"Inter means family". The exclusive interview with Lothar Matthäus | OneFootball

"I am proud to be able to tell my kids and my friends that I played for this Club, that I was an Inter player." Those words perfectly capture the deep love and special bond Lothar Matthäus developed with Inter, a connection that was there from the very beginning and only grew stronger throughout four outstanding years. A Ballon d’Or winner, complete midfielder and charismatic leader, Matthäus was both a technical and emotional driving force behind a team that achieved one of the most memorable triumphs in Nerazzurri history.

His words say a lot, but they still don’t fully capture what the German midfielder meant to Inter fans or the mark he left during his years in Milano. It’s a legacy that has stood the test of time, remaining just as strong through the years. For Lothar, Inter is and always will be home and family. On 14 and 15 September, he returned to the places where he made some of the happiest memories of his playing career, the places that hold a special place in his Nerazzurri story. He stepped back onto the San Siro pitch for the first time in 38 years, greeted by a standing ovation from generations of Inter fans at the stadium where he made history, before watching Inter beat Udinese. The following day, he visited Inter HQ, returned to the Meazza for a special visit to the stadium roof and its spectacular Skywalk, and then headed to the Inter Training Centre in Appiano Gentile. Familiar and unforgettable places, revisited through a trip down memory lane.

Memories, of course. Moments that have stayed with every Inter fan, snapshots that have become part of the Club’s history, revisited by Matthäus in an exclusive interview with Inter TV.

THE BEST YEARS

That is how Lothar Matthäus describes his four years at Inter. Four years in which he won a Scudetto, a UEFA Cup and a Suppercoppa Italiana, while also winning the Ballon d’Or and becoming a World Cup winner with Germany at Italia ’90. Four years in which he earned the unconditional love of the Nerazzurri faithful and forged an unbreakable bond with the fans. The former German No. 10 looked back on the feelings and emotions he experienced during his time as an Inter player, four years that he considers the best of his footballing life.

MINDSET

Matthäus spoke about family, and he and Inter grew together, reaching the highest levels of international football. In doing so, he carved out a special place for himself in Nerazzurri history and in the wider history of the game, leaving a mark on Inter that few others have matched. At the heart of it all, alongside his exceptional technical ability, was the German midfielder’s relentless winning mindset. Matthäus explained where it came from through stories stretching back to his childhood and continuing through to his arrival at Inter.

THE RECORD-BREAKING SCUDETTO

Arriving in the toughest league in the world and winning straight away is something very few players manage to do. To dominate the season and break record after record, though, was something only Lothar Matthäus could do. His impact on Serie A was immediate. He established himself as a leader and the driving force of a historic, dominant and relentless team, overcoming some of the very best sides around, including the Dutch-inspired AC Milan and Maradona’s Napoli. It was Napoli who stood in Inter’s way at the decisive moment, in the Scudetto-clinching match that remains Lothar’s favourite memory. A 2-1 win at a still-incomplete Meazza, with work underway on the stadium’s third tier; his decisive free kick; and the celebrations in front of a sea of Nerazzurri fans who had been waiting nine years for the title. As he looks back, Lothar gets lost in the memories of that legendary team and the group that achieved something unforgettable: the Inter of Records.

SAN SIRO

The setting for some of the most iconic nights in football history, San Siro is also the stadium where Matthäus experienced some of the best moments of his life. Alongside winning the Record-Breaking Scudetto, Lothar also looks back on Germany’s run at the 1990 World Cup, which ended with them lifting the trophy after beating Argentina on penalties in the final in Rome. The Meazza hosted five matches involving the German national team, from their group-stage opener against Yugoslavia through to the quarter-final against Czechoslovakia. But when asked to pick one iconic moment, Matthäus points to Germany’s 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the last 16 at San Siro, with goals from Klinsmann and Brehme. It was a match that split the Milanese crowd, with the stadium divided between Inter’s German trio and AC Milan’s Dutch contingent.

THE UEFA CUP

After the Scudetto and the World Cup, Matthäus turns his attention to another major international trophy. In the 1990/91 season, Inter ended a 26-year wait for European silverware, winning the Club’s first-ever UEFA Cup. The trophy was secured after an all-Italian final against Roma, with Matthäus making his mark in the first leg by scoring from the penalty spot.

TRAPATTONI, PLAYING STYLE AND HIS FAVOURITE MEMORY

An important figure in Matthäus’ career, Trapattoni was a coach with whom he built a special bond, helping him get the very best out of his abilities. Matthäus smiles as he talks about Giovanni Trapattoni and the work they did together to turn him into the complete player who captivated Inter fans. His memories of training with “Trap” are closely tied to another special memory: 28 May 1989, the day Matthäus describes as his favourite moment at Inter.