APPIANO GENTILE – Ivan Zamorano was this week's guest on Inter Channel's Memorabilia show, which looks back on the careers of some of the finest players to don the Nerazzurri jersey.
The Chilean began by retracing the steps which brought him to Milan.
"I saw the world before I found Inter. I left Chile at the age of 20. I went to Bologna but never got a chance to play there and I ended up on loan at St Gallen. Then I went to Spain and played for Sevilla and then Real Madrid.
“Jorge Valdano didn't want me at Real and he told me as much. But I was determined to show everyone what I was capable of. We won the league that year and I finished the season as La Liga's top scorer
“After four years in Madrid I felt the need for a change and I had the chance to come to Italy. I had offers from Germany and Holland too but [Massimo] Moratti and [Luisito] Suarez came to Madrid and that's what won me over.
“Whenever I go back to Milan the Inter fans always give me such an amazing reception, even now.
“To me football is all about toil, grit and determination. Perhaps I wasn't the most spectacular player but the fans always appreciated my work rate – I always chased every ball as if it were the last.”
Ronaldo joined Inter in 1997.
“Besides him we had [Christian] Vieri and [Roberto] Baggio and we all had to fight for a starting spot. That's when my 1+8 shirt came about – a novel idea at the time.
“After the 1998 World Cup it was decided to give Ronaldo the No.9 jersey. [Sandro] Mazzola suggested I pick two numbers that added up to nine. I asked if I could add a plus sign and we put in a request to the Italian FA. That's how so I ended up with that strange number everyone remembers.”
Zamorano is also remembered for his derby goals.
“I was a clasico kind of guy – I really wanted to give my all for the shirt and win every derby I was involved in. And at Inter you had fight tooth and nail to beat AC Milan and Juventus.”
His most important goal in black and blue arguably came in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup final against Lazio.
“If I'd dreamed of scoring in the final, I would never have imagined it being that good. I scored after four minutes and it set us on our way. We played superbly after that. It was the first time a Chilean player had won an international trophy and it was just amazing for me.
"We had a really close-knit team. There were lots of big names but [Gigi] Simoni brought us together and turned us into a team.
“The next season we played Manchester United in the Champions League and we were probably the better side over the 180 minutes but luck wasn't on our side.
I also scored against my old club Real Madrid in the group stage – a bit of a jammy goal but it was an important one for me personally."
In 2000 Inter were in the title mix until the last few games.
“Regardless of the problems we had, we showed we could fight for the title almost right down to the wire.
“We had [Diego] Simeone in that team and he was already like a coach back then. He talked about football non-stop. He picked up all sorts of things that went on during games. You can see that now: he took a fairly decent side like Atletico Madrid and won the league, two Super Cups and reached the Champions League final twice."
Another of Zamorano's former team-mates has never left Inter: Javier Zanetti.
“It's so nice to see Pupi still at the club. He's an Inter man through and through, a pro who always gives his utmost in everything he does. He certainly cares about Inter.”
The Chilean recalls lots of his goals for the Nerazzurri but admits there is one which stands out above the others.
“The goal against Lazio was important for us to win the cup but there are others I remember too. There was a header I scored in the derby, a 40-yarder against Roma and another one against Napoli. But I must say that goal in Paris has a special place in my heart.”
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