Scudetto 1965-66

Lore & Background

After winning the European Cup last season, the club made just a few transfers in to the team, such as young players Cordova and Facco, also Cappellini back to the squad. Manager Herrera confirmed Grande Inter, with a substantial change: defender Facchetti moved to the left back and made numerous contributions in attacking, notably his capacity to finish and scoring goals. Facchetti held the record for most goals in a single Serie A season by a defender, with ten goals scored during this season, until it was broken by Perugia's Marco Materazzi during the 2000–01 season. The team also won the 1965 Intercontinental Cup against Independiente de Avellaneda. The first leg was held on 8 September at San Siro, and Inter won the match 3–0, with goals from Joaquín Peiró and Sandro Mazzola. La Doble Visera hosted the return leg seven days later on 15 September 1965, and ended in a goalless draw. Internazionale thus won the Intercontinental Cup for the second year in a row. The title holders advanced to the semi-finals in European Cup, where lost to Real Madrid with a 1–3 score after two legs.

In Their Own Story

On the decisive final days of the campaign, the weight of history pressed heavily on the San Siro pitch. Captain Giacinto Facchetti tightened his armband, his gaze fixed forward as the roar of the Curva Nord swelled into a vibration that resonated through the stadium concrete. Beside him, Tarcisio Burgnich offered no words—only the steady presence of a defender who knew the cost of victory. As the whistle blew to begin the endgame, the black and blue stripes stood ready, not just to play football, but to secure a legacy that demanded perfection.

Reader's Guide

It does not mention a second consecutive European Cup victory in 1966.

Did You Know?

• Giacinto Facchetti scored ten goals in Serie A this season, a record for a defender at the time.
• Inter won the 1965 Intercontinental Cup with a 3–0 win in the first leg and a 0–0 draw in the second leg.
• The club reached the European Cup semi-finals but lost 1–3 on aggregate to Real Madrid.