SC Internacional

In that time, Vicente Rao, who founded the team's first ultra,[8] and Charuto, a often drunk supporter who Luis Fernando Verissimo defined as "a Colorado in pure state",[9] became symbolic fans who are still remembered today.

Similar to the earlier efforts during the construction of the stadium and later during the inauguration of Beira-Rio, it was the fans who mobilized resources and sought materials to enhance the Club's facilities.

On September 12, 1956, Councilman Ephraim Pinheiro Cabral, a man involved in football who had presided over Inter on several occasions, presented a project in the Porto Alegre City Council for the donation of an area that would be filled in the Guaíba River.

In this regard, there were special radio programs to mobilize Internacional supporters throughout Rio Grande do Sul, but the 1960s were a challenging period for Inter in football, the Beira-Rio seemed like it would never be completed.

[12] Despite the scarce financial resources, primarily directed towards the construction of the Beira-Rio, Inter assembled good teams, relying on the talent of youngsters like Bráulio, Dorinho, and Pontes.

In their first participation in a national competition, the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa of 1967, Inter had a remarkable campaign, reaching the final phase and ultimately securing the runner-up position against Ademir da Guia's Palmeiras.

Gradually, names like Valdomiro, Claudiomiro, Carpegiani, Hermínio, Pontes, Cláudio Duarte, Tovar, and Carbone were taking on the leading roles of the red team.

[16] With the signing of Lula for the left wing, which happened almost simultaneously with Minelli's arrival, Inter began to show greater balance on the sides of the field.

Already beloved by the red crowd, Valdomiro, who participated in 1974 FIFA World Cup, ruled the right flank, but lacked a companion with football skills matching his own on the other side, not anymore.

[14] From the youth categories, the champions of the Copa São Paulo at the beginning of the season, Jair, Caçapava, Chico Fraga and Batista were also integrated into the main squad, adding even more strength to the red team.

Rubens Minelli spent five consecutive weeks with his players, a crucial time to earn even greater admiration from the athletes and consequently, to fully implement his football concepts within the group.

Excellent, these numbers justly represented the high performance of the team, prompting comparisons, from The Sunday Times, between Inter and AFC Ajax who had recently won three consecutive Champions League titles.

[19] Inter was the first club from Rio Grande do Sul to win the Brazilian Championship, which was largely dominated by teams from São Paulo, winners of 12 of the 18 national titles contested until then, whether in the current format or the previous Taça Brasil and Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa.

[20] With an even better team than the previous year, Internacional was once again sovereign in the first phase of the 1976 Brazilian Championship, with 7 wins and 1 loss in 8 games, scoring impressive 25 goals and securing the top position.

And it was him, Falcão, who sealed Inter's advancement with a legendary goal, the result of a header exchange with Escurinho, in the dying moments of what is remembered as one of the greatest matches in the history of the Brazilian Championship.

While the two-time champion generation played in a clear 4-3-3 formation, designed to maximize the actions of Valdomiro and Lula, respective wingers on the right and left, the 1979 team easily varied between the two lines of three and a midfield composed of four players and two forwards.

The success of rivals Grêmio, however, winning the Brazilian Championship of 1981 and the 1983 Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup, alongside Inter's defeats at important finals made this decade a bittersweet one for the Colorado team.

However, in the finals Inter lost the chance at a fourth title after being defeated by Flamengo, containing famous players as Zico, Bebeto, Jorginho, Leandro, Edinho, Leonardo, Andrade, Zinho and Renato Gaúcho.

On the semi-finals, however, the Colorado faced a battle against arch-rivals Grêmio in what was called "The Grenal of the Century", so named because for the first time it pitted the bitter rivals against each other in a national competition knockout stage.

Olimpia, were blossoming in their second golden era with players such as Ever Almeida, Gabriel González, Adriano Samaniego, and star Raúl Vicente Amarilla, all coached by Luis Cubilla.

After winning the first semifinal match at Defensores del Chaco 1-0, the team led by Abel Braga played for a draw at home to secure a spot in the final.

Inter managed to secure four state championships (1991, 1992, 1994, and 1997), and had an unforgettable Grenal at the Olímpico stadium – a 5-2 with a fantastic performance by Fabiano that soothe the souls of the supporters through those difficult years.

[30] On November 10, in a packed Beira-Rio and with a header by Dunga, at 36 minutes into the second half, Internacional defeated Palmeiras 1-0 and avoided relegation to the second division of the Brazilian Championship for the first time.

[32] The intense heat in Belém prevented a faster pace in the first half, but Internacional returned for the second part and secured a 2-0 victory, with goals from Mahicon Librelato and Fernando Baiano.

Just eleven days after helping saving Inter from relegation, in the early hours of November 28, a car accident on Beira-Mar Avenue in Florianópolis resulted in the death of the 21-year-old promising young forward.

To win the title, Internacional had to move past two clubs that had won the tournament three times – Uruguay's Nacional and São Paulo, who were the defending champions.

In the same year, Internacional won the Copa Sudamericana, beating Argentine side Estudiantes de La Plata, becoming the first Brazilian winners of the trophy.

In the 2010 season, Internacional finished first in their group, winning their three home matches and tying their away games, no least thanks to figures such as Kléber, Alecsandro, Giuliano and Argentine midfielder Andrés D'Alessandro.

In Argentina, Estudiantes were winning 2–0 until the 88th minute, when Giuliano, Internacional's star goalscorer, put the ball in the net to give Inter a much needed goal and see them through to the semifinals to meet São Paulo, in a rematch of the finals four years earlier.

To steer the team clear of relegation, the club's football department, now led by Fernando Carvalho, president during the glorious days of the 2000s, brought back Celso Roth, a familiar figure for fans.

Henrique Poppe, founder of the club.
1919 squad
1942 state champions.
Internacional's team, 1953. National Archives of Brazil .
Construction of Beira-Rio in the Guaíba Lake in the 1960s
Elias Figueroa one of the greatest defenders in the history of football and idol of Internacional.
Rubens Minelli took over Internacional in 1974 and was the team's coach until 1976.
Internacional's brazilian champion squad of 1975.
Internacional fans at Beira-Rio during 1979 Brazilian Championship
Paulo Roberto Falcão holding the trophy of the 1979 Brazilian Championship
Waldemar Victorino scores the winning goal for Nacional against Internacional in 1980 Libertadores Final at Centenario.
Nílson scored for Internacional in the Grenal of the Century
Internacional lost the semi-finals to Olimpia in the 1989 Libertadores.
Taffarel playing for Internacional in the 1980s
Internacional won the 1992 Copa do Brasil title
Internacional and LDU Quito in the 2006 Copa Libertadores quarter-final at Beira-Rio.
Internacional line-up for Copa Libertadores game against Emelec on 18 March 2015.
Beira-Rio during the renovation works in 2012.
Renovated Beira-Rio Stadium , home of Sport Club Internacional.
Beira-Rio's hosted most of Internacional's titles
Internacional flag at Beira-Rio.