Throughout their history, Serie A giants Inter Milan have had some absolutely incredible kits – but what are their greatest shirts? Today, we narrow their collection down to the top 5.
After enjoying a whole host of kit suppliers during the 1970s and 80s, such as Puma, Le Coq Sportif, and Mecsport, Inter settled with Uhlsport as they entered the 1990s. Shortly after, a seven-year stint with Umbro from 1991-1998 brought some truly awesome strips to San Siro.
The Nerazzurri have been with Nike ever since, including for their upcoming 2023/24 kits.
Sadly, though, fans no longer get to see the iconic “Pirelli” tyre sponsorship on Inter shirts. Their long-standing partnership came to an end in 2021, and supporters have missed it ever since.
So, we have picked multiple Inter Milan kits that boast the iconic branding in our top 5 greatest list to make up for its absence.
#5: 1990/91 home
But we start with a beautiful shirt that actually has Misura, another class sponsor, emblazoned across the chest. In their last few seasons as kit makers, Uhlsport treated Internazionale to some great kits, which in turn brought silverware.
Interestingly, the 1990/91 effort saw the return of the club crest after the Scudetto badge of 1989/90.
Inter’s famous German trio of Lothar Matthaus, Andreas Brehme, and Jurgen Klinsmann wore this particular shirt. They led Inter Milan to UEFA Cup glory via a 2-1 aggregate win over fellow Italian side, Roma.
Of course, the on-pitch success adds to the appeal of the shirt. But this one, with its quality stripes, nicely integrated sponsor, and tasteful collar, is a standout piece in its own right.
#4: 2010/11 away
Now we arrive at the first Pirelli-sponsored shirt from our picks of the greatest Inter Milan kits.
Featuring the “Biscione”, a serpent that is a symbol of both their city and Inter, this jersey’s bold graphic falls into the outrageous yet brilliant category. The slithering reptile, in typical Nerazzurri colours, certainly makes this one of the most unique football shirts ever.
The simplicity of the all-white design then serves to accentuate the serpent further.
Coming off the back of their treble-winning season, Inter did not have quite the same level of success in 2010/11. However, they did retain their Coppa Italia title and thus did not leave the campaign empty-handed.
#3: 2007/08 away
A sublime, centenary shirt comes in third on our greatest Inter Milan kits list. To celebrate 100 years since the club’s formation, Internazionale rocked a look paying homage to their city once more.
The white base with a red cross, although reminiscent of St. George, is actually the flag of Milan. Specifically, it is for St. Ambrose, the patron saint of the Italian city and also to whom Milan Cathedral is dedicated.
So, with the context out of the way, we can appreciate just how fantastic it looks. Pirelli even surrendered their pride of place on the centre of the shirt so as to not disturb the cross. Instead, their logo sits beneath the Inter badge on the left panel of the shirt.
Internazionale wore this strip when they lifted the 2006/07 Scudetto after a then-record-breaking season. Therefore, this brilliant kit has success intertwined with its history, too.
#2: 1997/98 third
Coming in a very close second is one of the greatest and most iconic Inter Milan kits ever.
Ronaldo brought this kit to immortality thanks to his breathtaking performance in the 1998 UEFA Cup Final. In fact, per Classic Football Shirts, the club only used this strip during their European outings. So, it was an on-pitch rarity as well.
The combination of greyish blue/black hoops, with a large print of the crest behind, was an immediate hit. Umbro also made the inspired choice to centrally align the Inter badge – another lovely touch. Pirelli’s sponsorship is then the icing on the cake.
R9, Javier Zanetti, and Ivan Zamorano scored the goals as Inter beat Lazio 3-0 in the UEFA Cup showpiece. With this, the Nerazzurri had won the competition three times during the 1990s.
#1: 2009/10 home
Finally, first in the greatest Inter Milan kits of all time is the club’s most successful jersey.
Jose Mourinho led Internazionale to a historic Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Champions League treble in 2009/10. Coincidentally, they were also wearing an absolutely top-notch shirt.
A black, round-neck collar with tasteful stitching gave the top a timeless feel. Inter were also celebrating an anniversary in 2009/10 – 100 years since their first Scudetto. So, to commemorate this, they added a Tricolour circle around their badge; this made for a beautiful addition to the crest for this season.
Elsewhere, the uncluttered stripes and white Pirelli sponsorship just oozed quality.
Of course, boosting this home shirt’s prestige is the incredible exploits of the team wearing it. After conquering Italy, Inter overcame Bayern Munich in the 2010 Champions League final to secure their third European Cup.
All this contributes to making the Inter Milan 2010 home shirt the greatest out of all their kits.
Featured image credit: Getty