Known as the Derby della Madonnina, the Italian derby is one of the fiercest derbies in the entire world

In the country of Italy, Serie A is the principal division football league in which 20 clubs take part every year. Some of the leading names from the league are Juventus, Napoli, Atlanta B.C and Roma. Not to forget, there are two more clubs with rich history, culture and legacy. They are A.C. Milan and Inter Milan; two clubs from the same city that are not merely ambitious and merciless in the league but also share an age-old rivalry between themselves. Therefore, the derbies played between the two clubs are one of the fiercest derbies in the world. Known as the Derby della Madonnina, in this column; we have assembled some facts about the Milan derby. The first derby between the two city clubs was held outside Italy. Held on 10 January 1909, the first Milan derby was played in Chiasso, Switzerland. A.C. Milan secured the first derby with a scoreline of 2-1.

The fastest goal in the Milan derby was scored within 13 seconds. Italian legend Sandro Mazzola scored the goal on 23 February 1963. However, the match resulted in a tie with a scoreline of 1-1.

The moniker of the A.C. Milan club is Rossoneri, which means red and black. On the other hand, the fans of the Inter Milan club are called the Nerazzurri.

The name ‘Derby della Madonnina’ was chosen to honour the sculpture of the Virgin Mary that is situated on the top of the famous Milan Cathedral.

Although the clubs are arch-enemies, many would be surprised to know that the two clubs share the same stadium. Their stadium is called the San Siro or the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Inter Milan earned its first Scudetto in 1910. Sadly, the captain who was also the coach of the team was killed in World War I. His name was Virgilio Fossati.

To date, Ukrainian legend Andriy Shevchenko holds the record for scoring the highest number of goals in the derby. In total, he scored 14 goals. Giuseppe Meazza, who netted 13 goals, holds the second place. Not to forget, Giuseppe Meazzarepresented both the clubs.

Legendary player Paolo Maldini has made the highest number of appearances in the Milan derby. In his career, he took part in 56 Milan derbies.