Inter’s thanks to Roberto Samaden

“Every year, our main objective is to help our lads grow.” For 33 years, this has been Roberto Samaden’s guiding principle within Inter’s Youth Sector setup. From 1990, when he started off by coaching our Primi Calci side, to today as he bids farewell following a wonderful Nerazzurri adventure.

It has been a long journey full of triumphs, improvements and ideas. Samaden’s personal growth has followed in lockstep with the progress made by the Club’s youth sector as a whole. After his coaching experience, he became Head of Grassroot Activities in 2005 and then the Youth Sector director in 2010. No stone has been left unturned to shape the youngsters in the youth setup as future men, future professionals and future players. The approach has been multi-pronged: hard work has gone in on a technical and cultural level, as well as in terms of infrastructure.

This has resulted in huge success, both sporting-wise and from a personal perspective. Yes, there have been trophies and prestigious awards, but there have also been more heartfelt achievements: the debuts of youngsters who have come through Inter’s youth ranks, who have always worn the Nerazzurri shirt.

Of course, silverware certainly has not been lacking. Under Roberto Samaden’s guidance, the Nerazzurri Youth Sector has won 19 national titles, including the Primavera Scudetto (x4), the Coppa Italia, the Viareggio Cup (x3), the Supercoppa Italiana (x5) and the NextGen Series. These exceptional sporting triumphs have been accompanied by international recognition, thus shining a spotlight on the work that has been done within the youth sector.

In 2019, Inter’s Youth Sector won the UEFA “Silver Prize – Best Professional Club” at the Grassroots Awards. Through its projects (Football Schools, Inter Grassroots Program and Training Centres), the Club was thus recognised for numerous social initiatives and its commitment to local communities and grassroots activities. The Nerazzurri were also recipients of the ECA Youth Football Award, which the European Club Association hands out to clubs who have shown exemplary commitment to the development of their youth sectors.

The Club’s Educational Project, which was launched in 2017 with the strong support of Samaden and has subsequently been pushed season after season by CEO Sport Giuseppe Marotta, aims to educate the boys and girls of the Nerazzurri’s youth sector not only from a technical and footballing standpoint but also from a human and cultural one, also involving in the process all the coaches and people who work closely with our youngsters on a daily basis. This recognition was given in the tenth year following the establishment of the Training Centres, which were introduced to help young people grow.

Roberto Samaden, who was previously confirmed as the Head of Development of Youth Football in the Technical Sector by FIGC President Gravina and is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Youth and Schooling Activities Sector as a representative of Lega Serie A, is now leaving FC Internazionale Milano. The Club would like to pass on its most heartfelt thanks for all these years dedicated to the Nerazzurri cause. It has been a long journey full of success and progress. With pride, towards excellence.