UEFA Champions League Final Victory (2010)

Lore & Background

The win gave Inter their third European Cup title, and their first since 1965. That 45 years of await broke the record of the longest gap between two UCL titles, which was held by Real Madrid before, with 32 years (1966-1998). Moreover, it was Inter's first appearance in the final since 1972, and they were the first Italian team to appear in the showpiece match since rivals AC Milan won the competition in 2007. Meanwhile, Bayern had won the competition as recently as 2001—their most recent final appearance—although they were the first German side to reach the final since Bayer Leverkusen in 2002. The 2010 final was the first not to feature an English side since Porto beat Monaco in 2004 with José Mourinho also coaching the winning side, and due to Manchester United being knocked out by Bayern in the quarter-finals on away goals. This was also the first final to include two group runners-up, both Bayern and Inter finished second in group A and F, respectively. The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium had hosted three European Cup finals before; in 1957, 1969 and 1980.

In Their Own Story

The Madrid night air hung heavy with tension until the referee's whistle shattered forty-five years of silence. The ghost of 1965 finally exhaled, replaced by a roar that surged from the stands to the pitch. Diego Milito stood frozen, hands on hips, as reality crashed over him: it was done. Javier Zanetti, the eternal captain, sprinted toward his teammates, his face a mask of raw, unadulterated emotion. He embraced Mourinho, who had spent the match pacing the touchline with stoic intensity, only to break into a rare, wide grin as the trophy was hoisted. Confetti fell like snow over the black and blue stripes. In that instant, history was rewritten. The Treble was complete. The kings of Europe had returned.

Reader's Guide

As the winners, Inter played against 2009–10 UEFA Europa League winners Atlético Madrid in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup, and also entered the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup. The match was Inter's last game under the management of Mourinho as he would move to Real Madrid a few days after the match. Both teams went into the final chasing the treble, an achievement never before reached by teams from their respective countries. The managers of both teams had won the Champions League before: Bayern manager Louis van Gaal won the competition with Ajax in 1995, while Inter's José Mourinho was manager of Porto's 2004 side. The winning manager would therefore become only the third in European Cup history to win as manager of two clubs, following in the footsteps of Ernst Happel and Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Did You Know?

• The 2010 final was the first Champions League final to be played on a weekend, rather than the traditional Wednesday.
• Inter's 45-year gap between European Cup titles broke the previous record of 32 years held by Real Madrid.
• The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium had hosted three European Cup finals before 2010: in 1957, 1969, and 1980.
• Both finalists had secured domestic Doubles before the match, guaranteeing the Treble would be won for the second year in a row.