC Milan. The Nerazzurri started the campaign with Heriberto Herrera in the dugout, but Giovanni Invernizzi replaced him two fixtures ago. The defeat in Naples was the trigger that awoke the pride of the champions: those remaining from the Grande Inter side, like Facchetti, Corso, Burgnich and captain Mazzola, pictured the final table, imagining the Nerazzurri's and their opponents' results to see a comeback that seemed impossible. It may have been impossible for everyone else, but not for Inter, who went on an unstoppable run. In the second half the season, the Nerazzurri beat AC Milan 2-0 thanks to goals from Corso and Mazzola, then defeated Napoli 2-1 with an extraordinary brace from Boninsegna. The comeback was no longer just a dream, and ended with the Scudetto win. On 2 May 1971, Inter beat Foggia 5-0 at San Siro, Boninsegna's wonderful overhead kick opening things up, while AC Milan were beaten in Bologna. The Nerazzurri were Italian champions for the 11th time: the Corriere della Sera at the time said that the triumph was the result of "the impetuous, furious, irresistible pursuit of the Nerazzurri, splendid and rough in their charge", dictated by "character, moral strength, physicality and awareness of one's own strengths. An undisputed and indisputable superiority." Facchetti said it was "the victory of the old guard", Corso said it was "the most memorable feat in the history of the Italian league". Boninsegna ended top scorer with 24 goals and what seemed impossible came true.

1979/80: “VICTORY IS A GAME OF PATIENCE”

The Nerazzurri's 12th Scudetto had a particular flavour: after fighting back to win in 1971, this time around Inter were in charge from start to finish. On the opening day of the season everyone drew, except the Nerazzurri who beat Pescara 2-0 through a Domenichini own goal and a goal from Gabriele Oriali. Captained by Graziano Bini, the Nerazzurri dominated the entire campaign: in the first half of the season, Inter beat AC Milan 2-0 with an unforgettable brace from Evaristo Beccalossi, and then defeated Juventus 4-0 at San Siro thanks to a hat-trick by Alessandro Altobelli and a goal by Muraro. Spillo was lethal, netting 15 times and leading Inter to the Scudetto. The 1-0 win (goal by Oriali) over Milan in the reverse derby fixture marked a decisive moment: on 27 April 1980, Inter mathematically won the title. The Nerazzurri faced Roma at San Siro: the Giallorossi took the lead through Pruzzo, Oriali equalised before the visitors got back in front with Turone's goal. The scoreline looked secure, with fans thinking they would have to put the celebrations back a week. But in the 88th minute, Roberto Mozzini scored the only goal of his Nerazzurri career, one that sealed the Scudetto. Thus, Inter won the final Serie A title composed by only Italians: a triumph born from planning and long work that began three years earlier with Eugenio Bersellini in the dugout, as Sandro Mazzola - who then became manager - underlined, paraphrasing Gustave Flaubert: “victory is a game of patience”.

1988/89: UN TRIONFO DA RECORD

Nine years later, Inter returned to win the Scudetto, doing so at the end of an exhilarating, wonderful, unrepeatable season. The Nerazzurri, led by Giovanni Trapattoni, were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Fiorentina before the league campaign began. However, perhaps that defeat was an important moment of the season. The Nerazzurri came together, united, a set of players became a team. The group was a perfect mix: the historic nucleus formed by captain Beppe Baresi, Beppe Bergomi, Walter Zenga and Riccardo Ferri joined up with new arrivals, Nicola Berti, Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthaus. In the first half of the season, the Nerazzurri beat Roma and Sampdoria, and then AC Milan in a crucial derby thanks to a goal from Aldo Serena, top scorer of the campaign with 22 goals. The run continued with draws against Juventus and Napoli. In the entire campaign, Inter lost only twice and became unstoppable: their main rival was Diego Armando Maradona's Napoli. The Scudetto was sealed on 28 May 1989 at San Siro with a victory in a head-to-head: Inter went behind, then Berti equalised with a powerful shot that was deflected in by Fusi. The win bore the signature of Matthaus: the German scored the goal to make it 2-1 with an unstoppable, powerful and precise free-kick. San Siro exploded, the party could begin. “An exciting undertaking in terms of technical quality, superb football, consistent performances and a great attitude. This is everyone's victory". This is what president Ernesto Pellegrini said afterwards, who revealed that Aldo Serena had predicted to him a title win following the win over Pisa on matchday 2. Inter shattered records: 58 points, 26 victories, a Scudetto with four games to spare: Bergomi said it was the best day of his life, Matthaus said that a title in Italy was as good as three in Germany. Many champions, but what counts most of all was the collective and togetherness of a record-breaking team.

2005/06: THE PROPHECY OF GIACINTO

You can win a Scudetto even in the month of July: this occurred for Inter in 2006. It was a difficult summer, perhaps the most complex in the history of Italian football, shaken by events that have little to do with the values that sport should teach. Under this context, Italy won the World Cup in Germany and then the sporting justice awarded Inter the 2005/06 league title, the 14th Scudetto in the Nerazzurri's history, on 26 July. A long-awaited title pursued by Inter, who proudly wore the Tricolor on their chest the following year. A Scudetto that had been "prophesied" by the then President Giacinto Facchetti, who after defeat to Juventus in the Coppa Italia in February 2004 praised his boys: "You played a great match. And don't worry, because if you always continue in this way then you will win a lot." The prophecy came true: in 2005/06, Inter won the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana.

2006/07: UN UNSTOPPABLE RUN

The Nerazzurri's 15th Scudetto was a sensational triumph. It started with a 3-2 win in Florence in memory of Giacinto Facchetti, who had passed away a few days earlier. The Nerazzurri immediately earned a massive 1-0 win at the Olimpico on matchday 3 (goal by Crespo) against Roma, their main title rivals that season. That win would mark an unstoppable campaign, paved with successes and records. Roberto Mancini's Inter remained unbeaten until the reverse fixture against the Giallorossi, played on 18 April. In between, they won two mindblowing derbies, 4-3 (Crespo, Stankovic, Ibrahimovic, Materazzi) and a 2-1 comeback win (Cruz, Ibrahimovic), and won 17 games on the trot, a record in the Italian league' history. The title eventually came in Siena on 22 April 2007: the hero was Marco Materazzi, star of a magical year that began with the triumph in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The Matrix scored ten goals in the league, but his brace at Artemio Franchi in Siena gave Inter their 15th Scudetto. The winning goal against the Bianconeri came from the penalty spot, with Marco also netting the opener. Inter finished with 97 points, a record for Serie A at the time, with 30 wins, just one defeat and a title won with five games to spare. Captain Javier Zanetti summed up the season perfectly: “We deserved this victory and this Scudetto. It is the Scudetto of all the Inter fans, especially Facchetti, Prisco and Lorenzi, who was the last to leave us. It's as if they were here with us."

2007/08: VOLATA PER CUORI FORTI

After two consecutive Scudetto wins, Inter went into the 2007/08 season with the aim of making it three in a row. The Nerazzurri started off strongly, winning 4-1 at Roma with goals from Ibrahimovic, Crespo, Cruz and Cordoba. They then came from behind to win the derby against AC Milan 2-1 thanks to goals from Cruz and Cambiasso at Christmas. In the second part of the season, Mancini's men slowed down a little, with a top-of-the-table clash against Roma ending 1-1, with Javier Zanetti scoring a very important goal in the closing stages. The campaign finale was a thriller, full of twists and turns: Inter had four games to lift the Scudetto, but it didn't come against Cagliari, AC Milan or Siena. Everything was decided in the final 90 minutes: on 18 May, the Nerazzurri were away to Parma, while Roma travelled to Catania, with the Ducali and Etna both fighting for safety. At half-time the Giallorossi led and were virtually Italian champions with the game goalless at Parma. In the 51st minute, however, Zlatan Ibrahimovic came on to score a stunning brace and give Inter the Tricolore. The image of that triumph was certainly Dejan Stankovic on his knees in the pouring rain, punching the grass at the Tardini, exhausted after a tough season. There was also happiness in the tears of Esteban Cambiasso, injured and unable to take part in the decisive match. The 16th Scudetto, won in the centenary year, was a victory for strong, very strong hearts: hearts full of passion and love, like those of all Nerazzurri fans.

2008/09: FOUR IN A ROW

A famous phrase in Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's Gattopardo (The Leopard) is "If we want everything to remain as it is, everything must change". This is a bit like what Inter were in the 2008/09 season, the same and different at the same time compared to their previous versions: many players were still here following the three Scudetto titles, but there was a new coach in town, José Mourinho. The Nerazzurri led the table already in the early stages of the campaign, creating a gap that neither AC Milan nor Juventus would be able to claw back. In the first half of the season, Inter battered Roma 4-0 at the Olimpico (two goals from Ibrahimovic, and one each for Stankovic and Obinna), then beat Juventus at San Siro thanks to a goal from Sulley Muntari. In the decisive stages of the competition, the Nerazzurri won the derby again with goals from Adriano and Stankovic, the latter among the main players in Inter's triumph, drew 3-3 against Roma at San Siro (a brace for Balotelli and a goal for Crespo ) and 1-1 in Turin against Juventus with another goal from Mario Balotelli. It was only a matter of time before the celebrations started and it arrived on 16 May 2009, with AC Milan's defeat away to Udinese. Inter finished with 84 points, ten more than Juventus and AC Milan, with Ibrahimovic top scorer with 25 goals. “It's not easy to win four Scudetto titles in a row. We were consistent; the whole team believed in their abilities" said captain Zanetti. Everything changed, yet everything remained the same: the Biscione were champions again, the Nerazzurri's 17th Scudetto.

2009/10: TRICOLORE AND THE TRIPLE

The 2009/10 was a season of grace: this time Inter truly changed, with Thiago Motta, Diego Milito, Lucio, Samuel Eto'o and Wesley Sneijder all joining, as well as a very young Marko Arnautovic. After the draw with Bari on the opening day, the Nerazzurri immediately showed off an extraordinary display of strength, winning the derby 4-0 on AC Milan soil, with four masterpieces from Thiago Motta, Milito, Maicon and Stankovic. The season became an art gallery, with matches that have gone down in Inter history: the 5-0 away win to Genoa and Stankovic's goal from the middle of the pitch or the incredible 4-3 comeback against Siena at San Siro, capped off by Walter Samuel's cente forward-esque finish. In the second part of the season, Inter dropped off a little, losing to Roma and drawing in Florence, and unexpectedly found themselves behind the Giallorossi in the table. It lasted only two games though, with two crucial wins against Juventus (with Maicon's extraordinary goal and one from Eto'o) and Atalanta (3-1 with goals from Milito, Mariga and Chivu), matches played between the first of two semi-final legs against Barcelona in the Champions League. On the final day of the season, played on 16 May 2010, Inter were still not certain of the title: the Nerazzurri faced already-relegated Siena away, while Roma travelled to Verona to take on Chievo. The match was tense, very difficult, the Bianconeri defence were stubborn: in the 57th minute, however, Principe Milito broke down those defensive barriers and scored, set up in by captain Zanetti, to earn a 1-0 win and make Siena once again become our city of destiny. It was Inter's 18th Scudetto. Julio Cesar said that "a more beautiful emotion cannot exist". Six days later, however, the Nerazzurri wrote history by beating Bayern Munich in Madrid and completed a legendary treble.

2020/21: YEARS OF WAITING AND SILENCE

Nothing is as loud as a deep silence, nothing feels like an empty stadium: the 2020/21 season was played behind closed doors due to the pandemic that changed the entire world. Under this context, Inter grew and developed to become champions of Italy again after eleven years of waiting. Experiencing such a season was not easy: it need steel and lots of hunger and desire. These were the characteristics that pushed the Nerazzurri to overcome every difficulty. After seven games, Antonio Conte's Inter were five points behind leaders AC Milan and a long campaign chasing the leaders began, driven by eight straight wins for the Nerazzurri between the end of November and the beginning of January. The 2-0 win over Juventus on matchday 18 became a crucial moment when the Tricolore passed hands: goals from Vidal and Barella sent Inter flying high, overtaking AC Milan on matchday 22 by beating Lazio 3-1, a result confirmed by Lukaku's brace and a Lautaro Martinez goal. El Toro was on a hot streak and scored a brace in the derby the following week, which ended 3-0 to Inter (Lukaku with the third goal) and who moved four points ahead at the top. They were two massive wins, which were part of a streak of eleven consecutive victories at the start of the second half of the season: Inter no longer looked back, riding high through the runs of Achraf Hakimi and with the finishes of their forwards. At the end of the season, Matteo Darmian became the chosen one to carry the Nerazzurri's destiny, with the winger grabbing the winners in both 1-0 successes against Cagliari and Hellas Verona. On 2 May 2021, Inter won their 19th Scudetto, the day after defeating Crotone at home 2-0 (Eriksen and Hakimi): Atalanta's draw, momentarily second, against Sassuolo sparked the Nerazzurri celebration. It was one that had been a long time coming and it involved the entire Nerazzurri world: the fans could not be at the stadiums, but the images of all the Inter fans gathered outside San Siro during the last day of the campaign remains in everyone's hearts and minds. The desire to pay homage to captain Samir Handanovic and his teammates, and to thank a wonderful team for having given such joy in a difficult year was too strong to miss out on. It was a title that took Inter and their fans into a new dimension.

2023/24: ONE SOUL, TWO STARS

Inter have won their 20th Scudetto and with it the second star. They did it by winning the derby on AC Milan soil, an extraordinary event that has never happened before. They did it at the end of a season that was a symphony, played by an extraordinary orchestra, conducted by Simone Inzaghi, the coach who has transformed Inter into a perfect machine. A magnificent journey, which started from afar, that also went through some tough moments, but still reached the highest of peaks: a journey which united the team, club and fans like never before, in a continuous and mutual exchange of energy. A championship that saw Inter win every one of the big matches, from the 5-1 victory in the first derby to two wins over Roma, as well as away games against Atalanta, Napoli and Lazio, and the top-of-the-table clash with Juventus at San Siro. It was an extraordinary journey, made up of unforgettable fixtures and moments: a journey that took us around Italy, "dreaming of the Scudetto again". Now, the Tricolore has arrived: 20 to our name and two stars. Lautaro Martinez and his teammates can finally celebrate together with the Nerazzurri people.

This story has thus reached its completion: from one star to another, there are many champions, moments and emotions that have marked Inter's history, but above all that have touched the lives of millions of Nerazzurri fans, our lives. 58 years passed from the day the Club wa founded, 9 March 1908, to the 10th Scudetto, exactly the same number as those that passed between 1966 and the 20th Scudetto, which we lifted today. Maybe it was destiny, maybe you could have already read this story while looking at the blue and black sky of the night, written between two stars.