On this Thursday (4), Sport Club Internacional celebrates 115 years of a history worthy of great pride for its fans. The team from Rio Grande do Sul was founded in 1909 by three brothers of German descent: Henrique Poppe Leão, José Eduardo Poppe, and Luiz Madeira Poppe. Porto Alegre was the destination for many immigrants, and the club’s foreign roots are no coincidence.
In the first two decades, Inter faced sporting and financial crises that threatened the club’s existence. The turning point came in 1927, with Inter’s first victory in the Campeonato Gaúcho. In total, the club has won 45 titles and is the most successful team in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
As the main teams in Rio Grande do Sul, Internacional and Grêmio have had a rivalry since their founding. The matches, known as Gre-Nal, are marked by the strong desire for victory from both sides, in a game that showcases beauty thanks to the contrast of colors between the red and white and the blue and black. Throughout history, 441 Gre-Nais have been played, and Inter has the upper hand with 162 victories against Grêmio’s 141, along with 138 draws.
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After overcoming the difficult period experienced by Colorado, the club reached the peak of its short history in the 1940s. With a team nicknamed Rolo Compressor, Inter dominated the Campeonato Gaúcho, winning the editions of 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, and 1948, and produced idols like Tesourinha and Carlitos, who is the club’s all-time leading scorer with 485 goals.
During this time, Internacional played its matches at Estádio dos Eucaliptos, which hosted Inter games starting in 1931. As the club grew, the capacity of Eucaliptos could not accommodate the Inter fans. The stadium hosted matches until March 26, 1969, the date of Inter’s last match at the historic venue. Since 1956, Beira-Rio was being constructed and was inaugurated on April 6, 1969, in a victory against Benfica by 2-1, with goals from Claudiomiro, who scored the first goal in the stadium’s history, and Gilson Porto. Eusébio scored for the Portuguese.
It was at Beira-Rio where Internacional showcased its strength in the 1970s, winning three Campeonatos Brasileiros (1975, 1976, and 1979). These titles solidified the careers of club legends like Falcão, Figueroa, Valdomiro, and Carpegiani. Despite not winning titles beyond the borders of Rio Grande do Sul, the club produced renowned athletes in the 1980s, such as Dunga and Taffarel, who were part of the Brazilian national team that won the World Cup in 1994.
In 1992, the team became national champions once again, this time in the Copa do Brasil, which had just been inaugurated in 1989, in the final against Fluminense. In the first match, the cariocas won 2-1. At home, Célio Silva’s goal in the 43rd minute of the second half secured the red and white title.
In the 2000s, Internacional elevated its status to the South American and, subsequently, the world stage. While Grêmio had already won the Copa Libertadores twice (1983 and 1995), Inter’s fans longed for their team to win the competition, which they achieved in 2006. Under the guidance of coach Abel Braga, the Gaúchos became champions against São Paulo. In the first match at Morumbi, the team won 2-1, with two goals from Rafael Sóbis. In the final match, Fernandão and Tinga scored in the 2-2 draw that secured Internacional’s first Libertadores.
Fernandão is one of the most beloved figures by the fans and cemented his place among the club’s great idols as the captain in the 2006 Club World Cup. After defeating Al-Ahly (EGY) in the semifinal, Inter faced Barcelona (ESP) in the final, with a team featuring Ronaldinho, Puyol, Iniesta, and Xavi, coached by the Dutchman Frank Rijkaard. The game was tied 0-0 until the 36th minute of the second half, when Adriano Gabiru scored the most important goal in Sport Club Internacional’s history.
In 2008, the Copa Sudamericana was the next conquest for Internacional, defeating Estudiantes (ARG) with Tite as the coach. In Argentina, Alex scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory. In the second decisive match at Beira-Rio, the visitors matched the score in regulation time. However, seven minutes before the end of extra time, Nilmar scored the glorious goal, which crowned more club idols: D’Alessandro, Guiñazu, Índio, and Bolívar.
Two years later, the Copa Libertadores would return to Internacional. This time, the opponent in the final was Chivas Guadalajara (MEX). Celso Roth was the coach of the title-winning team, which began in the first leg in Mexico. Giuliano and Bolívar found the net in the 2-1 victory. At Beira-Rio, Rafael Sóbis, Leandro Damião, and Giuliano scored in the hard-fought 3-2 triumph, which secured Inter’s second continental conquest.
In addition to success in men’s football, the club is also one of the strongest teams in women’s football. In 2022, they reached the final of the Brasileirão Feminino, but were defeated by Corinthians. While competing for the national title, the Gurias Coloradas have been winning the Gauchão – they have already won it 11 times (1983, 1984, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021).
For the 2024 season, Internacional has made significant investments and is aiming to once again lift trophies in the Brazilian and South American football scene.
