Facchetti, 80 years of a legend

Just listen. Closer your eyes for a moment and listen to the words; listen to their tone. Firmness and modesty, heart and reason. No fuss, just beauty, lined up with candour and elegance. And firmness.

Then, open your eyes and see. See the deeds. See the runs that revolutionised football, the interpretation of a role that made history, his arms hoisted into the sky after a goal, the love for his teammates, the pride at pulling on the Nerazzurri shirt.

Giacinto Facchetti was born 80 years ago, on 18 July 1942, in Trevilgio. A fortunate day for all because that boy would become a brilliant man, a loving husband and father, a special player, a Club director and president, who was also dedicated to just one team: Inter.

Il Cipe, as his teammates knew him after Herrera mistakenly confused his surname for Cipelletti (onions), would have turned 80 today. He left us, however, in 2006. Too long ago, gone too soon.

He didn’t just become one of Inter’s truest legends; he left an eternal mark on the Club. The beauty of football and the essence of what it means to be an Interista. An 80-year-long story. From Treviglio to the pitches where the new Inter talent develops, Il Cipe’s memory lives on. One of a kind, forever.