There are many great football cities in Europe with two or more big football clubs, Madrid, Manchester, Liverpool, and London are among them. However, the Italian city of Milan could claim to be amongst the best for the success of their two football clubs, Internazionale and AC Milan.
The local derby between the two Milanese giants, the Derby della Madonnina, is considered to be one of the biggest in the European game.
The early history of the clubs
Milan and Cricket and Football Club were founded in 1899 by Englishman Herbert Kilpin, and fellow Briton Alfred Edwards was the first elected Milan president.
Continuing the British influence at the club, Milan were first successful under manager Herbert Kilpin, who guided the club to its first silverware in January 1900, as they claimed the Medaglia del Re or the King’s Medal as it’s known in English. The Rossoneri claimed their first national league titles in 1901, 1906 and 1907.
The triumph of 1901 was significant as it ended Genoa’s stranglehold on the league title, as the Rossoblu were the only team to claim the title before Milan’s 1901 triumph.
Football Club Internazionale was founded on March 9th, 1908, due to disagreements regarding the signing of foreign players, which resulted in a split.
The first Derby della Madonnina
The Milanese giants had their first Derby della Madonnina in the 1908 Chiasso Cup final, a football competition held in Switzerland. The Rossoneri won the game 2-1.
Since the introduction of the first national Italian league in the 1926-27 season, Inter and Milan have renewed their rivalry each year, playing against each other at least twice a season. However, they had sporadically played each other in games before the establishment of the Divisione Nazionale.
Head-to-head record
| Matches | Inter wins | Draws | Milan wins | Inter goals | Milan goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First championships (1898–1929, 1945–1946) | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 40 | 36 |
| Serie A (1929–present) | 178 | 68 | 56 | 54 | 251 | 229 |
| Championship total | 200 | 76 | 59 | 65 | 291 | 265 |
| Campionato Alta Italia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Coppa Italia | 27 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 27 | 34 |
| Supercoppa Italiana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Champions League | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Official match total | 235 | 87 | 69 | 79 | 326 | 310 |
All stats are up to date as of 5th February 2023
When it comes to Derby della Madonnina’s Inter has the edge in the head-to-head record, having recorded 87 victories compared to Milan’s 79 in all competitive meetings between the pair. Check out the below above for a better breakdown of the duo’s clashes.
Which players have scored the most goals in Milan derbies?
The derby can often bring the best out of players, and they can become heroes for their particular teams. One player who shined in the Derby della Madonnina is Ukrainian superstar Andrey Shevchenko, who holds the record for the most derby goals, having scored 14 goals for Milan in the derby.
However, just a little behind the former Chelsea star in the derby scoring stats is the great Giuseppe Meazza, whose name is used for the club’s stadium. Having represented both clubs in his playing career, the forward scored 12 times for Inter and once for Milan in the local clash.
Milan’s great Swedish forward Gunnar Norvahl and Inter’s Hungarian winger Istvan Nyers both scored a respectable 11 times in derbies. Two players hit ten goals in the clashes between the two Milan giants. Enigmatic Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored eight goals for Milan and two for Inter, while midfielder Enrico Candiani scored seven for Nerazzurri and three for the Rossoneri.
Which player has appeared in the most derbies?
Milan’s legendary defender Paolo Maldini holds the record for most derby appearances, having featured on 56 occasions. Inter stalwart Javier Zanetti also played in 47 derbies, with fellow Inter icon Giuseppe Bergomi making three fewer appearances than the Argentine.
Which club has been more successful?
When it comes to trophies in total in all competitions, Milan edge out their rivals, having won 49 trophies compared to Inter’s 43. However, in the Italian top flight, the pair are level on 19 wins apiece.
Milan’s have been more successful in the European game, though, winning European Cups/Champions League on seven occasions, with Inter trailing behind on three wins in European football’s elite competition.
Inter has won the Europa League in its various guises on three occasions, whereas Milan has failed to lift the trophy, mainly because they were in the Champions League.
Other stats
The highest-scoring Derby della Madonnina came on November 6th 1949, when Inter recorded a 6-5 victory over the Rossoneri. However, the largest margin of victory came on 11th May, when Milan hammered their city rivals 6-0. Inter’s biggest margin of victory came when they beat the Rossoneri 5-0 on 10th February 1910.
When it comes to victories, Milan holds the record for most consecutive derby victories, recording six wins from 5th February 1911 to 9th February 1919 and from 30th May 1946 to 11th April 1948. However, the Rossoneri also holds the record for derby games without a victory, as Milan went 17 games without a win in the fixture from 10th November 1929 to 7th February 1937.
Derby della Madonnina continues to thrill
Over the years, the Derby della Madonnina has thrilled us, and the games between the two Milan giants remain some of the biggest in the beautiful game. The rivalry will continue to be massive, with both clubs amongst the biggest in the world.