29/12/2007 14:54
Inter Milan All-Time Best XI With Calcio taking a two week break, Carlo
Garganese takes the opportunity to pick the best all-time elevens from the
top teams. The third in the series are Inter Milan...
Inter Milan All-Time Best XI
Walter Zenga (1982-94) – Zenga’s nickname, ‘Spiderman’, said it all about
this fantastic goalkeeper. Astonishing elasticity and reflexes, Zenga grew up
in the Inter youth system and eventually owned the No 1. shirt for 11
straight seasons. He won the Scudetto in 1989, and was also capped 58 times
for Italy.
During Italia 90’ he established the record of 518 minutes without conceding
a goal. However when this did finally occur in the semi-final, it was a
costly mistake from Zenga, as his rash decision to come for a cross against
Argentina allowed Claudio Cannigia to equalise.
Javier Zanetti (1995-) – This brilliant Argentine wing-back signed for Inter
in 1995 from Banfied and has been consistently world class for well over a
decade. Now at the age of 34, Zanetti has showed no signs of slowing down.
A versatile player who can occupy virtually every position in defence and
midfield with distinction, ‘The Tractor’ has made over 400 Serie A
appearances for the club, winning two Scudetti and a UEFA Cup. Is also
Argentina’s most capped-ever player, and played at France 98’ and
Korea/Japan 2002.
Giuseppe Bergomi (1980-99) – Before Zanetti, and after Facchetti and
Mazzola, the symbol of Inter was Bergomi. A world-class defender, Bergomi
man-marked West German legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge out of the game in the
1982 World Cup Final while he was just 18-years-old. The moustached stopper
holds the Inter all-time appearance record, having played 758 times for the
club. He won the Scudetto once and the UEFA Cup three times during an
immaculate career. Such was his brilliance that one year before he retired he
was called up to Italy’s France 98’ squad after years in the international
wilderness – he did not disappoint.
Tarciso Burgnich (1962-74) – Burgnich was part of Helenio Herrera’s ‘La
Grande Inter’ team that dominated Italian and European football in the
1960s. An aggressive, no-nonsense defender, Burgnich played a key role in
Inter’s catenaccio system. He won four Scudetti, two European Cups and two
Intercontinental Cups, while he also played 68 times for Italy, appearing at
three World Cups, and winning the European Championships in 1968.
Giacinto Facchetti (1960-78) – Facchetti (pictured above) is undoubtedly the
most symbolic player in the history of Inter Milan, this exemplified by the
fact that his iconic No.3 shirt has been retired in his honour. A gentleman
on-and-off the pitch, Facchetti was a magnificent marker and made numerous
marauding runs down the left flank. He won the same major honours as his
defensive colleague Burgnich, and with 94 Italian caps to his name, he was
the all-time appearance holder for the Azzurri until Dino Zoff broke his
record.
Gabriele Oriali (1970-83) – This midfield hardman was very similar to
Gennaro Gattuso today; he didn’t possess the greatest technical ability but
was excellent at stopping opposition players and breaking up attacks. In 12
years at Inter he won two Scudetti and two Italian Cups. He was also a
runner-up in the 1972 European Cup, spending most of the final against Ajax
marking Johan Cruijff. Oriali, like Nerazzurri team-mate Bergomi, played an
important role in Italy’s 1982 World Cup triumph, and in total he won 28
caps for the Azzurri.
Lothar Matthaus (1988-92) – Legendary midfielder, whose longevity in
top-class professional football almost matched that of Milan’s Paolo
Maldini. He joined Inter in 1988 from Bayern Munich and immediately led the
club to the Scudetto in his first season. A complete midfield player, who was
superb both offensively and defensively, he was part of the wonderful German
trio with Andreas Brehme and Jurgen Klinsmann. Matthaus was FIFA World Player
of the Year in 1991, and won a record 150 caps for the German national team,
captaining them to World Cup glory at Italia 90’.
Mario Corso (1957-73) – Corso was another key member of La Grande Inter
team, and his nickname was ‘God’s left foot’. A midfielder of incalculable
ability, Corso could at times be lazy and unfocused, however his genius
always shone through. Corso was one of Calcio’s legendary free-kick takers,
with his most famous possibly coming against Liverpool in the 1965 European
Cup semi-final. Such was his talent that it is said that the whole stadium
used to go quiet when he received the ball, while team-mate Carlo Tagnin said
of the star: “If Corso was on form, we always won.”
Luis Suarez (1961-70) – It is often said that Spanish players have never
succeeded in Italy, however Suarez more than made up for the numerous
failures from his fellow countrymen. The midfielder signed for Inter for a
world record fee in 1961 and over the next nine years helped the team to
three Scudetti, two European Cups and two Intercontinental Cups. He was twice
Ballon d’Or winner, once with Inter, and also lifted the 1964 European
Championships with Spain, his country’s only-ever major international honour
to date.
Sandro Mazzola (1961-77) – Son of Torino great Valentino Mazzola, who was
killed in the Superga air disaster in 1949, Sandro Mazzola proved to be just
as much of a legend as his father. Mazzola made his debut during the infamous
1-9 defeat to Juventus in 1961, but he scored Inter’s only goal. During the
next 16 years he would win every major club honour in the game. A brilliantly
skillful and creative midfielder, who could also play up-front, he scored 114
goals in 418 games. He played 70 times for Italy, however his time with the
Azzurri was clouded by the struggles to find a system to incorporate both him
and the equally outstanding Gianni Rivera into the same team.
Giuseppe Meazza (1927-40) – Italy’s World Cup-winning Coach from 1934 and
1938, Vittorio Pozzo, said of Meazza: “To have him in your team meant to
start 1-0 up”. Meazza was the first Italian football superstar, and was
blessed with extraordinary technique, he was a brilliant passer, both-footed,
and a lethal goal-scorer, hitting the back of the net 245 times in 348 games
for Inter. He won three Scudetti at the club and was Italy’s star man at the
aforementioned World Cup successes in 34’ and 38’. He famously scored a
crucial penalty in the 38’ semi-final against Brazil as his shorts were
falling down, while he also slept at a brothel the night before a match. When
he died in 1979, the Milan stadium at San Siro was named after him.
Formation: 4-1-3-1-1:
Zenga
Zanetti Bergomi Burgnich Facchetti
Oriali
Matthaus Suarez Corso
Mazzola
Meazza
Carlo Garganese
--
FROM 211.99.222.*