Milan, Italy. The year is 1908. Inside a smoky room at the Milan Cricket and Football Club, a heated discussion is underway. “Basta!” shouts one man. “We’ll never agree.”
“D’accordo,” replies another. “Then we will go our own way.”
And with that, history is made. One group storms out, frustrated by a growing divide within the club. Few, if any, of them could’ve imagined that their argument would spark the birth of Inter Milan, and one of world football’s most iconic rivalries.
The Split That Created Two Giants
It all began in 1899, when an Englishman named Herbert Kilpin founded the Milan Cricket and Football Club — what we now know as AC Milan. While cricket faded into the background, football quickly took hold in Italy. But as the club grew, so did tensions.
A key point of disagreement? Foreign players.
One faction believed Milan should remain Italian-only. Others, inspired by Milan’s international spirit — as a city of trade and culture — felt the club should embrace talent from abroad. The divide became irreconcilable.
On March 9, 1908, those in favor of foreign players left to form a new club. They called it Internazionale — a name that both reflected their vision and took a subtle jab at their former colleagues. A footballing superpower was born.
A Rivalry Under One Roof
As if the rivalry wasn’t fierce enough, both clubs have shared the same stadium since 1947 — the famous ground known by two names:
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AC Milan fans call it San Siro, named after the district.
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Inter Milan fans refer to it as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, after their legendary two-time World Cup winner.
Even the dressing rooms are divided:
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On Derby della Madonnina days, AC Milan uses the east dressing room,
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Inter Milan takes the west.
Each side claims the stadium as their own, even as they cohabit it.
Shared Glory, Split Identity
Over the years, both clubs have attracted some of the game’s greatest stars:
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Zlatan Ibrahimović, Ronaldo (Brazilian), and Mario Balotelli are just a few who’ve worn both red-and-black and blue-and-black stripes.
Despite the founding split, both clubs are now proudly international, fielding stars from around the globe. In a twist of irony, Inter Milan even tried to block the name of Inter Miami, David Beckham’s MLS club, over trademark concerns.
Today, whether it’s AC Milan’s English name or Inter’s cosmopolitan branding, both clubs continue to reflect the tension and style that first divided them.
Curious about another famous split?
Check out How a Stadium Dispute Created Football’s Fiercest Rivalry — the story of Everton and Liverpool.