San Siro: Five iconic games played at the home of AC Milan and Inter Milan

San Siro iconic moments
(Image credit: Getty Images)

San Siro is one of the most iconic football stadiums in world football, having hosted some of the most important games in history since its construction 98 years ago, in 1925. 

Over that time it has featured classic finals, famous photos and, quite possibly, the greatest foul ever seen. 

With Inter Milan and AC Milan facing off at San Siro over two legs in this season's Champions League semi-finals, expect plenty more action and controversial moments for us all to enjoy. 

Italy 1-0 Austria (1934)

Italy 1-0 Austria 1934 World Cup semi-final

Enrico Guaita of Italy scores the only goal of the game against Austria in the 1934 World Cup semi-final (Image credit: Getty Images)

Eight years after its opening, San Siro hosted three games at the World Cup. Germany overcame Sweden 2-1 in the quarter-finals before a paltry 3,000-’strong’ crowd, then 35,000 watched Italy’s semi-final against Austria. Enrico Guaita scored to steer the hosts towards a controversial Mussolini-inspired World Cup triumph in Rome days later.

San Siro, officially Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, is named in honour of Meazza himself, who twice won the World Cup with Italy in 1934 and 1938, played for both Inter and Milan during his career, and served two spells as the former's manager. 

Cameroon 1-0 Argentina (1990)

Cameroon 1-0 Argentina World Cup 1990

Omam Biyi of Cameroon scores the winning goal against Argentina at World Cup 1990 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Diego Maradona’s Argentina turned up as world champions for Italia 90’s curtain-raiser, only to lose 1-0 to nine-man Cameroon, whose second red card was courtesy of Benjamin Massing’s sensational act of war on Claudio Caniggia. San Siro’s other five games at this tournament all involved West Germany; only one involved Frank Rijkaard’s spit, though.

Inter 0-6 Milan (2001)

Andriy Shevchenko AC Milan scores against Inter

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The pair finished fifth and sixth in the 2000-01 Serie A – Inter just ahead, despite the derby’s biggest ever defeat. Andriy Shevchenko (above) netted twice, Serginho once... and so did pub-quiz answers Gianni Comandini (twice) and Federico Giunti (once). Neither had scored a league goal for Milan before. Neither scored a league goal for Milan again.

Inter 0-3 Milan (2005)

Marco Materazzi and Rui Costa in 2005 at San Siro

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Milan edged Inter on away goals in the 2003 Champions League semi-finals, despite both teams playing both legs at home; two years later, they met again in the quarters. The second leg was abandoned in the 74th minute after Inter supporters struck Milan keeper Dida with a flare: Milan, comfortably ahead anyway, were awarded a win and we all got a great photo.

Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid (2016)

Cristiano Ronaldo 2016 Champions League final against Atletico Madrid

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In the first of San Siro’s four European Cup finals, Inter’s 1965 side beat Benfica 1-0 to lift the trophy in their own ground, and no club has done it since. They’ve all been tight affairs here: Feyenoord saw off Celtic in extra time (1970), Bayern Munich beat Valencia on penalties (2001), then Real Madrid boringly did the same to their upstart rivals in 2016. 

Sergio Ramos put Los Blancos 1-0 up in the tie, but Yannick Carrasco pulled one back in the final quarter of the game before landing a big old smacker on his girlfriend in the crowd immediately afterwards. After extra time the scores were still level. Cristiano Ronaldo dispatched the winning penalty in the shootout, after Juanfran had missed his spot kick. 

Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.