The Inter world mourns the passing of Sandro Mazzola, a Nerazzurri and world football legend. The club, through president Giuseppe Marotta, vice president Javier Zanetti, coach Cristian Chivu with his staff and all the players, expressed deep condolences, standing close to the family.

Alessandro, known to all as Sandro, Sandrino, was six years, five months, and 23 days old when he lost his father Valentino in the Superga tragedy, that of the Grande Torino. Technically raised by Giuseppe Meazza and accompanied by Benito Lorenzi, he began to cultivate his talent at the San Lorenzo oratory in Milan, in Porta Ticinese. At eight years old, he and his brother were in fact the mascots of Inter: between the pitch, locker rooms, and stadium, a total Nerazzurri upbringing.

His debut in the First Team came on June 10, 1961, in the infamous replay of Juventus-Inter in Turin, when Angelo Moratti and Helenio Herrera fielded the Primavera. It ended 9-1, and for Inter, a skinny boy with a good touch scored: Sandro Mazzola. He was 18 years old. A second striker, as we would say today. An 8 and a 10, like the shirts he wore at Inter. Mezzala or center forward? Herrera managed to build the right role for him, for an uncontrollable explosion in that spectacular army that was the Grande Inter.

The consecration came very early, sanctified by the sacred monsters of world football. Prater in Vienna, European Cup final, 1964. As they entered the field, it was Suarez who pushed Mazzola onto the pitch: Sandro had stayed behind to admire his idols outside the locker rooms, Di Stefano, Puskas, and the other Real Madrid champions. On the field, then, two goals. A brace in the European Cup final, Inter’s first European triumph, an unprecedented victory with Mazzola’s signature and Puskas’s compliments: “You are worthy of your father Valentino,” said the great Hungarian, giving him his shirt.

In his 17 years wearing the Nerazzurri shirt, until 1977, Mazzola played 565 official matches and scored 158 goals. His trophy cabinet includes four league titles, two European Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, the Serie A top scorer title in 1965 with 17 goals and in the European Cup in 1964 with 7 goals. In 1971 he finished second in the Ballon d’Or behind Johan Cruyff.

Among his most memorable goals, his trademark against Independiente in the Intercontinental Cup, the comeback against Liverpool marked and celebrated with “When the Saints Go Marching In” blaring from the San Siro speakers. Again: the goal in the derby after 13 seconds, the goal in Inter-Lazio in 1966 that delivered the First Star. His bond with Inter continued with his career as an executive and then as sporting director. Even behind the desk, unique insights. Platini and Falcao, who then slipped away. Zenga, brought back to Milan from Sambenedettese. And, above all, Ronaldo. The Phenomenon, who arrived after the pressure from Moratti and Mazzola, precisely.

In recent years he continued to visit the Nerazzurri headquarters and the Appiano Gentile training center, where he felt at home and remembered Puskas, Herrera, Suarez, and Corso, one anecdote after another, immediately mixing them with the present, the desire for Inter shining in his eyes, to talk about Lautaro and our Inter, the one of now, the one of always. In May 2024, on the day of the celebration of the Second Star, he was on the field together with Bedin and Cappellini, celebrated for that first star achieved 58 years earlier. As he often recounted, he had only one, last wish: “To be remembered as a good man, who gives it his all even when it’s impossible to win, like in that 9-1.” We will do so, Sandro.

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