From Indonesia to San Siro: Rudy's story

19 January 2011. It's a cold evening in Milano: winter is in full swing and temperatures at San Siro are hovering around freezing. Inter are playing Cesena in a rearranged Serie A Matchday 16 fixture which had been postponed due to the Nerazzurri's participation in the Club World Cup. Outside the gates, a young Inter fan is trying to get into the Meazza for the very first time.

But our story begins a few years earlier in Purbalingga, a city on the Indonesian island of Java. Surrounded by tropical habitats and mountains, the city lies at the foot of Mount Slamet, one of the island's tallest and most prominent volcanoes. It is here that Ngudiono Prasetyo, known to everyone as Rudy, was born and raised. As a child, Rudy developed a deep love of football, playing with his friends whenever and wherever he could. Seeing his passion for the game, his sister decided to give him a present: an Inter shirt. The connection was instant. Rudy fell in love with the Nerazzurri colours and began following Inter, quickly becoming a devoted fan.

One day, while watching a match on television, Rudy made a promise to himself and his friends: "One day, I'll be there, in that stadium, cheering on Inter, the team I love."

Around 11,400 kilometres separate Purbalingga and Milano as the crow flies. That's roughly 24 hours of travelling, and by no means a cheap journey. But Rudy was determined to keep his promise. He dreamed of watching Inter play in person. And that's how we get to the night of 19 January 2011, his first in Milano. The night his dream came true.

Let's fast forward to the present day. Rudy is now a grown man, and Inter remain a huge part of his life. He no longer lives in Indonesia, having moved to Townsville, Australia, not far from Brisbane. Almost sixteen years have passed since that night in 2011, and he has returned to Milano every year since. His annual visit to San Siro is a tradition he never misses. Ahead of Inter vs. Como, he arrives at the Meazza well before kick-off, eager to soak up every part of the matchday experience: the atmosphere outside the stadium, the crowds of fans in Nerazzurri shirts gathering at the gates and filling the stands; the food and drinks; the smiles and 'hello's. Before the match, Rudy shared his story with us, from his journey as a fan to his many trips to Milano. Through it all, his love for Inter has been the constant, guiding him every step of the way. And his story begins where it all started, with that first visit to San Siro.

"I'd promised myself and my friends that one day I'd go to San Siro to watch Inter play live. I got in touch with some Inter Club members and managed to arrange the trip. It wasn't easy, as there were some significant costs involved. I bought a ticket for Inter vs. Cesena in January 2011, the year after the Treble. I arrived in Milano after 24 hours of travelling, only to be greeted by freezing temperatures. When I got to the stadium, I was blown away by its sheer size. I was so happy. But when I tried to get in, I discovered that the ticket I'd bought was fake. My dream was turning into a nightmare, and the cold was unbearable. Fortunately, I managed to speak to the Inter Club members I'd been in contact with, and they helped me get into the stadium. I remember everything like it was yesterday. They gave me a coat and a scarf because I was freezing, and they took me to see the tunnel leading from the dressing rooms to the pitch. Then something incredible happened. Samuel Eto'o walked past. I called out to him, 'Samuel, Samuel, I've come all the way from Indonesia!' He heard me, came over and gave me a hug, saying, 'Have you really come all that way?' I couldn't believe it. The match itself was fantastic too. We won 3-2, with Cristian Chivu scoring the winner with a header."

It was a life-changing experience for Rudy, one that was made possible by his connection with Inter Club. "For me, it's a second family. Over the years, it's given me the chance to enjoy incredible experiences I could never have imagined when I was younger. I've stayed in touch with them ever since my first trip to Milano. I became a member of Inter Club Indonesia and, a few years later, even became its president. It's a wonderful community that has grown into one of the largest Inter Clubs in the world. I've met so many people there, made friends who feel like brothers, shared my love for Inter and created unforgettable memories. Even though I live in Australia now, I still go back to Indonesia quite often. Whenever I'm there, I try to get together with my Inter Club friends to watch matches, and every time I see more and more members. The club just keeps growing, and that makes me incredibly happy and proud."

His connection with Inter Club has inspired countless journeys to Milano, allowing him to experience his passion for the Nerazzurri to the fullest. Since 2011, Rudy has managed to return to San Siro every year to keep living his dream. Days spent travelling, thousands of kilometres covered, all for Inter: fourteen hours flying from Brisbane to Doha, around three hours waiting for his connecting flight, then another seven hours to Milano. "I've made plenty of sacrifices to travel over the years, but I've never seen them that way. I believe that when you love something, you give it 100%, with all your heart, so none of this ever feels like a burden. My family knows that, even though every time they ask me, 'Are you going to Milano?' And I always say, 'Yes, of course!' When I'm at home, I watch every Inter match. It's not always easy because of the time difference, so sometimes I record a game and watch it later, but I never miss one. Nothing compares to the feeling of being at San Siro and watching Inter play live, though. I've witnessed some incredible matches over the years, including the celebrations for the Second Star. I'll never forget that. I was absolutely beside myself with joy, and I remember crying tears of happiness. I took a photo of the tifo and made it my phone wallpaper. I haven't changed it since."

Sometimes, it doesn't take much to change someone's life. A shirt, just two colours, can be the start of a new love that helps you find a new community, a second family; it can open up experiences that enrich your life, introduce you to people you might otherwise never meet, bring you into contact with new worlds that are just waiting to be discovered. "I'd do anything for Inter. They're such an important part of my life. I'd say my heart belongs to my family, my friends, my work and the black and blue of the Nerazzurri. Inter give me feelings that are hard to put into words, but I'm lucky enough to share them with millions of people around the world who have the same passion. We're one big family, and that's what makes me proudest to be an Inter fan."