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Extended Clip - Inter Milan Greatest XI Of All Time, Starring Zanetti, Matthaus & Meazza (Ep. 395)
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After having named Juventus greatest ever starting lineup a few weeks ago, and ahead of this Sunday's Derby d'Italia, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese name Inter Milan's greatest ever starting XI.
This is a clip from the weekly Thursday episode of the Italian Football Podcast.
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Transcript
Introduction
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast.
Building the Greatest 11
00:00:21
Speaker
better moment, but to do it and insert greatest 11 of all time. So like last time, what we're going to do is we're going to go through each department on the field, goalkeepers, then defenders, then midfielders, then forwards. I'm going to read out a short list
00:00:37
Speaker
And then both myself and Nima will pick our players for each position and eventually come up with a greatest ever 11.
Legendary Inter Goalkeepers
00:00:47
Speaker
So we'll start off with the goalkeepers. There's so many all-time greats to pick from. It's going to be so difficult to do this 11. But from the goalkeeper shortlist, I have down Walter Zenga, obviously the legendary inter-goalkeeper from the 1980s and the early 90s, won the
00:01:04
Speaker
the Scudetto in 1989 under Trapatoni. Julio Cesar, of course, in the noughties team, won multiple Serie A titles and in that 2010 Champions League winning team. Samia Handanovic, who has the 10th most appearances in the history of Inter and has been one of their, was one of their real
00:01:29
Speaker
constants really during a decade of first of struggles and then going into the new winning era of Inter. Gianluca Paluca who was a fantastic goalkeeper during the 90s for Inter after Zenga and Francesco Toldo who was an amazing goalkeeper for Inter in the first half of the of the noughties before Julio Cesar
Why Zenga is the Greatest Goalkeeper?
00:01:54
Speaker
And then going back a little bit, Giuliano Sarti, who was the goalkeeper for Inter during the Gran De Inter of when they won the Champions League, or the European Cup as it was known then, twice and got to a third European Cup final as well. So those are the short lists, Nemma.
00:02:15
Speaker
Who are you going for? There is only one choice. There is only one choice, and that's Walter Zenga. He is not just Inter's greatest ever goalkeeper, but he's also with a shout of being Italy, one of, you know, Italy's one of, you know, top three ever Italian goalkeepers that have existed. He is
Zenga's Loyalty to Inter
00:02:36
Speaker
undoubtedly number one for what he did at Inter, for the level he played at, which is
00:02:44
Speaker
kind of unrivaled, if we're perfectly honest. He... No, he's from Milan. He's an Interista through and through. Played pretty much his entire professional career at Inter. No, it's... It's Zenga. It's Zenga. He's the only person who
00:03:12
Speaker
If he were to become the coach of Inter, I would throw all reason out the window in the sense that I would never, no matter how bad potentially the results go, I would never call for his sacking. That is how important he is at this Arinta.
00:03:29
Speaker
Even if he lost every single game coaching Inter, I would never, ever call for his sacking. I just can't do that. You just can't do that. It's Valter Zenga. He
Famous Inter Defenders
00:03:39
Speaker
is Inter. He embodies everything about Inter. And as a player, he was just unbelievable. Unbelievable goalkeeper.
00:03:50
Speaker
He was unbelievable. What was his nickname? Spiderman. He was an amazing goalkeeper. His only weakness was on crosses. He wasn't the best on crosses and he made me cry.
00:04:10
Speaker
Absolutely. Absolutely. Think about it. Stefano Takani, who passed away, I think recently. No, no, he's still alive. He's sick. Sorry, he was sick. Sorry. When he started for that Iube, that won everything in the 80s,
00:04:32
Speaker
He was their undisputed number one. He couldn't get a kick with the Italy national team. It was always Valter Zenga. That's how good Zenga was. And Takoni was a goalkeeper over Juva that literally won every single trophy available to them. Couldn't get a kick.
00:04:47
Speaker
It was always Walter Zenga. He used to be known as the best backup goalkeeper in the world. He was very bitter about it. He never stops bitching and moaning about it. And him and Zenga have never had a really good relationship because of that.
00:05:02
Speaker
But yeah, that's how good Walter Zenga was. Walter Zenga was the undisputed number one. People forget about it because of the mistake that he made, but he set the record for a World Cup in that number of minutes without conceding for Italy during the Italian 90 as well. I believe that record still stands.
00:05:25
Speaker
I think so. I would be surprised if it's been beaten because it was like midway through the second half of the semi-final and he'd gone every minute up until then without conceiving. Let's do the defence.
Nima's Defensive Picks
00:05:35
Speaker
Now, this is so, so difficult. I mean, reading out this list, I mean, it's insane. One thing I've noticed about Inter is a lot of Inter's players stay there for a long time. I've noticed that from doing the shortlist here. So, defend the shortlist.
00:05:51
Speaker
And I know one of these players you're picking in midfield, but I'm reading them out in the defence. So Javier Zanetti, who has the most appearances, of course, in the history of Inter. Giuseppe Bergami, who has the second most appearances in the history of Inter and was part of the team for almost 20 years.
00:06:09
Speaker
Tassizio Bulgnich, who was an insane plague, gave maybe the most famous quote about Pele, marked him during the 1970 World Cup and basically said, I thought Pele was made out of flesh and bone like everyone else, but I was wrong. It was basically the quote. Mykon,
00:06:31
Speaker
My con, of course, part of the the inter team that won the 2010 treble. So those are the kind of like the more right back options, although Bergenmi could also was also really a centre back. Then the left back options, I've got Faketi, of course, who has the third most appearances of intern. He was the captain of the Grand Inter and just a
00:06:53
Speaker
Actually, he wasn't, he wasn't, as someone else who was, and that's on my opinion. But he was captain after Picky left, though. After Picky left, he was the captain of the Inter at that time. And then Bremer, Andreas Bremer, of course, was part of the Trappatoni team, part of the three Germans at Inter.
00:07:11
Speaker
And then
Armando Picchi's Legacy
00:07:12
Speaker
moving to more central, we've got Giuseppe Berezi, of course, the brother, the lesser-known brother of Franco Berezi, but a legend in his own rights for Inter. Ivan Cordoba, Walter Samuel, both part of that great Inter team of the Noughties. Riccardo Ferri, who was a part of that amazing Italy defense in Italia 90, and also part of the Inter team that won in 1989.
00:07:51
Speaker
And then, of course, the man he said, Armando Picci, who was the sweeper of the Grande Inter, and who was the captain until he left, and died very prematurely, sadly, at the age of in his mid-30s when he was a coach. I believe he was at Juventus, or had just been at Juventus when he died. And then Milan Scrinia, Fulivio Colovati, and then part of the 1982 Italy World Cup winning team, and Lucio, who was also part of that 2010 team. So I mean, the list there,
00:08:03
Speaker
That's good, that's right. That defense though. Bergami Ferribarezi Maldini. I mean, Zenga Ngo.
00:08:21
Speaker
is insane so try and make a defense a back four out of that nimah yeah micon to the right because the way that he dominated the right wing was just unbelievable so he's on the right jacinto faketi is an institution at inta to the left and then in the middle it has to be bergomi and uh and and piki armando piki and it annoys me a little bit about the about armando piki because people don't know who he was he was
00:08:51
Speaker
the captain of La Grande Inter that won everything, the best ever Inter that has ever existed in the 60s when they won two back-to-back European Cups for Champions Leagues. The way that he joined, he was part of the Spal team, their highest ever finish in the Serie A.
00:09:17
Speaker
won everything. They were one game away from winning the treble. Back then in the 60s, they lost a Copa Italia final to Juve. He was a libero, he was a leader on and off the pitch. He embodied the values that Inter wanted to embody in the sense of working hard and keep your head down and
00:09:38
Speaker
into our different club than Milan. Milan have always been kind of more extrovert, into our very introvert club, historically. And he was very like that, you know. And he was he was absolutely one of the greatest players to ever play for for Italy, for for Inter in Italy. He didn't have a very good Italy career due to injuries, very unlucky and also management choices. But we're talking about someone who
00:10:08
Speaker
In 2022, he was inducted into the Italian Football's Hall of Fame, and that is something that's a bit of a shame. I think it's a disgrace, because people don't know him.
00:10:26
Speaker
the average Inter fan don't even know him. And every year, Inter have their Hall of Fame inductee thing where people
Vote for Armando Picchi
00:10:35
Speaker
vote. He's always overlooked, but luckily, but he's already, but he has been inducted into Italy's Hall of Fame because luckily there, people who actually know football vote and not the general public.
00:10:46
Speaker
He was born in Livorno and he is an absolute titan, one of the greatest defenders ever to play the game.
00:11:04
Speaker
He doesn't get the recognition he deserves. He died, unfortunately. He was 35 when he died of cancer. He was coach of Juventus and then he had to stop during the mid-season because he got cancer and he died a few months later. Yeah, he did. And he has to be. And again, Interfan's
00:11:26
Speaker
this shame must stop. Next time you can vote for the Inter Hall of Fame, you have to vote for Armando Picci. It's as simple as that. You just have to. You know, just, you know, do your reading and research
Legendary Midfielders in 4-3-3
00:11:41
Speaker
the club. Great play, one of the first people. But of course, the next time it has to be Lord Ziel. Like, you just have to have Bergami there. It's just, you know, he was, I know he was a right back, but back then, most of his career, but he was outstanding in the middle as well.
00:11:56
Speaker
Yeah, he played right back and sent it back, both roles. I think he was 17 or 18 when he won the World Cup. And sported a moustache that would make a 40-year-old man. No, he looked about 30 in that World Cup. He was only 18. And the funny thing with Bergami is, it's so funny to me that he looks
00:12:18
Speaker
healthy. He looks younger now than he did then. Then he stopped playing not when he did when he was playing. He shaved off the mustache after he stopped playing. He looks healthier and happier. That is true because he always came across as quite scary as a footballer. You thought of him, oh he's not going to be a very nice person and then and then and then after he's very very gentle person and very. Really the loveliest man you could ever. Yeah he was, I mean his longevity of Bergamy's career was insane. I mean
00:12:46
Speaker
He was, yeah, he was 18 years old. He man-marked Carlines Ruminica, who was the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, I believe, at the time of the 1982 World Cup, and the best striker in the world going into that World Cup. And he man-marked him out of the final, in the final, against West Germany when Italy won 3-1, 18 years old. And then he came back from and played in the 1998 World Cup for Italy, came out of seven years in exile,
00:13:15
Speaker
and came back. Cesare Maldini brought him back, and he had an outstanding World Cup in 1998, and when Italy lost in the quarter-finals on penalties to France, the hosts, the eventual winners, he was brilliant in that World Cup as well. So the longevity of his career was absolutely insane. No, it was, and he was... Who's your left back then? Fachetti, the first, you know, Giacinto Fachetti, the first real...
00:13:44
Speaker
wing back of that era, attacking wing back of that system. So, Maikon, Bergomi, Piki, Faketi, Zenga and Goh.
00:13:55
Speaker
Yeah, my defense is slightly different to yours. I'm going to go with with Burgnic at right back. He was part of obviously Herrera's land inter team, which which dominated, you know, Italy and Europe in the 60s. He was an amazing, amazing defender. He was, you know, very aggressive, no nonsense kind of hard man, kind of defender part of kind of, you know, the
00:14:21
Speaker
the Catenaccio system that the Inter used to play and he was also a legend for Italy as well. At the time I think he was one of the highest, for a long time he was one of the highest
00:14:36
Speaker
Even though he played 68 times for Italy, which might not sound a lot now, but back then that was a lot and he was one of the highest appearance makers for Italy and he played at three World Cups and he won the Euros in 1968. So I would have him at right back. Burgamy has to be in my team as well, of course.
00:14:53
Speaker
And then I would have, I'm going to put Zanetti at left back. I know he didn't necessarily play that much there, although he did when they won every 2010. He can play there every year. I mean, he can play anywhere. Zanetti, he can play everywhere. Just pulled in and said, when he came on him, he could play him anywhere other than goal. And so I'm putting him at left back. I mean, he did play there during the, when they won in 2010, didn't he? He did a great job against Messi in the semi-final. Messi didn't get kicked in. He was 37.
00:15:22
Speaker
And then, I mean, Faketi, his natural role wasn't as a centre-back. He did play as centre-back as he got into his 30s and into his mid-30s. He played as centre-back, but I mean, it's not his role. He's a left-back. But, yeah, I'm going to stick Faketi in there because, you know, I can't leave Faketi out. No, I can't leave Faketi out. I can't leave Bergenich out. I mean, it's just impossible to pick a defense out of these. So, yeah, those are my back four.
00:15:46
Speaker
Midfield. Let's do the midfield then. We're going with a 4-3-3 formation because it's just easier. So the midfield short is Lota Mateus, of course, Germany legend, Ballon d'Or winner, 1990 World Cup winning legend. And Esteban Cambiaso, over 400 appearances, wins in that naughty team and also won, of course, the treble.
00:16:08
Speaker
Mario Corso, who's sixth on the all-time list. I know you're going to pick him up in attack, but I'm putting him with the midfielders. He was a wide, more of a wide midfielder, Corso. Gabriela Oriali.
00:16:23
Speaker
who was a defensive midfielder, hardman midfielder. Marcello Brozovic, of course, who left last summer. Luis Suarez, who won the Ballon d'Or in the 60s, passed by an amazing, amazing player in that grande inter-team. Nicole Barrella, I'm putting in, and Angelo Domingini, who's also a calorie legend as well. My midfield three is Javier Zanetti on the right of a midfield three.
00:16:52
Speaker
Cuccio Cambiaso as the holding midfielder and Lothar because Lothar look he if you rival Maradona when Maradona is at his best then that tells me everything I need to know about the player I remember watching him the way that he ate midfield as they say in Italy the way that he ate his opponents and dominated midfield
00:17:18
Speaker
from just from his passing, his shooting, his running. He could do everything. He literally could. He was a fantastic tackler. He was a brilliant ball winner, creative genius, fantastic shot. He was the most complete midfielder, one of the most complete midfielders I've ever seen. And he was a Ballon d'Or winner.
00:17:42
Speaker
And he's also Lotta, he has a larger-than-life personality. A friend of mine who's a commentator in Sweden, he told me of a very funny story. I can't remember what tournament it was, World Cup or Euros or whatever it was, but he was commentating in Swedish TV and he was commentating live.
00:18:04
Speaker
And Lothar doesn't ask, Lothar does. So Lothar just looks at him and takes his charger away from him and starts using it and gives him a nod. Like, that's just what Lothar is, he doesn't even ask. He just takes the charger, looks him in the eye and nods as if you've been graced by Lothar, that Lothar touches your belongings. Like, he really is that kind of a larger-than-life character and on the pitch he was unbelievable.
00:18:31
Speaker
On the pitch, absolutely unbelievable, like you said, the complete midfielder. I mean, box to box, he could tackle, he could create, he could shoot. I mean, his long range shooting was insane. He took penalties, he took free kicks. I mean, he was tactically brilliant. I mean, he even played a sweeper as he got older in his career.
00:18:51
Speaker
for for for germany's longevity was insane and he played at euro 1980 and then played at euro 2000 as well played like he's played in 20 years for germany national team um you know played until he was 40 i mean he was yeah i mean just just just incredible if i had to pick my greatest ever 11
00:19:10
Speaker
And
Matthäus's Dominance in Midfield
00:19:11
Speaker
I had to pick a box to box with fielder. I think I'd pick low to Mateus and I don't think I would pick for my box to box with fielder I think I would pick anybody else other than other than him won over 150 caps for the Germany national team. I mean, you know
00:19:25
Speaker
No, it's only one you want to say was just when tournaments were shorter then as well. I didn't get to play as many games because because the qualification campaigns were shorter the tournaments themselves were short and he got over 150 caps or 150 caps in total. I mean, it's insane. Okay, Mateus is one. Who you got? Who else you got?
00:19:48
Speaker
Kucho Cambiaso and Javier Zanetti, Javier Zanetti to the right and then Kucho Cambiaso as the holding midfielder who is one of, as I think Mourinho said, playing with Cambiaso is like playing with a coach on the pitch. He was one of the most intelligent footballers that I've ever seen.
00:20:05
Speaker
He was like so he was he was the point at which other players looked at to understand where they should be in relation To put to their position. Yeah tactically was brilliant. He was brilliant at creating a unit in midfield But also like protecting the defense as well that we talked about I talked about this season a lot about Milan and how they just don't have anyone able to protect the defense respect when Ben is there he's not too dissimilar actually Ben is there since it can be essay doesn't play
00:20:34
Speaker
You know, he was just brilliant. Brilliant at that. Absolutely fantastic. He was a general. He's probably my favorite. He is my favorite player of the treble team because of his intelligence, because of how cool and calm and controlled and the leader he was. Him and Zanitti, you know, Zanitti was the general. This was his lieutenant. A great short passing game as well. Terrible hairstyle when he used to try and hang on to that last thread of hair.
00:21:00
Speaker
Before we could say that. We're all very grateful when he shaved his hair off. We're all very happy for that. No, but look, and just scored very many important goals. You know, Chelsea in the Champions League comes to mind. And Barcelona, of course, at seven. Yeah, yeah. They scored against Barcelona, didn't they? No. Did he score against Barcelona? No, no, he didn't. He scored against... The goals at the San Siro were scored by Snyder, Milito and Maicon.
00:21:31
Speaker
That's right, yeah, I'm getting mixed up with the Schneider goal. Yeah, well, they're both bold, or Schneider had a bit of more hair. But Kambiras has kept his figure a little bit better than Schneider has. One could say that, and one could also say that was very, very to be expected, because Schneider liked the good life, even when... We should probably have Schneider on this short list as well, even though he had a short and sweet career. Absolutely.
00:21:58
Speaker
about one year, the 90910 season, he was one of the best, he was the best midfielder in the world, if you ask me that. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I'm gonna tell you mine, mine, mine, I'm going for Mateusz and Cambiese as well. But I'm gonna pick Luis Suarez on here. I think Suarez just has to be in this team. He was the man that made that grande intertic. He was the man that
00:22:25
Speaker
everything went through him in that Glanda Inter team. And that Glanda Inter team is one of the greatest teams of all time. And he was in for nearly a decade, nine years, 1961 to 1970. He won the Ballon d'Or. He joined in for a world record fee. So that tells you about what his status was in the world of football. He won three Scudetti, two European Cups, two Intercontinental Cups at a time when the Intercontinental Cup was a big tournament.
00:22:52
Speaker
Sorry, he won the
Luis Suarez's Grande Inter Legacy
00:22:53
Speaker
Balladore twice, I should say, sorry. Once with Inter, but once or so before. And he won the 1964 Euros with Spain as well. He was just an amazing, amazing midfielder.
00:23:07
Speaker
Yeah, no, I mean, it's difficult because there's so many, I mean, I would, you know, there's so many midfielders and world class players that you could have in there. For when you when you when you talk about Milan, Italy, you've all time 11th. It's just how do you pick up a level? I mean, it's the level is just so ridiculous. It's so damn high. It's impossible. Really, it is. It really is. I mean, it was so difficult picking an 11 out of this. The attack now, right?
00:23:36
Speaker
So, this short list is really long. Now, some of these players had longer inter-careers than others. Now, some of these players don't get in because their inter-careers are so short, even though they were amazing in the short time they were there, and that will become clear as I read out the list. So, Giuseppe Miazza.
00:23:53
Speaker
top scorer of Inter, all-time top scorer, not Mauro Icardi, he isn't the Inter top scorer as we were told by CBS, TNT. No TNT, it's neither Icardi or Lautaro Martinez. Yeah, I was already told Lautaro, they said it was the top scorer, joint top scorer. Yeah, so it's actually Giuseppe Meza, top scorer and has been the top scorer for like over 80 years.
00:24:18
Speaker
And he has, of course, the stadium. He will be forever and ever until the end of time. I mean, I just don't see anyone staying at Inter long enough to beat his record in this day and age. Yeah. I mean, he
Legendary Inter Forwards
00:24:26
Speaker
has the stadium named after him as well, of course. Sandro Matsuda, who's the fourth top scorer of Inter, and he's kind of like one of those more attacking midfielders strike forward. So, I mean, he could even be in the midfield section as well. Alessandro Altobelli, who's the second top scorer of Inter all the time in the Inter team of the 1980s. And, of course,
00:24:47
Speaker
part of the Italy team that won the 1982 World Cup and scored in the final for Italy against West Germany. Roberto Bobo Bonincenia, the original Bobo, and he was the third top scorer of Inter of all time. He was there in the 70s and
00:25:07
Speaker
was part of the Italy team that got to the 1970 World Cup Final and scored in the 1970 World Cup Final in that 4-1 thrashing by Brazil. Cristian Vieri, who had quite a short and sweet intercareer but still scored so many goals. He's the 10th top scorer of all time for Inter. Lautaro Martinez, who hasn't been into that long, but is already the seventh top scorer of Inter.
00:25:34
Speaker
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, again, what a short spell, it's only three years, but, you know, it was magical. One Inter 3 Scudetti on his own, essentially. I mean, it's just... Yeah, of course, the Ronaldo, the original Brazilian Ronaldo. R9, R9. R9, absolutely insane, but really only had
00:25:56
Speaker
one and a half years, because then he was just always injured. But that first season was a magical 97, 98. Then going back a little bit, Lenat Skoglandt, one of Sweden's greatest Swedish winger, Istvan Nyas as well, who's also one of the top scorers of all time, Diego Milito, who is another player that when you talk about Piki, who's just ignored when we're talking about him. I mean, I say this, his 2009-2010 season,
00:26:26
Speaker
He is one of the all-time greatest seasons by a strike of anywhere, when if you look at not just the number of goals, I think he scored 30 goals, but just like how decisive he was, he scored the winner that won the last day of the Scudetto that won them into the title. He scored the winner in the Coppertalia final.
00:26:44
Speaker
He scored both the goals to win the Champions League final, but he also scored in the semi-final, the quarter-final. He scored in all the key matches he scored in, basically, that season. I mean, insane. Adriana, of course, for Inza, who could have done so much more, but still did pretty great before things went wrong for him.
00:27:09
Speaker
Romelu Lukaku,
Nima's Forward Selections
00:27:10
Speaker
I mean, some Inter fans will get angry with his name being on there, but he still played a pivotal role in those first two seasons. Carl Heinz Ruminiger, amazing in the 1980s. Ruben Sosa, again, short and sweet, but scored a lot of goals. And of course, Alvaro Ricoba, who's more of a romantic option, but... Yeah, it is. It's a romantic option. We're still an amazing player. So, yeah. Pick three from there, Nima.
00:27:37
Speaker
Yeah, so the number nine, like the central position is miazza. You can't just, I know he played football in different era, but he just can't go past it. He just can't, you know, what he did and the impact he had and the records he set and all that stuff. He has to be there. It's just
00:27:57
Speaker
He's the number nine. And then I've got with Sandra Mazzola on the right, because, you know, his importance for Inter and what he did and the one-man club that he was and everything he did. Look, he has to be in this team. And on the left wing, I've got God's left foot, as he was nicknamed, Mario Corso, who is one of the most charismatic
00:28:24
Speaker
people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting in football. Oh, you met him? Hilarious. Yeah, twice, three times. He's passed away now, isn't he? Yeah, yes, he's passed away. One of the most charismatic, funny, there was no bullshit with him. He literally said what he thought and thought what he said, believed everything he said, and he was not shy in saying what he thought. There was no BS with him. And there's this story
Meazza's Scoring Records
00:28:52
Speaker
of
00:28:52
Speaker
This has become legendary now that every summer, Helenio Herrera would be furious with Mario Corso and wanted to sell him. Every summer, Angelo Morati had to mend the peace and broker the peace between Helio Herrera and Mario Corso until it really got to the point where Helio Herrera said, either him or me. He could not deal with him, but again, nicknamed God's left foot, says everything you really need to know. He was unbelievable.
00:29:22
Speaker
He was absolutely insane. Of course, I've got the same attack as you. I don't usually like picking players that I've not seen. And the footage I've seen of him is so limited because I mean, it's just like little seconds highlights of him because he played in the 1930s. So it's difficult, but you know, I wouldn't usually pick him, but how can you not pick him when he's the top scorer, been the top scorer for 80 years and he's renowned by anybody that like all the
00:29:52
Speaker
Anybody that watched him play, including like journalists that were still around like in the 60s, 70s and 80s say that he's the greatest, you know, that Italy had. I mean, you kind of have to pick him. So he gets in and then Mazzola, of course, you know, the son of the great Torino, great Valentino Mazzola, who was killed in the
00:30:13
Speaker
the superior air disaster in 1949 and proved to be just as much of a legend as his father. He was an interfer for 16 years and he won everything.
00:30:29
Speaker
He was really a midfielder, but he did play up front as well. He was just amazing, technically scored goals, made goals physically. He was strong, he had everything, and he also had a
00:30:47
Speaker
a very famous kind of rivalry with with Gianni Rivera during that time for Italy, you know, who to play. Mazzola generally won that battle because Rivera didn't have a very good career for the Italy national team. Mazzola was always the one that kind of generally got the nod. But during the 1970 World Cup, they came they came up with this, this, they called it like a relay system where one was ridiculous when you think back at it now, they actually did this. But
00:31:16
Speaker
one would play one half and the other would play the other half to try and keep them happy. I mean, it's absolutely insane that they actually did that. It's the most Italian thing ever. I love it. It's the most Italian football thing ever and I love it. But then in the final against Brazil, Mazzola was playing so well. He was the only Italy player that was playing well that they actually ended up keeping Mazzola on and they didn't bring Rivera on until the final few minutes. And it was kind of seen as an insult that they brought on Rivera for just a few minutes. I love Italian
Mario Corso's Talent
00:31:43
Speaker
football.
00:31:45
Speaker
I love it. I love Italian football honour. But in the end, like Miazza, like I said, I've got a quote here that I found from Vittorio Pozzo, who was Italy's World Cup winning coach from 1934 and 1938. He said, to have Miazza in your team meant to start one nil up. And there are so many legendary stories you said about Corso, but there's so many legendary stories about Miazza. The most famous, of course, was the 1938 World Cup semifinal against Brazil.
00:32:11
Speaker
where his shorts were falling down as he was taking the penalty. And he had to hold them up as he was taking the penalty. He was holding his shorts while he was taking it. And there is actually footage of that, actually. So that isn't like some kind of myth that's been made up. And of course,
00:32:34
Speaker
he slept at a brothel the night before a match, which is also another famous story. And Omar Momani, who's a good friend of the show, does our images, he did a, me and him did like a, and he's actually resurrecting it now, because we only got halfway through it, like a history of the Italy national team, which is done in kind of like a tune video version. And he did a great one of that on the 1938 World Cup, where he actually
00:33:01
Speaker
Shows me at say draws me outside kind of like at the brothel before the game and yeah, of course had the stadium named after him and then call so yeah some great stories of course so as well, but he as you said Amazing left for one of the greatest left that's ever
00:33:17
Speaker
One of the greatest free kick takers that Italy or Italian football has ever had. These most famous came in against Liverpool in the 1965 European Cup semi-final, which is like one of the great comebacks into lost the first game 2-0 at Anfield.
00:33:33
Speaker
and they won three nil in the second leg to go to the final and then they won. And it's said that the whole stadium used to go quiet when he received the ball because they always expected something amazing. And his inter-team mate, Carlo Tanion said of Corso, if Corso was on form, we always won. So that kind of shows what a great, and I just also wanna say about Corso,
00:34:02
Speaker
It was really criminal how misused he was by the Italy national team. He only won 23 caps in his career in a 10 year Italy career, scored four goals. He never played in an international tournament, which is absolutely insane. He was excluded from the 1962 World Cup, the 66 World Cup, the 70 World Cup, the Euro 68 team. He didn't go to either. I mean, it was just absolutely criminal. And apparently it was mainly because
00:34:32
Speaker
he was seen as quite lazy on the pitch and they didn't think he fit into the team. So yeah, just criminal that player of that talent played so little for Italy.
00:34:45
Speaker
Yeah, no, it is true. It's him and Picci who never really, you know, Picci was unlucky more injuries and also the manager didn't, you know, believe in him. But no, it's true. It's weird how that happens in Italy a lot with great players that they don't, they don't, at least one of those countries who've, because they've been so spoilt for choice, they've almost given themselves the luxury
00:35:12
Speaker
of not allowing some of the greatest ever players to have a great Italy careers. How the mighty have fallen, eh? Yeah, he was also the originator of the knuckleball free kit, which people, and it really used to irritate me when they used to say that Ronaldo invented it. Remember that Ronaldo invented the knuckleball. No, no, it was Mario Corso like 50 years before him.
00:35:33
Speaker
with balls that were like weighed, like they were made of concrete, basically, they were that hard. And he still used to get the knuckleball bend and effect on it and dip on it. I mean, he was... He's quite a character too, like he was just funny, just the way, very charismatic, very warm, very funny, very honest, never held back.
00:36:00
Speaker
hilarious person I don't remember.