From Helenio Herrera to masterful Jose Mourinho - what is Inter's record in Champions League and European Cup finals? How many have they won?
Published 28/05/2025 at 12:29 GMT+1
Internazionale will contest the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League final after a thrilling semi-final victory over Barcelona. Simone Inzaghi's side prevailed 7-6 against Barca to reach their second final in the last three years. How have Inter fared in previous finals and how many times have they won the Champions League or European Cup? We look back at Inter's six appearances in finals.
Highlights: Frattesi's extra time winner sends Inter to final after epic Barca battle
Video credit: TNT Sports
Inter are UEFA Champions League finalists again.
For the second time in the last three seasons, the Nerazzurri will play for the top prize in Europe after they beat Barcelona 7-6 in a last-four clash for the ages
But was it the best-ever Champions League semi-final? Have your say here.
Inter, who have won the Champions League or European Cup three times in their history, will face Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
We look at how the Serie A side have fared in their previous Champions League and European Cup finals…
Six finals, three wins
Inter will be contesting their seventh Champions League or European Cup final.
They won their first two in back-to-back seasons in 1964 and 1965 under iconic managerial doyen Helenio Herrera.
They returned to the final in 1967 but lost to Celtic, and in the 1972 final they were beaten by Ajax.
A third title arrived in 2010 when Jose Mourinho’s Inter became the first, and so far only, Italian club to win the treble, beating Bayern Munich in the final.
In 2023, Inter beat city rivals AC Milan in the last four, before losing the final to Manchester City.
1964: Inter’s first triumph
The arrival of manager Herrera in 1960 sparked a golden age for Inter.
Arriving having won back-to-back league titles with Barcelona, Herrera led Inter to European Cup glory in their debut season in the competition in 1963/64.
In the final, they faced five-time winners Real Madrid, who boasted Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Paco Gento in their ranks.
But two goals from midfielder Sandro Mazzola and one from striker Aurelio Milani secured victory for Inter in Vienna.
"I will never forget the light in the eyes of our president [Angelo Moratti] after our triumph in Vienna," said Inter’s Luis Suarez afterwards. "If I was a painter and I had to paint 'happiness', I would try to reproduce those eyes."
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Inzaghi hails ‘extraordinary’ Inter – ‘Not many counted on us going this far’
Video credit: SNTV
1965: Grande Inter
Under Herrera, Inter became one of the great sides in Europe of the 1960s and were nicknamed ‘Grande Inter’.
In 1965 they defended the European Cup, beating Rangers and Liverpool to reach the final against Benfica.
Played on a wet and muddy pitch at the San Siro, Inter won thanks to a 43rd-minute goal from Brazilian winger Jair.
1967: Beaten by Celtic
Although Inter’s bid for a 'three-peat' in 1966 came up short as they lost to eventual winners Real Madrid in the semis, Herrera’s side were back in the final in Lisbon the following year.
Inter took an early lead against Celtic in the final through a Mazzola penalty, but Celtic hit back in the second half with goals from Tommy Gemmell and Stevie Chalmers.
The all-Scottish Celtic team, later nicknamed 'The Lisbon Lions’, held on to their lead to become the first team from Britain to win the European Cup.
Inter ended the season without a trophy for the first time since 1962.
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The Inter team beaten in the 1967 European Cup final by Celtic
Image credit: Getty Images
1972: Defeat to Ajax
After losing to one of the great Celtic sides in the 1967 final, Inter were beaten by one of Ajax’s finest teams in the final five years later.
With ‘Total Football’ in full flow under successive managers Rinus Michels and Stefan Kovacs, Ajax swept all aside at the start of the 1970s, as they won three European Cups in a row.
In 1972, they dominated the final against Inter and scored twice through Player of the Match Johan Cruyff, arguably the best player in the world at the time.
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Ajax's Johan Cruyff scored twice in the 1972 European Cup final
Image credit: Getty Images
2010: Mourinho mastery
Inter would face a long wait to reach their next European Cup or Champions League final, but when it did come, it was worth it.
Victory over Bayern Munich in Madrid capped off one of the greatest seasons in Inter’s history as they became the first Italian side to win the treble.
In the Champions League semi-finals, Jose Mourinho’s team won a memorable tie against the Barcelona of Pep Guardiola, Lionel Messi and Xavi, holding out for a 3-2 aggregate win at the Nou Camp with 10 men in the second leg, as Mourinho delivered his now iconic pitch celebration.
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Flashback: Mourinho beats and taunts Barca to reach UCL final with Inter in 2010
Video credit: TNT Sports
The final saw a double from Diego Milito secure a 2-0 victory over Bayern.
Mourinho later said he had "challenged" his side to make history following their Serie A and Coppa Italia victories.
"I always challenged the group exactly for this situation. We can win three titles, two, one or zero.
"After those 15 days, we can make history in Italian football, winning the treble, or we can end up as the ones who were 'almost' - and football is full of 'almost', which is to almost win."
2023: Did Inter 'deserve' more?
Inter’s route to the 2023 final saw them overcome city rivals AC Milan in the semis, winning 3-0 on aggregate.
In the final, they faced a Manchester City team aiming to lift the trophy for the first time.
Inter had their chances - Federico Dimarco heading against the crossbar and Ederson denying Romelu Lukaku from close range late on - but it was Rodri’s second-half goal that proved the difference.
"We played against a great opponent but we clearly did not deserve to lose," said Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi afterwards.
"This is football. It's from these disappointments that you grow. I'm still wondering how it's possible that we didn't score at the end. We clearly deserved more."
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Best of 2023: Watch moment Man City banish European heartbreak and win treble
Video credit: TNT Sports
How to watch the 2025 Champions League final
The Champions League final will be live on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and discovery+.
The match will also be available to watch at home or on the move for free on discovery+.
The best ways to watch….
- Have TNT Sports via discovery+ Premium, EE, Sky or Virgin Media TV, with the best viewing experience you will be able to enjoy all of the action and build up programming on TNT Sports 1 or TNT Sports Ultimate.
- Have access to discovery+ basic account with EE TV, Sky, Prime Video, you can login or, if you haven’t already, activate your discovery+ account to enjoy all three finals for no extra cost. Prime Video customers with a discovery+ Basic subscription will also be able to watch all three finals on the Prime Video ap.
- Are new to TNT Sports and discovery+. Viewers without discovery+ simply need to download the app on their mobile device, web or access via their TV, register their details online, kick back and enjoy the game for free. No subscription required. You can find out how to access the app and register here.
- Have Virgin Media TV, all customers in the UK can watch on channel 527.
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