From Boninsegna to Barella: backheel goals and assists| VIDEO

MILAN – When a backheel becomes an assist or goal, class and effectiveness combine to perfection. Inter’s history has seen various players find the net or pick out a teammate with the back of their foot, providing a spectacular spectacle in the process.

BACKHEEL ASSISTS

Recently, Nicolò Barella was able to set Lautaro Martinez up with a magnificent backheel against Real Madrid, with the Nerazzurri striker taking full advantage and tucking the ball home.

In Inter’s opening match of the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, two Argentines combined to double Inter’s lead: following Stankovic’s opener, Milito provided the perfect backheel assist for Javier Zanetti to make it 2-0.

Zanetti was involved in a lovely goal on 9 December 2009, when Inter came up against Rubin Kazan in the Champions League. The ball landed at Balotelli’s feet after the former Nerazzurri full-back had beaten two players, with the Italian then using the back of his foot to set up Eto’o to score. It was a very important goal on Inter’s journey to the Treble that season.

Vision, intelligence and technical ability: Cambiasso is also part of this special club. On 29 April 2007, the Argentine midfielder received the ball from Recoba at the edge of the box and backheeled it to Cruz, who was able to break the deadlock against Empoli.

There was also a great piece of combination play in the Derby in the 1973/74 season: Mazzola was the player who got on the scoresheet, Boninsegna was the man who set him up with a lovely backheel touch.

And then there was a backheel double in Inter vs. Napoli in 2008/09, when Cruz used his heel to combine with Maicon, whose ball towards the six-yard box was sent into the net by the back of Muntari’s foot.

BACKHEEL GOALS

We’ve covered the assists, so it’s now time for the goals. Zamorano’s backheel finish against Napoli on 28 February 1998 was extremely impressive, with the Chilean scoring the first of two goals that day (Ronaldo got the other). Meanwhile, Ibrahimovic and Coutinho showed supreme technical ability against Bologna in 2008/09 and Neftchi Baku in 2012/13 respectively. Not forgetting one of the most popular backheels in recent years: Rodrigo Palacio’s to decide the first Derby of the 2013/14 season.

FROM BONINSEGNA TO BARELLA: A VIDEO CONTAINING NERAZZURRI BACKHEEL GOALS AND ASSISTS