Frank Christian
Internazionale, commonly referred to as Inter Milan or simply Inter, is gearing up for the most significant match in the last ten years of their club history.
With three European titles under their belt, Inter is set to compete for their first Champions League trophy since 2010 against PSG in Munich this Saturday.
After narrowly missing out on victory two years prior against Manchester City, Inter aims once again for the top prize in European football.
The club boasts a rich heritage as one of Italy’s footballing powerhouses, but its origins reveal a surprisingly international story.
Here’s a brief look into how Inter was established more than a century ago and the meaning behind its name.
What is the full name of Inter Milan?
The formal name of the Italian club is Football Club Internazionale Milano.
While many English speakers call them “Inter Milan” to distinguish it from other clubs with “Inter” in their title, this is not common in Italy.
In Italy, the team is known simply as “Internazionale” or abbreviated to “Inter.” Their official website can be found at inter.it, with their Twitter and Instagram handles being @inter.
What is the history behind Inter’s founding?
The stories of Milan’s two clubs are closely linked, and the inception of Internazionale owes much to an Englishman named Herbert Kilpin. In 1891, Kilpin moved to Turin to join the textile industry, working for the founder of Internazionale Torino, considered the first fully professional football club in Italy, where he notably became the first English player to play professionally overseas.
Internazionale Torino would undergo several changes before it ceased operations in 1906, leading to the creation of the modern Serie A club Torino. In 1898, Kilpin relocated to Milan, where he and fellow English player Samuel Richard Davies founded AC Milan, initially called Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club.
This club quickly found success, with Kilpin as player-manager, claiming the national championship in its second season in 1901.
Inter was established in 1908 when a faction of players, including some from Switzerland, were dissatisfied with the club’s foreign player policies. They decided to form their own team named Internazionale, aimed at embracing international players.
The name translates to “International Milan” in English.
Who created the Inter badge?
The original badge of Inter was designed by Giorgio Muggiani, an Italian artist and founding member of the club.
While he was part of the Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club, Muggiani had a disagreement with the then-president Giannino Campeiro over a ban on signing foreign players.
This led Muggiani, along with other Italian and Swiss players and officials, to break away to create Inter. The first captain was Hernst Marktl, a Swiss player, while Giovanni Paramithiotti served as the first chairman, and Virgilio Fossati was the team’s initial manager for six years. An Englishman, Bob Spottiswood, later became the club’s third manager from 1922-1924.
Muggiani designed the club’s inaugural badge, featuring the interlocking initials FCIM that are still in use today. The club has periodically revisited this original design, which was prominent from 1908-1928, reappearing from 1963-1966 and again from 2007-2021, alongside various similar iterations.
Inter Milan has revealed a newly redesigned club badge.
What are your thoughts? pic.twitter.com/VHleLlZXcg
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 30, 2021
Consequently, Muggiani’s impact extends to the club’s nickname, the Nerazzurri, which translates to “the black and blues,” reflecting the team’s colors. It is said that he chose these colors inspired by the night sky, having designed the badge late in the evening.
Inter’s emblem underwent a brief modification in 1928-29, driven by the Italian fascist regime’s directive to merge with Unione Sportiva Milanese, resulting in the formation of Societa Sportiva Ambrosiana. This new emblem included the flag of Milan, bearing a red cross on a white field, symbolizing the link between the city and Saint Ambrose, its patron. This badge was only used for one year before the club reverted to its original name following World War II.
