Grigorios - Nostalgia

Picture the scene. A friendly during the October international break in Zurich. Grasshoppers vs. Inter. An unofficial fixture, but an intriguing one all the same: Ronaldo and Zamorano lead the line for Inter. At one point, a bald Inter player picks up the ball, dribbles past three opponents and scores a magnificent goal. The stadium announcer goes wild: “A magnificent goal from Ronaldo!” The only problem? The follically challenged hero was someone else entirely.

It was Grigorios Georgatos: the man who was overcome by homesickness twice.

Grigorios, Melano s’agapa.

You can expect all sorts of things from a group of supporters, but a banner written in Greek was honestly the last thing anyone expected.

Grigorios, Milano loves you.

Let’s go back a little.

Inter needed a left-back in the summer of 1999. In fact, they had needed one for seven years, ever since Andy Brehme brought his Nerazzurri career to an end. There had been just one season in which they had a truly outstanding player in the position: 1995-96, with Roberto Carlos. After that, an almost endless succession of players had come and gone.

Georgatos was a gamble, but not an entirely speculative one. True, he was Greek, and Greek players were still something of an exotic species in Serie A at the time. But he had played a leading role in two Champions League campaigns with Olympiakos, making a particular impression against Juventus. Inter signed him with the intention of making him a regular starter, and his performances were excellent. He scored a free-kick in the Inter vs. Lecce game in which Ronaldo's long ordeal began, then added another in the Coppa Italia against Bologna and a third against Perugia. Georgatos was playing superbly and training with incredible dedication. But there was a problem, one usually associated with Brazilian players who struggle to stay away from home. It has a Greek name: a feeling of melancholy and longing, rooted in the desire to return to a place, a person or a moment from the past. Nostalgia. “It has nothing to do with Inter. I'm happy here, but I miss the atmosphere in Athens, my family, my friends and the sea, which is incredibly important to me. I grew up by the sea. I'll always miss my country, but when Inter win, they give me a reason to feel that longing a little less.”

Inter supporters came up with an idea: a banner in his native language to make him feel less alone. It worked, but not for long. At the end of the season, Grigorios returned to Olympiakos, initially on loan, with the rest to be decided later. Was that the end of the story? Not at all. In 2001-02, he returned to Milano for a second attempt. More than anyone, Christian Vieri wanted him back, having grown equally nostalgic for his crosses. The start was encouraging: Georgatos scored the winner against Bologna. Then came a poor performance in the derby, and he all but disappeared from the first-team picture. When the need arose, Cuper preferred to move Zanetti to the left, with Michele Serena and a Slovakian, Vratislav Gresko, also available. The position was covered, some said. Unfortunately, that's another story.

Grigorios, who turns 54 today, remains close to the hearts of Inter supporters. Because Milano agapá kai den xechn. Milano loves and does not forget.