Who founded Inter Milan? The untold story of the 44 rebels

Football Club Internazionale Milano, often called Internazionale or simply Inter or Inter Milan, is a football club based in Italy. Founded in 1908, it is one of the biggest clubs in the country. goaloomobi.com answers the question: Who founded Inter Milan?

Who founded Inter Milan?

Inter Milan was founded on March 9, 1908, by a group of members who broke away from the Milan Football and Cricket Club (now AC Milan). The creation of Inter came from disagreements within the original club. The group that founded Inter Milan was led by Giorgio Muggiani, a talented artist and the designer of the club’s first logo.

Alongside Muggiani was Giovanni Paramithiotti, who was chosen as the club’s first president. The core of the club consisted of 44 members who signed the founding agreement at the "L'Orologio" restaurant in Milan. Other notable names included Bossard, Lana, Bertoloni, De Olma, Enrico Hintermann, Arturo Hintermann, Carlo Hintermann, Pietro Dell'Oro, Hugo and Hans Rietmann, Voelkel, Maner, Wipf, and Carlo Ardussi.

How did Inter Milan come into existence?

At that time in 1908, AC Milan had a policy that restricted or limited foreign players. However, the founding group of Inter wanted to create an open club where players of all nationalities were welcome. After heated debates, the group of 44, led by Giorgio Muggiani, decided to split from AC Milan.

The name "Internazionale" was chosen to clearly express the club’s philosophy: openness to players from all countries. Giorgio Muggiani declared in his founding manifesto: "This wonderful night will give color to our crest: black and blue on a golden background of stars. It will be called Internazionale, because we are brothers of the world."

The birth of Inter created a strong social divide in Milan at the time. Inter Milan was often seen as the club of the middle and upper classes (nicknamed Baùscia - the show-offs), while AC Milan was considered the team of the working class (nicknamed Casciavit - the screwdrivers).

Some information about the founding of Inter Milan

1. The "traitors"

Among the 44 members who left AC Milan, many were key players. Their departure was not only ideological but also weakened AC Milan significantly. The first derby between the two clubs took place just a few months later in Switzerland in October 1908 and was highly intense.

2. The historic tablecloth

According to popular stories, because no formal documents were immediately available, some of the earliest agreements and signatures were written on a tablecloth at the L'Orologio restaurant. This place later became a symbolic location for Inter Milan fans for many years.

3. Nearly renamed due to politics

Although originally named Internazionale, during the 1920s and 1930s under the Fascist regime in Italy, the name was considered too sensitive due to its international meaning. The club was forced to change its name to Ambrosiana and merge with another team. However, players and fans continued to use the name Inter, and after the regime ended, the club officially returned to its original name.

4. Internal family conflict

The split in 1908 created divisions even within families in Milan. A famous example is the Hintermann family: Enrico, Arturo, and Carlo Hintermann became founding members of Inter, while other relatives remained loyal to AC Milan. This made early derby matches even more personal and intense.

5. The hidden meaning behind the yellow in the logo

Although the main colors are blue and black, the original logo designed by Giorgio Muggiani included a gold circle. This gold symbolized the stars mentioned in his manifesto and also represented the wealth and status of Milan’s middle class, who helped support the club financially.

6. Inter almost wore white

In early discussions, some members suggested white as the main color to represent purity and a new beginning. However, Muggiani rejected this idea, believing white was too common and not strong enough to distinguish the club from AC Milan.

7. The connection to Switzerland

Among the 44 founding members, many were Swiss professionals working in banks and trading companies in Milan. This explains why, in its early years, Inter had strong ties with Swiss football and often recruited players from Switzerland.

Goaloo Mobi has answered the question: Who founded Inter Milan, while also reviewing the club’s origins and sharing interesting facts. To learn more about football odds, please visit our page.