The Germans always gave everything, in training and in matches. They were loyal and honest, real men." But who spoke these effusive words in praise of Teutonic footballers, quoted recently by Die Welt? Step forward Inter Milan legend Giuseppe Bergomi.

The sentiments are based on extensive experience, as Bergomi’s time with Inter from 1979 to 1999 included spells playing alongside Hansi Muller, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Jurgen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthaus, Andreas Brehme and Matthias Sammer.

Not so very long ago, Germany internationals enjoyed a stellar reputation in Italy, and especially at Inter. In the late 1980s, an unforgettable trio comprising Brehme, Matthaus and Klinsmann enjoyed a tremendous run of success in the famous black and blue stripes.

Ahead of the UEFA Champions League final between Italian double winners Inter and German counterparts Bayern, FIFA.com spoke exclusively to Brehme, a veteran of both clubs. The former full-back recalled past times, and looked forward to Saturday’s showdown in Madrid.

German quality, Italian flair
"In the first season, 1989, it was just Lothar and me at Inter. It was always special playing alongside a national team-mate. Lothar and I had played together for the German U-21s, at Bayern, and for the senior national team," the former defender noted. "The supporters and the media were very good to us. Their backing was tremendous, especially in the first season when we won the league."

Klinsmann arrived the following season to complete the trio. "It was definitely helpful having two other Germans in the dressing room. We complemented each other well, although we made no attempt to disturb the Italian hierarchy. At the end of the day, we were foreigners, and it was up to us to fit in and learn their language. It obviously worked out well, otherwise we wouldn’t have been so successful,” the 49-year-old reasoned. Brehme is currently busy as a German FA (DFB) ambassador.


It was terrific! Italian football was head and shoulders above the rest in Europe at the time, and we were proud to be playing there.Andreas Brehme on his time at Inter


The German threesome’s time together in Milan coincided with sporting success. Bossed by esteemed coach Giovanni Trapattoni, who would later go on to coach Bayern, Inter claimed the Scudetto in 1989. Two years later, the Brehme-Matthaus-Klinsmann-era Inter won the UEFA Cup, the club’s first European triumph in 26 years.

"It was terrific! Italian football was head and shoulders above the rest in Europe at the time, and we were proud to be playing there. The stadiums were always packed, every game was a sell-out and the atmosphere was unique. It was a magnificent time," Brehme smiled, still revelling in the memory of his Serie A adventure: "I’d happily do it all over again."

Two-way traffic across the Alps
Bergomi, who holds the Nerazzurri record with 758 appearances, has been revealing a few secrets lately: "Andi and Lothar always secretly smuggled beer into their room at training camps. Matthaus was without doubt the best foreigner I ever played with. If he said: ‘We’ll win tomorrow, basta’, we went out and won."

No-one involved will ever forget the 1990 FIFA World Cup™, where Germany were crowned world champions for the third time, and this on Italian soil. "Obviously, it was a bit special. We won the World Cup in the country where we played our club football," Brehme remarked. The Inter trio all covered the full distance for their country in the Final, a 1-0 success against Argentina, with Brehme striking the winning goal.

The Italian-German appreciation society is by no means a one-way street. On the north side of the Alps, many an Italian import is recalled with great fondness. Trapattoni is an icon in Munich for his mesmerising combination of charm and fiery temperament. Strikers Ruggiero Rizzitelli and Luca Toni rapidly became crowd heroes at Germany’s biggest club, and Massimo Oddo also spent a season in Bavaria.

The biggest European club clash this season now pitches the German and Italian double winners against each other. It cannot fail to be an evening of conflicting emotions for Brehme, Matthaus and Klinsmann. "It's a special match for me personally. I had my best spell as a player with Inter, but I’m supporting Bayern," announced Matthaus, who was named FIFA World Player of the Year during his time in Italy. Brehme was a trifle more diplomatic: "As I’m German, my loyalties are 51 percent Bayern and 49 percent Inter."