HALL OF FAME | Julio Cesar, Bergomi, Cambiasso and Milito honoured with awards

MILAN – It was supposed to be an evening event and it was, for the legends that were rewarded, for the guests who attended, for the trophies by their side but above all for the emotions it gave. Direct from Inter HQ, Julio Cesar, Beppe Bergomi, Esteban Cambiasso and Diego Milito were the protagonists of a ceremony that saw them all inducted into the Hall of Fame, alongside the other great champions that were inducted in the two previous editions.

"It is always a pleasure for me to participate in events related to Inter, which is a very important piece of my life and my family – began the first award-winning legend, Julio Cesar - Every day I am at the Club’s side: working with Inter, and returning to Milan, is always wonderful for me. I thank the fans who voted for me. For me, being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a source of great pride. I succeeded Francesco Toldo, who to me is like a brother, more than just a friend. Looking at the trophies again obviously gives me a bit of nostalgia, it’s clear that the Champions League will always be the most prestigious, but I’ll never forget the first: the Italian Super Cup in 2005. I was Toldo's deputy, and I understood that I was part of something great: winning in Turin, against Juventus, was the beginning of a journey in which there would be so much to win. The fans had waited and waited for many victories, and they deserved them".

The Dreamcatcher – the third goalkeeper after Zenga and Toldo to enter the Nerazzurri Hall of Fame – was left a very special message from his friend and teammate, the Colossus Maicon: "He is a person who deserved to end up in this Hall of Fame. Together with me and his teammates of the time, he was one of the absolute stars. We were roommates, we had so many commitments and I spent more time with him than I did at home".

The third Hall of Famer in the defenders’ section, after Javier Zanetti and Giacinto Facchetti, Beppe Bergomi made his entry onto the Nerazzurri roll of honour:

"I thank the fans and the whole Inter family. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a source of pride, to see my name next to great champions who have made the history at the Club. I am happy, I will carry this day with me in my heart for all my life, because I have always worn only one shirt, the Nerazzurri one. It is not easy to choose a single moment in my career. I think of my debut with Bersellini, when he told me 'Boy, warm up!': there were three defenders on the bench and he chose me, that was the first step. The five years with Trapattoni are never forgotten. But also that moment with Osvaldo Bagnoli. He looked at me and said: 'Ma tì, due te voret andà?', which in the Milanese dialect means 'But you, where would you like to go?". Bagnoli used to tell me "You are the strongest", but I really didn't want to go anywhere. Finally, Gigi Simoni: he allowed me to win again and to participate in my fourth World Cup. But I cried for only one coach: Gigi Radice. In short, there were many beautiful moments, as well as beautiful matches: the victory over Aston Villa, the 4-0 played freely over Juventus”.

And then the trophies: "The first can never be forgotten, the Coppa Italia in 1981/82. I scored my first goal for Inter in that competition, on September 6 against AC Milan, a goal which made us go through". Riccardo Ferri left a special message for Bergomi:  "Ours has been a long journey together. Our friendship and mutual respect has remained intact".

Into the midfield section of the Hall of Fame entered an emotional Esteban Cambiasso, a precious footballer, natural leader and a true Interista. Lothar Matthäus and Dejan Stankovic were the midfielders to be inducted before him.

"I am reminded of many emotions because I have contributed personally to some of these trophies and I still remember all the sensations experienced in those moments. To be here for this award that has been decided by the fans, and to know that, among many great names, they chose me to be part of the great history of this club, it is an honor.

“The goal against Chelsea was one of the most important, especially given the moment I happened to score it, it was a beautiful feeling. It is a goal that reflects my determination, I was a footballer for whom it was more important to think, to press, to find solutions, I had to create my space and there is my mentality, not giving up. If I had to choose one of these trophies in addition to the Champions League? I’ll say two, the first is the Club World Cup because coming from South America, for me to have been on top of the world tasted amazing, and for the cycle that it began for this club I’ll say the first Coppa Italia won in 2005, it has a very special value. From these ten years at Inter I bring with me not only a team but a family".

“Family", the most appropriate term to describe his relationship with Javier Zanetti, who left a special video message for Cuchu: "He is much more than a teammate, much more than a friend, after so many years he has become 'family' because we have not only experienced emotions together on the pitch as people have seen, but also in our own lives”.

Finally, Diego Milito, the man who made the dreams of so many Nerazzurri fans come true. He enters into the strikers’ section, following the sacred figures of Ronaldo and Meazza.

“It’s difficult to express in words what I feel, for me today is a very special day, to enter Inter’s Hall of Fame with all of the legends that it consists of is an amazing thing, it’s a great honour and I am proud. I would like to thank everyone, especially the fans who allowed me to be here.

“I was fortunate enough to score some great, important goals, but if I had to choose one moment, one goal, I would say my second in the Champions League final. Part of my expertise as an attacker includes decisiveness in important moments, I had the great fortune of being part of a magnificent squad, with players of a high level, another class, a group that knew what they wanted and that consisted of extraordinary players, great people and great champions”.

A friend and former teammate, Goran Pandev, paid homage to El Principe: “I’m happy to hear this news, he is an extraordinary guy, when he arrived in January 2010 he gave us a huge boost in everything we did, he has done very well at every club that he has played for and I am rooting for him today”.

Finally, the four new hall of famers have decided to leave some memorabilia in the Inter museum, to share them with all the fans.

From Julio Cesar, a special keychain with the five cups won in 2009/10 that was gifted by Moratti, with his shirt number, 12: “A special gift and it's nice to share it”. From Bergomi, a shirt from the 1993/94 season: "Not an easy year, but at the end of which a trophy arrived. A beautiful memory and a beautiful shirt".

Then a very special pair of boots from Esteban Cambiasso: “They are the boots with which I scored my only derby goal, in 2007, a day that will remain forever in my heart”. From Milito, perhaps the most important shirt: “The memento that I am leaving at the Inter museum is the shirt I played in for the final in Madrid, it is a beautiful thing and I wanted to leave it to all the fans, for me it has a very special significance”.

THE INTER HALL OF FAME ROLL OF HONOUR

2018 Walter Zenga – Javier Zanetti – Lothar Matthäus – Ronaldo2019 Francesco Toldo – Giacinto Facchetti – Dejan Stankovic – Giuseppe Meazza2020 Julio Cesar – Giuseppe Bergomi – Esteban Cambiasso – Diego Milito