Inter Milan Ultras: A guide to the Curva Nord

While football ultras have gained some level of prominence across Europe, Italy remains the definitive reference point for the movement's origins. 

For a club as decorated as Inter Milan, these groups form the backbone of matchday support, creating an intimidating wall of sound that energises the home team and unsettles the opposing team.

Despite their long-standing presence — with some factions dating back as far as the 1960s—many Inter ultras are not officially recognised. 

This relationship has become increasingly strained; notably, a 2025 crackdown saw the movement's leadership making headlines after being linked to various criminal enterprises.

While Inter remain one of the most-followed clubs in Europe and by extension in the world, their primary ultra collective, the Curva Nord, has continued to divide opinions.

This post examines the history of Inter’s ultras, their impact on the club's inner workings, and the recent incidents that have led to conflict with the authorities.

Inter Milan Ultras: History

The Curva Nord first formed in the 1960s when Inter Milan were emerging as a force in Europe as well as in Italy. The club won three consecutive Serie A titles from 1963 to 1966 and back-to-back European Cups in 1964 and 1965.

To match their success on the pitch, Inter Milan's ultras became a formidable force off the pitch. The core of the Curva Nord was originally made up of young Inter Milan supporters who loved the club as well as the City of Milan.

They were prepared to defend the badge and the City against all opponents, and they were known as “the boys” in the early days.

Several Inter Milan Ultra groups have emerged or split off from the Curva Nord over the years. However, after the death of Vittorio Boiocchi, the leader of the Curva Nord, in 2022, a statement was released, and all groups reunited under one banner – ‘Curva Nord Milano 1969’.

These supporters now all congregate behind one of the goals at the San Siro and have made the atmosphere inside the stadium better than ever. At the time, the announcement stated:

“The beginning of a new era, a single flag that will represent all of us and our identity from the very beginning: Curva Nord Milano 1969. Starting from the home match with Napoli, all the groups of the first barrier will stand behind that banner.

“Each group will remain in its ‘place’ but under one emblem. It is time to look to the future and start again, also because the past of those who wrote pages of history of the Nord will always be remembered, and nothing will be forgotten.”

“The time for talk is over, we need desire, courage, passion and a lot of love for Inter to make our beloved Curva Nord shine again. United, proud and never tame, forward Curva Nord!”

Inter Milan Ultras: The good and the bad

Some of the loudest atmospheres in European football history have come at the San Siro courtesy of the Inter Milan Ultras.

One of the most iconic came in 2010 when Inter faced Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals. Barcelona, the holders and tournament favourites, were stunned by Mourinho's Inter, with the Curva Nord creating a special atmosphere.

One of the most infamous moments involving Inter Milan Ultras came in the 2004/05 Champions League quarter-finals.

Inter found themselves 3-0 down on aggregate to AC Milan with 20 minutes to play in the second leg when flares started to rain down from the stand, which houses the Inter Milan Ultras, inside the San Siro.

The match was eventually abandoned, but not before AC Milan goalkeeper Dida was struck on the head by a red flare, which resulted in Inter Milan being forced to play four European matches behind closed doors. It did at least provide us with some iconic images.

In more recent times, the Curva Nord made headlines when they boycotted a match against Genoa due to Italian authorities banning choreographies and megaphones. The ban was enforced after the Curva Nord caused trouble in a game against Juventus.

Before the match, the ultras attacked the police and the Juventus team bus. The unsavoury scenes resulted in 50 Inter Milan ultras being arrested and forced the authorities into taking action against the supporters.

The ban on choreographies (tifos, banners, etc) and megaphones expired in June 2024.

Inter Milan Ultras: 2025 investigation

The most significant chapter in the Curva Nord's recent history began on 30 September 2024, when Italian police arrested 19 leading figures from the Inter and AC Milan ultra groups in a coordinated operation targeting organised crime linked to San Siro matchdays.

The charges included criminal conspiracy with mafia aggravation, extortion, assault and other serious offences. Among those arrested were Renato Bosetti, who had assumed control of the Curva Nord following the murder of Antonio Bellocco, and Curva Sud leader Luca Lucci.

Prosecutors alleged the groups had established control over a range of lucrative matchday activities, including ticket touting, parking operations, concession sales and allowing supporters without tickets to enter the stadium in exchange for payment.

Italy's national anti-mafia prosecutor, Giovanni Melillo, described the investigation as evidence of a “criminal drift in Italian stadiums” that could no longer be ignored.

The investigation also had consequences for Inter itself. Head coach Simone Inzaghi and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu received one-match suspensions after prosecutors found they had held direct meetings with Curva Nord members, contact prohibited under Italian football's sporting justice code. Vice-president Javier Zanetti was fined €14,500 for the same offence.

In March 2025, 16 of the 19 suspects went on trial in a high-security courtroom beside Milan's San Vittore prison. The case concluded in June with convictions for all 16 defendants. Former Curva Nord leader Andrea Beretta, who later became a state witness, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the murder of Antonio Bellocco and criminal association with mafia aggravation.

Fellow ultra Marco Ferdico received an eight-year sentence, while Curva Sud leader Luca Lucci was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of criminal conspiracy and plotting the attempted murder of a rival ultra in 2019. Combined prison sentences totalled around 90 years.

Neither Inter nor AC Milan faced criminal charges, with both clubs instead recognised as injured parties and awarded €50,000 in damages.

The investigation expanded further in April 2025 when six more people were arrested over the October 2022 murder of long-time Curva Nord leader Vittorio Boiocchi, who was shot dead outside his home in Milan.

Investigators alleged the killing formed part of the battle for control of the Curva Nord's lucrative matchday operations, with Beretta named as one of the alleged instigators despite already being in prison.

Police also identified two of the suspects as the alleged gunmen, one of whom was said to have links to the ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate in Calabria.

Two murders, mass arrests and a series of criminal convictions have transformed the Curva Nord's leadership and fundamentally altered its relationship with both Inter and the Italian authorities.

The group remains a prominent presence at San Siro, but it now operates under far greater scrutiny than before the events of September 2024.

Inter Milan Ultras in the Milan Derby

Sharing a stadium can be challenging, especially regarding the fierce rivalry between the football ultras in the Milan Derby. Inter Milan's ultras, known as Curva Nord, occupy the northern end of San Siro, while AC Milan's Ultras, known as Curva Sud, are typically found in the southern end.

Historically, Coppa Italia knockout matches have been among the most fiercely contested between the two teams.

A total of 244 Milan derbies have taken place, including those in Coppa Italia. So far, the Rossoneri have recorded 82 wins while the Nerazzurri have secured 91 wins. A total of 71 draws have been recorded so far.

Even more interesting is that a total of 28 meetings in the Coppa Italia have been Milan derbies. It shows the extent to which two of Serie A's most successful teams have gone to show their might against each other.

Of these, AC Milan bagged 10 wins, while nine games ended in favour of Inter Milan. That means nine of the Milan derbies in the Coppa Italia have ended in a draw.

Inter Ultras join Lazio fans protest

In May 2026, Inter Milan’s Curva Nord ultras joined Lazio supporters in a joint boycott of their Serie A match at the Stadio Olimpico, gathering at Ponte Milvio in solidarity.

The protest targeted Lazio’s ownership, specifically president Claudio Lotito, regarding the club's perceived lack of ambition and transfer policy.

The gesture came despite Inter having just secured their 21st Serie A title, clinched on 3 May 2026 with a 2-0 home victory over Parma that sealed the Scudetto with three games to spare.

Under new head coach Cristian Chivu, who succeeded Simone Inzaghi during the campaign, the Nerazzurri also completed a domestic double by beating Lazio in the Coppa Italia final.

Even so, the Curva Nord remained outside the Stadio Olimpico in solidarity with the Lazio supporters' protest, adding to the pressure on the club's ownership.

Best Inter Milan tifo

The ban on tifos would have affected the Curva Nord, as the Inter Milan ultras have created many memorable tifos over the years. Still, the one that stands above all others is the one they made for a match against Juventus in 2015.

The game was played just a few months after Juventus lost in the Champions League final against Barcelona, and Inter fans wanted to remind their opponents of that misery.

The top half of the tifo depicted the Champions League, the Coppa Italia, and the Serie A trophy. The banner below read “Berlin, 06.06.2015… you almost did it…”. Then, the bottom half of the banner depicted the Beagle Boys in bed dreaming of the treble – a feat Inter accomplished in 2010.