AC Milan in the 1960's

AC Milan returned to win the football league in 1961/1962. Their manager was Nereo Rocco, an innovative football coach, known as inventor of the catenaccio tactic. The team included a young Gianni Rivera and José Altafini.

The following season, thanks also to Altafini's goals, Milan won their first Champions League by defeating Benfica 2-1. This was also the first time an Italian team had won the Champions League.

Despite that, during the 1960s AC Milan won less than they deserved, mainly because of the heavy concurrence of Helenio Herrera's Inter. AC Milans' next scudetto arrived only in 1967/1968, thanks to the goals of Pierino Prati, the Serie A topscorer in that season, as well as the Cup Winners' Cup, won against Hamburg SV thanks to two goals of Kurt Hamrin.

The next season AC Milan won its' second Champions League (4-1 to AFC Ajax), and in 1969 won its' first Intercontinental Cup, after having defeated in two dramatic legs, Estudiantes de La Plata of Argentina (3-0, 1-2).