AC Milan vs. Inter Milan: 11 of the All-Time Greatest Players

AC Milan vs. Inter Milan, the Milan Derby (or the Derby della Madonnina), is Italy's answer to El Clásico. 

A disagreement over signing foreign players led to Inter Milan breaking away from A.C. Milan.

Some 103 years later, both clubs still share a stadium named after one of their players. He may have played for both clubs, but made his name as an Inter Milan player. 

This article will list the all-time greatest players from both A.C. Milan and Inter Milan XI.

Goalkeeper: Walter Zenga (Inter Milan)

Inter Milan: 1977-78, 1982-94

In 1978, an ambitious 18-year-old Walter Zenga made the pragmatic decision to leave Inter Milan—after realizing that he was unlikely to displace veteran Ivano Bordon from Eugenio Bersellini's lineup. 

Zenga did the hard yards with Salernitana, Savona and Sambenedettese before returning to his beloved Inter Milan four years later. 

For the next 12 years, he would earn the nickname Uomo Ragno (Spider-Man) for his acrobatic saves week in, week out. 

Right-Back: Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)

Inter Milan: 1995-present

Sixteen years on, Javier Zanetti not only looks the same but still plays the same high-tempo, selfless football that José Mourinho adored. 

He is the prototypical Mourinho player. It's no surprise he became such an integral part to Mourinho's history-making, treble-winning season. 

Centre-Back: Paolo Maldini (A.C. Milan)

A.C. Milan: 1978-2009 

Paolo Maldini dedicated 31 years of his life to A.C. Milan.

That equals: 902 games, 33 goals and 26 major trophies—including seven scudetti, two European Cups and three UEFA Champions League trophies. 

Maldini was an outstanding left-back, even though he was right footed and would naturally lean toward the right side. 

Maldini demonstrated his elite status by shielding what many would have considered a weakness. 

One of the best anecdotes about Maldini was that, when he lifted the 2003 UEFA Champions League trophy at Old Trafford, it was almost 40 years to the day after his father, Cesare, had lifted the 1963 European Cup. 

Sweeper: Franco Baresi (A.C. Milan)

A.C. Milan: 1977-97

Inter Milan rejected Franco Baresi, but accepted his brother, Giuseppe. 

With all the clubs that might have taken advantage of that rejection, the one that did was A.C. Milan. 

Decades earlier, Nerazzurri supporters were fortunate to witness Armando Picchi sweeping. In the 1970s, Rossoneri supporters were given the chance to watch Baresi dominate. 

Baresi is second only to Franz Beckenbauer among the greatest sweepers ever. 

One of Baresi's best performances happened in Pasadena against the Brazilians. He didn't put a foot wrong. Well, except one penalty kick that contributed to the Brazilians winning the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Thankfully for Baresi and Daniele Massaro, most people only remember Roberto Baggio's fluff. 

Centre-Back: Giuseppe Bergomi (Inter Milan)

Inter Milan: 1979-99

Giuseppe Bergomi played 756 games for Inter Milan, winning three UEFA Cups and one Scudetto. 

An uncompromising man-marker, Bergomi adapted when man-marking became a lost art. 

Bergomi's greatest achievement was winning the 1982 FIFA World Cup as an 18-year-old. 

Left-Back: Giacinto Facchetti (Inter Milan)

Inter Milan: 1960-78

Like Carlos Alberto, Giacinto Facchetti was a modern day full-back playing in an era where wing-backs had not yet appeared in the football vocabulary. 

Under Helenio Herrera's rigid Catenaccio system, the onus was on Facchetti to provide decisive wing-play.  

Facchetti, who was an integral part of La Grande Inter, isn't just considered Inter Milan's best left-back, but one of the greatest left-backs of all time. 

Centre Midfielder: Nils Liedholm (A.C. Milan)

A.C. Milan: 1949-61

Legend has it that Nils Liedholm didn't misplace a single pass for two years. 

The story has about as much truth as Benito Lorenzi putting a lemon on the penalty spot so Tito Cucchiaroni would miss his penalty (which he did). 

Why is Liedholm's story bogus? 

He played in an era where defenders could tackle from behind and could use underhanded methods to their advantage. 

So there's no way that not a single defender decided to use those tactics to make a name for himself against the great Liedholm in two years.

The story is hyperbole, but serves to exemplify how great a player Liedholm was. 

Centre Midfielder: Luis Suárez (Inter Milan)

Inter Milan: 1961-70

Luis Suárez lived up to his hype as the most expensive footballer in the world by playing world-class football.

Helenio Herrera may have designed the tactics, but Suárez was the architect of La Grande Inter. 

Centre Midfielder: Gianni Rivera (A.C. Milan)

A.C. Milan: 1960-79

Gianni Rivera was the golden boy of Italian football during the 1960s. 

He was a creative, elegant and graceful midfielder. 

What he lacked in physique, he made up with competitiveness and an extremely high football IQ. 

Rivera was a critic of defensive football and of football in Italy, and it was no surprise when he ended up in politics. 

He takes politics seriously and he has frozen himself out of A.C. Milan with his disdain for Silvio Berlusconi. 

Deep Lying Forward: Giuseppe Meazza (Inter Milan and A.C. Milan)

Inter Milan: 1927-1940, 1946-47
A.C. Milan: 1940-42

Giuseppe Meazza is revered as one of the greatest players of all time. There is a reason why the stadium is named after him. 

He was an important member of Vittorio Pozzo's successive FIFA World Cup triumphs—an achievement that has only been replicated once by the Brazilians. 

Gunnar Nordahl (A.C. Milan)

A.C. Milan: 1949-56

Before Filippo Inzaghi, there was Gunnar Nordahl, a cunning and quick-thinking forward who, despite his physical limitations, found a way to score 210 goals in 257 games for A.C. Milan.

Here is teammate Gunnar Gren's opinion of Nordahl:

"

He scored tap-ins and spectacular goals. He would sneak into positions that others would not know existed. He was one of the best players there has ever been.

 

"

Manager: Helenio Herrera (Inter Milan)

Inter Milan: 1960-68, 1973-74

Helenio Herrera is the Gérson of managers. 

What I mean by that is like Gérson, Herrera's reputation is tainted for some reason. 

People describe him as a limited manager. That's despite the fact that Barcelona supporters can attest to him giving them some backbone in face of Real Madrid—the most dominant club the game has ever seen. 

People forget that Herrera's Barcelona averaged three goals per game. 

Why have I included Herrera over Arrigo Sacchi? 

The 5-3-2 has Herrera written all over it. 

A Defense of the 5-3-2

You're probably thinking that I should have found a way to include Marco van Basten and Sandro Mazzola.

We have to keep this list realistic.

This is Italian football, not Brazilian football. 

Yes, managers like Arrigo Sacchi, Zdeněk Zeman, Francesco Guidolin and Walter Mazzarri have implemented an attacking approach to Italian football. 

However, the identity of Italian football is still rooted in defence and this back five is extraordinary. 

Please also read 15 Best Box-to-Box Midfielders in the World Right Now.