Inter join exclusive treble club

FC Internazionale Milano have become the sixth club in history to win the treble of European Champion Clubs' Cup and domestic league and cup.

Victory for José Mourinho's side against FC Bayern München in Madrid completed a magical month for the Nerazzurri following their earlier capture of the Serie A title and the 1-0 Coppa Italia final defeat of AS Roma.

Inter have achieved a feat that only five teams had managed in the previous 55 seasons of the European Cup. Their peers in this exclusive treble winners' club are Celtic FC (1967), AFC Ajax (1972), PSV Eindhoven (1988), Manchester United FC (1999) and FC Barcelona last term. Remarkably, striker Samuel Eto'o contributed both to Barcelona's holy trinity and now to Inter's triple crown.

Curiously, Inter were the victims when Scottish outfit Celtic etched their name in the history books as the first treble winners, coming from behind to earn a 2-1 triumph in Lisbon. Their manager Jock Stein was told by another inspirational Scotsman, Bill Shankly, in the ensuing celebrations: "John, you're immortal."

Inter were the fall guys again five years later when Stefan Kovács's Ajax sealed their treble through two unanswered goals from the great Johan Cruyff. It was another Dutch side, Guus Hiddink's PSV, who became the third treble winners in 1988 with a penalty shoot-out victory over SL Benfica after a goalless final in Stuttgart.

The manner in which Manchester United secured their 1999 treble was arguably the most dramatic – and they did so at Bayern's expense, overturning a 1-0 deficit with two added-time goals in Barcelona from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Twelve months ago, it was United's turn to suffer as Barcelona landed their own treble with a 2-0 success in Rome. Inter have now followed in their footsteps, leaving vanquished opponents Bayern to lick their wounds after seeing their own three-piece dream vanish into the Madrid night.

Nor will it be any consolation that they are in good company – Real Madrid CF missed out similarly by losing the 1962 final and FC Steaua Bucureşti endured the same fate in 1989.