Benito Lorenzi was born 100 years ago today: the story of 'Veleno'

Borgo a Buggiano is a peaceful hilltop town in the province of Pistoia. Here, in the Tuscan countryside, time passes slowly and unhurriedly, with the green of the meadows and trees surrounding a town like many others in this part of Italy.

On 20 December 1925, Benito Lorenzi's story began. Exactly one hundred years have passed since the birth of one of the most iconic players in Inter's history, a forward whose name will forever be linked to the Nerazzurri thanks to his exploits between 1947 and 1958. Lorenzi was never like the others; he always stood out thanks to his skill and charisma on the pitch, as well as his great spirit off the field. Eleven seasons in Inter colours, 314 appearances, 143 goals, and two Scudetto titles.

He was known as 'Veleno', a nickname given to him by his mother, Ida. There are many anecdotes that portray Lorenzi's character: his battles with John Charles, the nickname 'Marisa' which he gave to Boniperti, the slap he handed out to Nyers, his attacking partner. But above all, a particular moment in the 1957/58 derby will always be remembered. It was 6 October 1957 and AC Milan had been awarded a penalty. Cucchiaroni stepped up to take it but shot over the bar.

There's no exact photo of the occasion, which is hardly surprising, considering the chaos that erupted in the dressing rooms afterwards. The photographer Celso Battaia even had his flash broken. Inter beat AC Milan 1-0, with the only goal of the game coming from a penalty won by Lorenzi and converted by Vincenzi. Towards the end of the match, referee Concetto Lo Bello awarded AC Milan a penalty. Lorenzi walked over to the touchline, asked for something to drink, and was handed a slice of lemon. That's when his genius sparked. He placed that half-lemon slice under the ball. From the stands, the fans waved frantically, trying to warn Cucchiaroni, who didn't notice a thing. He took a run-up, struck the ball, and it flew into the air, going over the bar. The derby ended, and the chaos kicked off. Lorenzi, a practising Catholic, would admit a few years later: "I confessed everything. I said 'I did something wrong', and the priest who heard my confession was an Inter fan and started laughing."

But Lorenzi's story has other tales, like his friendship with Valentino Mazzola, Sandro's father. Valentino was a big advocate for him in the Italian national team (for whom Lorenzi only played 14 times, scoring four goals). After the Superga air disaster, the intertwining of football and life led to Lorenzi effectively "adopting" Sandro and Ferruccio, the children left orphaned by the great Valentino. He brought them to Inter and, every year, would take them to Superga to pay tribute to Grande Torino. And he also helped start Sandrino’s journey at Inter.

An extraordinary forward, Lorenzi formed a magnificent attacking trio with Istvan Nyers and Lennart Skoglund. This trident made countless fans fall in love with Inter, who flocked to the Arena Civica in Milano every Sunday to marvel at the magic of the Nerazzurri front line. A story that blends into legend, with Lorenzi, Nyers, and Skoglund transformed into true mythological heroes of Inter’s epic history – figures from whom generations of champions and superstars would later draw inspiration.

Lorenzi passed away in 2007, at the age of 81. Today, he would have celebrated a century of life – a life that began in the small town of Borgo a Buggiano and was destined to be remembered forever, etched into the Nerazzurri firmament among the brightest stars in Inter's history.