Inter Milan has respectable reputation as one of the best clubs in Italy. The club has won a lot of titles, ranging from domestic to international trophies. Along with AC Milan and Juventus, Inter Milan is regarded as the king of Italian football. The club also regularly receives large funding from the president and board of managements to purchase quality players from all-around the world.
As one of the richest clubs in the world, it is not surprising to know that Inter Milan has spent millions of dollars to sign world-class strikers. Among some great names such as Ronaldo, Christian Vieri, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and many more; who deserve the title as the best Inter Milan striker of all time? Read this article to find out the answer and be sure to let me know your opinion about the ranking.
15. Iván Zamorano
Ivan Zamorano is a retired Chilean striker who played for Inter Milan in the period 1996-1999. He collaborated with world-class players such as Roberto Baggio, Ronaldo, and Javier Zanetti. He helped Inter Milan win a UEFA Cup trophy in the 1997-98 season. Although he did not score a lot of goals compared to Ronaldo or Christian Vieri, Zamorano had important contribution at Inter. He provided a lot of assists for his tandem and lured the opponents' defender so that his partner had more space to score goals.
14. Jürgen Klinsmann
Jurgen Klinsmann is known as one of the best German strikers of all time. While playing for Inter Milan in the period 1989-1992, Klinsmann was at the peak of his physical condition as a footballer. He was very fast, agile, and effective in scoring goals. Under the guidance of coach Giovanni Trapattoni, Klinsmann played a vital role in helping Inter Milan win a UEFA Cup trophy and a Supercoppa Italiana.
13. Aldo Serena
Aldo Serena was a mainstay of Inter Milan in the 1980s. The best period of his career occurred in the 1988-89 season, where he led Inter Milan win the Serie A and became the top scorer of the competition with 22 goals. His reputation as a fans' favorite was greatly suffered when he decided to move to AC Milan in 1991. In a match between the two clubs, Serena was even openly insulted by the fans of Inter Milan.
12. Ronaldo
It was unfortunate that Ronaldo had to spend most of his career at Inter Milan hampered by severe injuries. Over five years of joining the club in the 1997-2002 period, Ronaldo only played in 68 league games and scored 49 goals for his club. Before he was severely injured, Ronaldo's first season at Inter Milan went very well. He became the second top scorer of Serie A, winning the UEFA Cup, and was awarded the Ballon d'Or in the 1997-98 season. His partnership with Christian Vieri once regarded as the strongest pair of strikers in the world.
11. Adriano
Adriano once was a striker who possessed complete abilities. He possessed power, techniques, and creativity. Unfortunately, he often committed a variety of ignorant actions (such as being absent from daily training and disobeying the coach's rules) that were detrimental to his team and his own career. His golden times at Inter Milan occurred within the period of 2004-2009, when Adriano won four Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia trophies. He moved to Flamengo in 2009 after deciding not to extend his contract with Inter Milan.
10. Samuel Eto'o
No one predicted that Samuel Eto'o could still achieve tremendous success after moving from Barcelona. The Cameroon striker joined Inter Milan in 2009. His debut season with the club was very spectacular, where Eto'o helped Inter win treble winners under the regime of Jose Mourinho as a coach. In the 2010-11 season, Eto'o netted a total of 37 goals in a season, the highest number he ever scored in a single season as a professional footballer.
9. Álvaro Recoba
Alvaro Recoba was famous as a striker who possessed remarkable set-pieces taking skills. He often scored beautiful goals through free kicks and providing great assists from corner-kicks. Unfortunately, he was injury prone and had low stamina, so he had to be frequently absent in some crucial moments. During his period at Inter in from 1997 to 2008, Recoba won two Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia trophies and one UEFA Cup trophy.
8. Julio Ricardo Cruz
Julio Ricardo Cruz was signed by Inter Milan from Bologna in 2003. During the six-year career at Inter Milan, he was mostly used as a substitute player. Even so, whenever he was given the chance to play, Cruz frequently netted important goals. His goals often helped Inter win the game or saved the club from defeats. In his best period, Cruz was known as a striker who possessed outstanding heading ability.
7. Diego Milito
Diego Milito was signed from Genoa in 2009. His first season at Inter went very well, where he was immediately assigned to play in the first-team squad, accompanying Samuel Eto'o as the club's strikers. In his debut season, Milito claimed treble winners. Not only that, he also scored two goals in the Champions League final that helped Inter beat Bayern Munich by a score of 2-0. Due to his impressive performance, Milito was named the UEFA Best Player in 2010.
6. Roberto Boninsegna
Roberto Boninsegna is a retired Italian striker who joined Inter Milan in the 1969-1976 period. Over the seven years played for Inter, Boninsegna won a Seri A title and a became two-time top scorer of the competition. He was also part of the Italian squad that became the runner-up in the 1970 World Cup. In total, Boninsegna scored 171 goals in 281 appearances in Serie A. He ended his career as a footballer at Hellas Verona in 1980.
5. Christian Vieri
Christian Vieri is one of Inter Milan striker with the highest ratio of goals to appearances. Playing for La Beneamata in the 1999-2005 period, Vieri scored 123 goals in 190 appearances. In his best times, Vieri was known as an exceptional target-man. He possessed superb heading and finishing abilities, as well as very effective in converting chances into goals. Unfortunately during six years playing for Inter, Vieri only won a Coppa Italia trophy.
4. Zlatan Ibrahimović
There are only few strikers in the world who possess football skills as great as Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He is tall, big, strong, but has good technique and a dazzling speed. Not only experts in scoring goals, Ibrahimovic can also act as a reliable playmaker. He is famous as a reliable set-pieces taker and extremely smart in interpreting the coach's instructions. For three years playing for Inter in the 2006-2009 period, Ibrahimovic won three Serie A titles and once became the top scorer of the competition.
3. Sandro Mazzola
In terms of loyalty, Sandro Mazzola is the number one compared to other players in this list. The Italian striker spent his entire career as a professional footballer playing for Inter Milan. He joined La Beneamata in the period 1960-1977, won four Serie A titles, two Champions League trophies, and two Intercontinental Cup trophies. Mazzola also became the top scorer of the Serie A once and helped Italy national team win Euro 1968.
2. Alessandro Altobelli
Alessandro Altobelli played for Inter Milan in the 1977-1988 period and was trusted to be the team captain for three years. He was known as a simple striker, not too prominent, but very effective in netting goals. In addition to helping Inter Milan win the Scudetto in 1980, Altobelli was also part of the Italian squad that won the 1982 World Cup. Throughout his career, he scored 209 goals in 466 matches.
1. Giuseppe Meazza
Giuseppe Meazza is legendary striker who played for Inter Milan between 1927-1940 and 1946-1947. He holds the record as Inter's top scorer of all time with a total of 284 goals. Not only that, Meazza also led Italy national football team win two consecutive World Cups in 1934 and 1938. He presented three Serie A titles to Inter Milan and many football pundits said that his techniques, speed, as well as vision are much better than Pele's or Maradona's.
