LUIS FIGO & ALVARO RECOBA (INTER)

Luis Figo is heading out of the San Siro after playing a key role in Inter’s Scudetto triumph, while the underachieving Alvaro Recoba is set to extend his stay. Calcio Italia analyses the Nerazzurri’s odd couple

playing a key role in Inter’s Scudetto triumph, while the underachieving Alvaro Recoba is set to extend his

Arabian Nights

President Massimo Moratti can’t believe it. Nor can the fans or pundits who have purred over Luis Figo’s masterful displays for Inter this term. But it’s official – Portugal’s most capped player is departing the San Siro at the age of 34 in order to secure one last big pay day in Saudi Arabia. Despite all of the disappointment, he is guaranteed to leave as a hero after helping deliver an on-the-field Scudetto which Nerazzurri supporters have waited the best part of two decades for. It’s easy to sympathise with Figo’s decision, seeing as he is at the top of his game and his stay in the Middle East will hardly be in the public’s eye, meaning that his legacy won’t be tainted. Zinedine Zidane may have left the football world – namely Marco Materazzi’s chest – with a head-butt, but his displays at the World Cup ensured that fans were treated to one last masterclass. Compare this with someone like Alan Shearer. Desperate to pick up some silverware with his hometown club Newcastle United, he kept going and going until his body could take no more. Suffice to say, in the latter years he was a shadow of his former self. “I think this is the right moment to stop – winning the Scudetto is the best possible way to conclude my career at the top,” explained the No 7, who joined Inter in the summer of 2005 on a free transfer from Real Madrid. “I came here saying I wanted to win the title and now I am happy to see all these people celebrating. I will definitely miss top-level football and all that surrounds it, but I have been playing for many years and always for great teams. I would really like to stay because I have been very happy here and I want to thank everyone for that. But I have made a decision and it’s difficult to change it – it would have been much easier had I been five years younger.”

Having previously won the Primera Liga crown on four different occasions, the Champions League and European Cup-Winners Cup amongst others, Figo could have been forgiven for arriving at Inter with nothing but a big pay cheque on his mind. Yet he defied both age and his many critics to star for the Nerazzurri. Not only that, but he spent much of this term playing as a Trequartista rather than his favoured role on the right-flank. He reinvented his playing style to suit both Italian football and Coach Roberto Mancini to spectacular effect, and for that he deserves plenty of respect. It also makes his, in my opinion, premature exit from the San Siro even more disappointing when you take into account Alvaro Recoba’s decision to extend his stay. In two years Figo has achieved far more than El Chino has in a decade, yet the South American playmaker now seems certain to remain despite previously announcing his intention to leave. He owes plenty to his status as President Moratti’s favourite player, but it seems Figo even came close to stealing that from him. “I still don’t understand why Figo took this decision,” said the chief. “However, it will not be easy to replace him because he represents pure class.” Just don’t expect that replacement to be the Nerazzurri’s Uruguayan ‘mascot’... RICHARD GODDEN

Having previously won the Primera Liga crown on four different occasions, the Champions League and European Cup-Winners Cup amongst others, Figo could have been forgiven for arriving at Inter with nothing but a big pay cheque on his mind. Yet he defied both age and his many critics to star for the Nerazzurri. Not only that, but he spent much of this term playing as a Trequartista rather than his favoured role on the right-flank. He reinvented his playing style to suit both Italian football and Coach Roberto Mancini to spectacular effect, and for that he deserves plenty of respect. It also makes his, in my opinion, premature exit from the San Siro even more disappointing when you take into account Alvaro Recoba’s decision to extend his stay. In two years Figo has achieved far more than El Chino has in a decade, yet the South American playmaker now seems certain to remain despite previously announcing his intention to leave. He owes plenty to his status as President Moratti’s favourite player, but it seems Figo even came close to stealing that from him. “I still don’t understand why Figo took this decision,” said the chief. “However, it will not be easy to replace him because he represents pure class.” Just don’t expect that replacement to be the Nerazzurri’s Uruguayan ‘mascot’... RICHARD GODDEN

Luis Figo will leave Inter fans with some wonderful memories when he departs this summer – unlike Alvaro Recoba

58 Calcio Italia June 2007

Luis Figo Club: Inter Born: Almada (Portugal), 4/11/72 Position: Midfielder Ht/Wt: 1.80m/75kg Serie A debut: INTER 3-0 Treviso, 28/8/05 Season Club Div Apps Gls 1990-91 Sporting A 3 1991-92 Sporting A 34 1 1992-93 Sporting A 32 1993-94 Sporting A 31 8 1994-95 Sporting A 34 7 1995-96 Barcelona A 35 5 1996-97 Barcelona A 36 4 1997-98 Barcelona A 35 5 1998-99 Barcelona A 34 7 1999-00 Barcelona A 32 9 2000-01 Real Madrid A 34 9 2001-02 Real Madrid A 28 7 2002-03 Real Madrid A 33 10 2003-04 Real Madrid A 36 9 2004-05 Real Madrid A 33 3 2005-06 Real Madrid A - - Aug 05 Inter A 34 5 2006-07 Inter A 31 1 International debut: Luxembourg 1-1 PORTUGAL, 12/10/91 International apps/gls: 127/32
Has Alvaro Recoba wilfully wasted the last decade of his career for the sake of his comfortable contract?

Alvaro Recoba Club: Inter Born: Montevideo (Uruguay), 17/3/76 Position: Forward Ht/Wt: 1.79m/79kg Serie A debut: INTER 2-1 Brescia, 31/8/97 Season Club Div Apps Gls 1994 Danubio A 14 6 1995 Danubio A 20 5 1996 Nacional A 22 8 1997 Nacional A 11 9 1997-98 Inter A 8 3 1998-99 Inter A 1 Jan 99 Venezia A 19 10 1999-00 Inter A 27 10 2000-01 Inter A 29 8 2001-02 Inter A 18 6 2002-03 Inter A 27 9 2003-04 Inter A 19 8 2004-05 Inter A 13 3 2005-06 Inter A 20 5 2006-07 Inter A 10 1 International debut: Spain 2-2 URUGUAY, 18/1/95 International apps/gls: 65/10

Cowardly Cowardly

Cowardly Recoba Let’s not beat about the bush – we have never before seen a player as lacking in pride like Alvaro Recoba. Someone who is happy to sit on the bench for years just for a hefty pay cheque is understandable, but cannot realistically be justified. And his supporters can stop talking about his “passion for football.” If he’d had that, he would have already moved on where he could actually play the sport. The rather comical phrase he kept coming out with was: “I won’t leave until I have won something important with Inter.” As if he was the one taking the club to victory. He should just be honest and admit he’s staying there for as long as possible because the city is lovely, he’s earning a fortune and lives like a God. No harm there. There can be no doubting that Recoba is a player who Inter put up with and none of the Coaches really wanted. There are even less question marks over the fact that without Massimo Moratti, El Chino would be elsewhere by now. This is not the point, though, as everything about their rapport has already been analysed from all angles. What really gets on our nerves is to see him unhappy, even sad, as he said at the end of the Siena match, as he did not feel this Scudetto was his. If you don’t like your circumstances, then get up and go somewhere else. Compare Recoba to a real man, who changed and made many mistakes in his life, like everybody, but at least had the courage to do something with his career – Adrian Mutu. He arrived at Inter two years after the South American and both were way down the pecking order behind Ronaldo, Christian Vieri, Ivan Zamorano and Nicola Ventola. Only injuries allowed them to play. Marcello

Lippi was honest with Mutu, telling him from the start he was young and would not find space there. Adri understood the situation and left. He has had a respectable career with Verona, Parma, Chelsea, Juventus and Fiorentina. Floods of goals, assists and almost always a first-team place. Lippi will certainly have made the same speech to Recoba, who looked the other way and hid himself behind that meaningless clichéé: “I’ll try to take my chances.” After so many years and the same phrase heard a thousand times, we have finally translated it: “You won’t let me play, I don’t care, as I can sit here on this comfy bench while my bank account swells.” How can a 30-year-old man be so lacking in pride? How can he fail to understand when he’s not wanted? Of course he is a fun guy and throws a good barbecue, but a career is something else entirely. How can he talk of his passion for football when he does everything – and we mean everything – to avoid the pitch? He’d just have to call Walter Novellino to join Sampdoria, or elsewhere if the problem really was his desire to play. But no. Alvaro Recoba does not love football anymore. He has been so softened up by the constant injuries that he does not have the physique, desire, character nor the courage of a champion. He can’t even comprehend that his story with Inter never even started. Come on Chino, prove you are a man, let us see you show some pride in yourself. Luis Figo decided to leave at the top, Sinisa Mihajlovic quit when he still had another three years in him. Confirm you have values by saying goodbye and going to a team that really wants you – if indeed such a club exists. DOMINIQUE ANTOGNONI

WIN AN ITALIAN SHIRT! Inter have won their 15th championship and their shirt is now sure to become the must-have fashion item of the summer. Just answer our simple question to be in with a chance of winning the Serie A or Italy shirt of your choice (subject to availability): Q. Which Spanish club did Inter sign Luis Figo from? Ring our competition hot-line number 0905 162 0035 or text SUBSIDE followed by your answer, name and address to 85123 The fi rst name picked out with the correct answer when the competition closes on July 1 will win the Italian club or Azzurri shirt of their choice. And fi ve runners-up will be able to claim a year’s free subscription to Calcio Italia. (Editor’s decision fi nal. No correspondence entered into). All calls cost 50p per minute. Text message entrants will be charged £1.00 plus your normal text message rate. Subside Sports will sponsor this competition every month. Even if you don’t win you can take advantage of their super offers by ringing direct on 0800-018-9888 or visiting their website at www.subside.co.uk

Inter have won their 15th championship and their shirt is now sure to become the must-have fashion item of the summer. Just answer our simple question to be in with a chance of winning the Serie A or Italy shirt of your choice (subject to availability):

The fi rst name picked out with the correct answer when the competition closes on July 1 will win the Italian club or Azzurri shirt of their choice. And fi ve runners-up will be able to claim a year’s free subscription to Calcio Italia. (Editor’s decision fi nal. No correspondence entered into). All calls cost 50p per minute. Text message entrants will be charged £1.00 plus your normal text message rate. Subside Sports will sponsor this competition every month. Even if you don’t win you can take advantage of their super offers by ringing direct on 0800-018-9888 or visiting their website at

www.channel4.com/footballitalia June 2007 59