A couple of weeks ago while watching clips of old Inter matches on YouTube I started thinking about who would be in my ultimate starting line up of all time, this wasn’t quite as easy as I thought it would be as the more I thought about it the more quality players from Inter’s history came to mind and I ended up with a 8-10-6 formation which of course is ridiculous & I may as well have just written a post about all the greats of Inter’s history, which would be a very long job so I decided to find out who my fellow Interista would say deserved to be in the ultimate line-up.
To keep things consistent I decided to go with the formation that I feel suits Inter’s players the best, so I asked my followers on Facebook & Twitter what their ultimate line-up would be on a 4-3-1-2 formation and I got some great replies, though it soon became clear that certain players were on pretty much all the answers, meaning that again I ended up with more players than I needed so the line-up is made up of the most voted for 11.
As we all know since they were formed in 1908 Inter have had some of the greatest players to ever grace a football field and as I received the replies this was shown clearly, just to give you an idea of the quality involved some of the names that didn’t make the cut were Lothar Matthäus, Armando Picchi, Roberto Baggio & Samuel Eto’o. These names alone are better than some big teams greatest names but the ones that were chosen I believe, and the results prove are the best of the best Nerazzurri legends.
So Who Did Make The Ultimate Team?
The results are finally here and all the players shown here received at least twice as many votes as the players that didn’t make the cut so there is no doubt to the quality of those selected.
So there we have it the greatest line-up of FC Internazionale’s history, and let’s face it if we had that squad on the pitch this season I’d be more than confident that we could win every competition Inter is involved in. So what makes these players so special? Well carry on reading and you’ll see what each of these did or does for the mighty Nerazzurri to ensure they will always be know in Inter’s & world football history as legends.
Walter Zenga
Zenga was born in Milan on 28th April 1960, he played for Inter’s youth team in the 1977-78 season before starting his professional career in Italy’s lower leagues, he then returned to the Nerazzurri ranks in 1982 where he secured his 1st choice spot in just his second year. The Milanese keeper stayed with Inter for 12 years making 328 appearances. During this time he achieved the following honors –
UEFA Goalkeeper of the year – 1990
Serie A Footballer of the year – 1987
Scudetto – 1988-89
Italian Super Cup – 1989
UEFA Cup – 1991 & 1994
Javier Zanetti
“Il Capitano” was born on 10th August 1973 near Buenos Aires, Argentina & as you all know is our current captain, he joined Inter in 1995 (which was the year I started following Inter) & was given the captain’s armband in 1999. In his 16 years at our club he has made a huge 752 appearances with 21 goals for us, proving his love & commitment to our beloved Nerazzurri. In this time he’s achieved a massive list of honors & there is no sign of ‘Pupi’ giving up yet which in my opinion makes him one of the greatest Inter legends ever.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto – 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 & 2009/10
Coppa Italia – 2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10 & 2010/11
Supercoppa Italiana – 2005, 2006, 2008 & 2010
UEFA Champions League – 2009/10
UEFA Cup – 1997/98
FIFA Club World Cup – 2010
Giuseppe Bergomi
Bergomi was born on the 22nd December 1963 in Milan and he played his entire career for the Nerazzurri from 1979 – 1999 and was another of Inter’s great captains making 758 appearances and scoring 28 goals. He is considered many to be one of the greatest defenders in the history of the game, he was affectionately known as “Lo zio” (“the uncle”) because of the impressive moustache he wore from a young age. Considering the years he spent at Inter & playing for the Italian national team his list of achievements isn’t as long as some of the other players on this list, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less of a player, this guy is one of the world greats.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto – 1988/89
Coppa Italia – 1981/82
Italian Super Cup – 1989
UEFA Cup – 1990/91, 1993/94 & 1997/98
FIFA World Cup – 1982
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi ended a 10 year Inter career this summer; he was born on 19th August 1973 in Lecce to a footballing family. He has had quite a few controversial moments during his career & he’s never been shy about making his views heard & he’s even less shy about committing to a tackle, his unpredictable personality & aggressive play got him the nicknames ‘The Matrix’ & ‘The Butcher’ from both fans & players alike.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto – 2005/06, 2006/07, 2008/09 & 2009/10
Coppa Italia – 2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10 & 2010/11
Italian Super Cup – 2005, 2006, 2008 & 2010
UEFA Champions league – 2009/10
FIFA Club World Cup – 2010
FIFA World Cup – 2006
Serie A Defender of the year – 2007
Giacinto Facchetti
Facchetti is widely considered the greatest Inter player of all time and is considered not only a legend but also a God in the religion of the Nerazzurri. The legendary captain of the 1960’s ‘La Grande Inter’ was born on 18th July 1942 in Born at Treviglio, in the Province of Bergamo (Lombardy), and started his career as a forward for his local team, he was quickly spotted by another Inter legend ‘Helenio Herrera’ (The great Inter Manager) & he signed him for Inter in the 1960/61 season & convinced him to play as a full back which proved to be a great decision as Facchetti became one of the most effective defenders in Italian football.
Facchetti dedicated not only his career to Inter but also his life, playing for us from 1960 – 1978, making 629 appearances & scoring 75 goals, then after he held various managerial positions at the club including technical director, board member, worldwide ambassador, vice president & then in 2004 he was elected as club president the position he held until his death in 2006.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto – 1962/63, 1964/65, 1965/66 & 1970/71
Coppa Italia – 1977/78
European Cup – Winner – 1963/64 & 1964/65
European Cup – Runner up – 1966/67 & 1971/72
Intercontinental Cup – 1964 & 1965
FIFA World Cup – Runner up – 1970
European Championships 1968 – Winner
Giuseppe Meazza
Giuseppe Meazza was born in Milan on 23rd August 1910, he played for Inter between 1927 – 1940 at the beginning of his career, he then moved around several clubs including A.C Milan & Juventus before eventually returning to Inter for his last year of his playing career as a player manager in 1946/47 & continued as manager for the 1947/48 season.
He then returned to Inter as manager between 1955 – 57. Despite playing for our rivals during his career he made 365 appearances and scored 243 goals & he is widely considered the best player of his generation (So much so that The San Siro stadium was renamed the ‘Giuseppe Meazza’ in his honour) His nicknames were ‘Peppino’ & ‘il Balilla’. Meazza started his career as a striker but showed his skill and ability by also becoming an accomplished midfielder, playing there for more than half of his career. He was a great leader with excellent shooting and intoxicating dribbling skill, an eye for the pass and, despite his middle height, an exceptional heading ability.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto -1929/30, 1937/38 & 1939/40
Coppa Italia – 1939
FIFA World Cup – 1934 & 1938
Dr. Gero Cup – 1927/1930 & 1933/1935
For those of you like me that don’t know what the Dr. Gero Cup was this is for you.
It was an international football competition held by certain national teams from Central Europe between 1927 and 1960. There were competitions for professional and amateur teams. Participating nations were Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. Played as a league on a home and away basis, it was contested six times and each single tournament usually took more than two years to complete. The last two tournaments lasted five years. It was discontinued in 1960, when the European Football Championship started.
Esteban Cambiasso
Another one of our current players to make the squad is Esteban Matías Cambiasso, who was born on 18th August 1980 in Buenos Aires; his nickname is “Cuchu”. He plays as a defensive midfielder and since he signed for Inter in 2004 from a two-year stint at Real Madrid he has made 302 appearances and scored 38 goals. He really is Inter’s midfield heartbeat. A player who reads the game like few others, the Argentina international offers protection to the defence and thrust in attack with his probing runs and neat distribution. Is widely regarded as one of the most intelligent players in Serie A.
Eurosport said about Cambiasso, when Jose Mourinho was still managing Inter, “There is nothing glamorous about the bald Argentine, but he is the heartbeat of the Inter side that have become the dominant force in Italian football. Just the kind of determined, hard-running midfielder Jose Mourinho loves. Originally a destroyer, the 29-year-old has become increasingly adventurous and weighs in with six to eight goals per season.”
Achievements and Honours –
UEFA Champions League – 2009/10
Scudetto – 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 & 2009/10
Coppa Italia – 2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10 & 2010/11
Supercoppa Italiana – 2005, 2006, 2008 & 2010
FIFA Club World Cup – 2010
Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez was born in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain on the 2nd May 1935, he played as a left or central midfielder & was known for his elegant and graceful style of play, making him one of Spain’s greatest ever players and earning him the nickname ‘El Arquitecto’ (The Architect) due to his perceptive passing and explosive shot. When he signed for Inter from Barcelona for 250 million Italian Lira (£142,000) he became the world’s most expensive player, he made 328 appearances for ‘La Grande Inter’ and scored 55 goals between 1961 and 1970. After his playing career ended he had three stints at managing Inter in 1975 as the official coach and then in both 1992 & 1995 as a caretaker manager, he has also coached several other Italian and Spanish teams but he now works as a scout for the Nerazzurri.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto – 1962/63, 1964/65 & 1965/66
European Cup – 1964 & 1965
Intercontinental Cup – 1964 & 1965
European Football Championship – 1964
European Footballer of the Year – 1960
Wesley Sneijder
Wesley Sneijder is again another of our current crop of players and is arguably the best player of our current squad and a key squad member of the treble winning 2010 ‘Grande Inter’. He was born in Utrecht, Netherlands on 9th June 1984.
This summer he has continually linked with a move to English champions Manchester United, which isn’t surprising considering he is regarded as the best in the world in his position, he’s quick, strong on the ball, can play with both feet and has excellent passing ability as well as being a dead-ball specialist. He signed for Inter from Real Madrid for a bargain price of £15 million making an instant impact on his debut as the Nerazzurri number 10 in the Milan Derby that saw Inter thrash rivals AC Milan 4-0. He has made 80 appearances for us and scored 15 goals and like most Interista I hope that he plays many more for us.
Out of all the players on this list Wesley has been at Inter for the shortest time by quite a large difference but I believe that just proves how good this guy is and how important he is for our squad, though no matter what happens this summer he will always be counted as an Inter legend.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto – 2009/10
Coppa Italia – 2009/10 & 2010/11
Supercaoppa Italiana – 2009/10
UEFA Champions League – 2009/10
FIFA Club World Cup – 2010?2010
FIFA World Cup – Runner up
Alessandro Mazzola
Alessandro (‘Sandro’) Mazzola was born in Turin on 8th November 1942, and was another key player in the 60’s ‘Grande Inter’ and also another player that spent his entire career with the Nerazzurri, a career that ran for 17 seasons from 1960 -1977 and he played as a right midfielder and forward (For the purposes of this I’m using him as a forward) over the 17 years he made 417 appearances and scored 116 goals. He was blessed with great creativity, pinpoint passing ability, excellent close ball control and also a fantastic shot. He is now a football analyst and commentator on Italian channel RAI.
Achievements and Honours –
Scudetto – 1962/63, 1964/65, 1965/66 & 1970/71
European Cup – 1963/64 & 1964/65
Intercontinental Cup – 1964 & 1965
European Championship – 1968
Serie A Top Scorer – 1964/65
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima
Last but by no means least is what is probably the most controversial of all those selected on this list, but I’m a huge fan and so it seems are quite a few others. Ronaldo was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the 18th September 1976 and was given the nickname “Il Fenomeno” (The Phenomenon) as he had an amazing talent and scored an unbelievable amount of goals in his career, he is widely regarded around the world as the greatest striker in the history of football.
Ronaldo joined Inter from Barcelona in 1997 for what was then the world record fee of £19 Million. During his time at Inter he made 99 appearances and scored a fantastic 59 goals, but it was during his time with the Nerazzurri he suffered from a major injury in the match against Lecce on 21st November 1999 he ruptured the tendon in his knee which required surgery, this would turn out to be the beginning of the end for his time at Inter.
On the 12th April 2000 he made his comeback in the Coppa Italia final against Lazio but he only lasted 7 minutes before his knee gave way which took two operations and months of rehabilitation to recover from, he then spent the next two years making brief appearances but still showed his incredible talent, then after helping Brazil win their fifth title at the 2002 World Cup & winning world player of the year for the 3rd time he was made an offer by Real Madrid who at the time were the biggest club in the world and so came to an end his time at Inter.
Many Interista, myself included, were furious that after all the help we gave him to recover from his numerous injuries, all the faith we put in him & all the money invested in him, he still left us and sold himself out to the ‘Galacticos’. But unlike many of my fellow Interista I have come to forgive him for this, after all Inter were in their dark times and considered under dogs for every competition and he was offered a contract with the biggest and supposedly best club in the world, no player in the world would have turned that down!
The truth is we should celebrate the fact that the greatest striker ever played for this great club of ours and no matter what you think of him you cannot deny his huge talent, out of a total of 624 appearances he scored an amazing 420 goals.
Achievements & Honours –
UEFA Cup: 1998
Serie A Player of the Decade: 1997–2007
So there you have it that is the Ultimate Inter Line-up of all time, if any of the players you chose didn’t appear then don’t blame me it just means that these players received more votes, and if you think other players should have been on here and you didn’t vote, well there’s only one person you can blame for that. I have to admit there were a couple of surprises for me in the results but I have to agree these are some unbelievably fantastic players.
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Fantastic article, and I was pleasantly surprised at how similar the team was to the one I would pick! The only change I would make -due to the fact that I simply cannot forgive R#####o for first of all leaving us as he did, and then signing for AC!!- is to put Zamorano in alongside Mazzola. He may not have been as technically gifted as some of the strikers we have had over the years, nor was he as prolific as he was at Real Madrid, but from a personal point of view he endeered himself to me in much the same way as ‘The Matrix’ did by clearly showing the pride and passion he had in playing for our great club. He also had a handy habit of scoriing big goals in big games, thanks for the memories Bam Bam!! I think you should have had a bench too, and mine would be: Pagliuca, Samuel, Matthaus, Maicon, Stankovic, Recoba, Baggio. FORZA INTER!!!!!