Inter Milan & Italy Legend Pays Tribute To ‘Incredible’ Former Teammate & Hails Brazilian Icon: ‘He Did What Messi & Ronaldo Do Today At Incredible Pace’ | OneFootball

Legendary former Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi remembers his former teammate Adriano as an “incredible” striker.

The 2006 World Cup winner spoke to Brazilian outlet O Globo, via FCInterNews, after Adriano’s tribute match.

Adriano spent a total of five and a half years as an Inter player.

And there were many struggles for the Brazilian in a Nerazzurri shirt.

Injuries as well as personal tragedies caused Adriano’s form to decline well before he should have been hitting his peak.

But even just the glimpses of his quality that Adriano gave Inter were extremely memorable ones.

The Brazilian striker was a key player for a Nerazzurri team who won the Serie A title several times.

Adriano’s combination of pace and explosive athleticism with technical finesse and an eye for goal made him one of the hardest attacking players to stop in the world while he was in an Inter shirt.

Inter Legend Marco Materazzi Recalls “Incredible” Adriano

Legendary former Inter and italy defender Materazzi spent several seasons as a teammate of Adriano.

“He was incredible,” said the Italian.

“When he arrived at Inter, I remember there was a free kick against Real Madrid. I wanted to take it, but fortunately, he was the one who took it.”

Materazzi said “That’s when the whole world got to know him.”

“It’s too bad we didn’t have him in the season that we lost the title on the final day of the season,” Materazzi then said.

“He would have given us a big hand.”

“I always tell him that he could have done more,” Materazzi said of his former teammate. “But he’s still a friend, and he deserves all the love in the world.”

Meanwhile, Materazzi also gave his thoughts on another Brazilian legend who played for Inter.

The former defender said that striker Ronaldo “Is the best in history.”

“25 years ago, he was doing what Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo do today, but at incredible pace,” Materazzi said of Ronaldo.