AC Milan v Inter: The story of an iconic image
This article reflects on an iconic 2005 photograph of AC Milan's Rui Costa and Inter Milan's Marco Materazzi standing together during a chaotic derby match. The piece explores the contrast between the players' reputations and the intense atmosphere of the San Siro rivalry.
Why it matters
It provides cultural context to one of football's most famous images, highlighting the intersection of sports history and photography.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, An image of Inter defender Marco Materazzi leaning on the shoulder of Milan attacker Rui Costa has become one to symbolise the teams' local rivalry
A version of this article was first published in May 2023.
There was Rui Costa and there was Marco Materazzi. Beauty and the brawn. The elegant Portuguese shouldering the weight of his grizzled opponent's elbow.
Tranquillity amid the chaos as a pair of footballing rivals paused to ponder a hazy wall of red smoke and simmering flares.
"Everyone was focused on the flares, on the smoke," photographer Stefano Rellandini, who captured that iconic image 21 years ago, tells BBC Sport. "But near the centre of the pitch I saw a certain moment.
Also covering this story
3 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in