Before the Champions League Cup established in 1955, there was the Latin Cup (Coppa Latina). In the early 1950s, it had a similar status, and was considered the most important trophy in Europe. It would accept only top teams and champions of France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. This was the evolution of the cup establishments, among which there was the Mitropa Cup (a.k.a Central Europe Cup), that was the european cup before the Latin Cup and was discontinued in 1940.
There would be 8 seasons played for the Latin Cup among them Milan would win two of them (1951 and 1956). And just like Barcelona and Real Madrid they would tie the most number of victories for that cup. Milan would also be the ONLY Italian team to win it. As you may have guessed, this was the beginning of Milan’s International trophy winning DNA. In their first cup victory of 1951 the Rossoneri had won their 4th scudetto. They went on to beat Atlético Madrid in the semi-finals, and then the French team Lille in the final at San Siro on May 24, 1951 with a 5-1 victory. Three goals were scored by the top Rossonero striker Nordahl (who also scored in the semifinals), one by Annovazzi, and the other by Burini.
It is worth mentioning, scudetto winners weren’t the only ones to participate, hence the fact that the Rossoneri played for the Latin Cup for 5 seasons, and won 2, during the trophy’s 10 year span of existence. The Milan team members that competed in the final of ’51 were the following: Buffon, Silvestri, Bonomi, Annovazzi, Tognon, De Grandi, Burini, Gren, Nordahl, Liedholm Vicariotto, and coach Czeizler.
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