This is a continuation of our series of the best 50 players ever to wear an Inter jersey.  We first looked at players 41-50 (can be viewed here). We also have covered players 31-40 (can be viewed here) and players 21-30 (covered here).

20. Ronaldo (1997-2002)
When he signed from Barcelona for a world-record fee, he had yet to turn 21 and was already the best player in the world. He had pace, strength, technique and comparisons to Pelé did not seem obscene at the time. Alas, injuries blighted what might have been one of the most stellar careers in history. After an outstanding debut season (in which he scored 25 League goals, a record for a Serie A debutant, and was named European Footballer of the Year), he suffered the first of several serious knee injuries. The most dramatic was on April 12, 2000. Returning to action after a six-month lay-off, Ronaldo reinjured his knee after only six minutes. He was never the same again, despite leading Brazil to victory in the 2002 World Cup finals.

19. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2006-2009)
A Swede of Bosnian and Croatian origins, Ibrahimovic is one of the most unorthodox strikers around: a giant of a man blessed with creativity and finesse, but also terrifying physical strength. He came to Inter from Juventus after the Calciopoli scandal and was an instant sensation, putting behind him some of the disciplinary problems that had plagued his early career. He won three League Titles with Inter.

18. Antonio Valentin Angelillo (1957-1961)
Born in Argentina, he came to Italy with two team-mates and the trio came to be known as “Angels with Dirty Faces”. A consummate goalscorer, his finest hour was in 1958-59, when he notched 33 goals in as many appearances for Inter. He looked destined for greatness, but his love of nightlife and women led to him falling out with Helenio Herrera, the coach, who was known for his disciplinarian ways, and he was controversially sold in 1961, missing out on what would becomeLa Grande Inter.

17. Aldo Campatelli (1936-1950)
Started out as a wunderkind striker – making his debut for Italy, then the world champions, at the age of 20 – before turning into one of the club’s most loved and longest-serving midfield players. Came to symbolise a certain era, from the glory years of Giuseppe Meazza in the 1930s, through the difficulties of war time and the shoots of post-war recovery. He won two league titles with Inter.

16. Walter Zenga (1982-1994)
He was a larger-than-life goalkeeper who dubbed himself “Spider-Man” and never shirked publicity, dating a string of celebrities and presenting his own TV programme at the peak of his career. An outstanding shot-stopper and one of the most flamboyant goalkeepers in history, he was rock-solid in setting a record for fewest goals allowed in the 1988-89 season. In the 1990 World Cup finals, he set a record for clean sheets (five) before being beaten by Claudio Caniggia’s bizarre, looping, back header in the heartbreaking semi-final against Argentina. He won two UEFA Cups and one league title with Inter.

15. Tarcisio Burgnich (1962-1974)
The original hard-man, Burgnich was a pillar of La Grande Inter,man-marking opposing strikers into oblivion. He made 358 Serie A appearances for Inter, winning four league titles and two European Cups. Capped 66 times, he was a mainstay for Italy, too, winning the 1968 European Championship and finishing second in the 1970 World Cup. He also conjured up one of the most famous football quotes in Italy, describing how Pelé outjumped him to score Brazil’s opening goal in the World Cup final. “The cross came in and we both jumped to head it. Then, gravity brought me down to Earth, while Pelé stayed up there in the heavens, where he belongs.”

14. Benito Lorenzi (1947-1958)
One of the coolest monikers in history: Veleno (“Poison”). Rarely has a nickname been more apt. Lorenzi played centre-forward with an intensity that sometimes spilt over into viciousness. He was sent off on his debut for Inter and at the 1954 World Cup finals, he was shown the red card for kicking the referee. He famously tried to wind up John Charles in a match against Juventus by insulting the Queen of England, to which Charles replied: “I don’t care, she’s not my Queen. I’m Welsh.” Team-mates weren’t immune from his ire. He once punched Istvan Nyers, his fellow striker, after the latter missed a chance during a match against Fiorentina. He knew every trick in the book. When the referee whistled for a controversial penalty against Inter in a Milan derby, he went to the substitutes’ bench, retrieved a lemon and, with the match official distracted, hid it under the ball which had been placed on the penalty spot. When Milan took the penalty, the lemon acted as a divot and the ball sailed over the crossbar. Still, despite his shenanigans, his 138 Serie A goals make him one of the club’s greatest strikers.

13. Roberto Boninsegna (1969-1976)
Nicknamed Bonimba, he was a rough-and-tumble centre-forward, the kind defenders hate to face. He won only one league title at Inter, but led the league in scoring twice and was a member of Italy’s 1970 World Cup squad, who finished runners-up to Pelé’s Brazil. Inter offloaded him early, when he was 32, and he went on to win two more league titles at Juventus. It was the first of many illogical transfer moves the nerazzurri would make over the years.

12. Alessandro Altobelli (1977-1988)
Known as Spillo (“The Needle”) for his wiry, slender build, Altobelli was a tricky, pacy forward who loved to buzz around opposing defences in search of opportunities. He would find – and take – many of them, scoring 209 goals in all competitions (128 in Serie A). He had the misfortune of leaving the club the season before the record-setting 1988-89 campaign, but was a member of Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning side, for whom he scored the third goal in the final.

11. Lothar Matthaeus (1988-1992)
He became the symbol of an era under Giovanni Trapattoni, leading Inter to a record-setting points total in his first season. A strong, versatile midfield player, he was a rare blend of toughness and skill. He was also outspoken and, occasionally, difficult, but there must be a reason why he hung around so long in his career. He played in five World Cup finals (a record for outfield players) and five European Championships, winning one of each while amassing an incredible 150 caps. Diego Maradona called him the toughest opponent he has ever faced. That says it all.

Sources: Times.co.uk and inter.it

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