Former Inter, Real Madrid, and Sevilla striker Ivan Zamorano still feels a strong sense of connection with the Nerazzurri.

Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published in today’s print edition, via FCInterNews, the Chilean named Inter as the team where he spent his best years, and also noted that he still keeps in touch with his old teammates from that period.

Zamorano joined Inter from Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer of 1996.

The Chilean spent five seasons with the Nerazzurri, making 138 appearances across all competitions in total and scoring 41 goals for the team in the process.

Zamorano and his teammates were runners-up for the UEFA Cup in 1997 before going one better and winning it in 1998.

Moreover, Inter lost out on the Scudetto in 1998 in highly controversial fashion to Juventus.

Apart from trophies and goals, however, Zamorano felt happy at Inter, and felt a connection to the fans unlike anywhere else he had been.

“I had a fantastic experience at Inter,” the former striker said.

“They were the best years of my career.”

“Inter is a special team that I’ve always recognized some part of my own character in,” Zamorano reflected, “we’re both gritty, we never give up.”

Of his best memories from his time at Inter, the Chilean said that “Many come to mind.”

“For example, the story of Number 1 + 8 on the back of my shirt, the UEFA Cup we won in Paris against Lazio, that Scudetto they stole from us in 1998…”

Asked about his relationship with legendary Brazilian former striker and Inter teammate Ronaldo, Zamorano said that “It was and is excellent.”

“. We still have a WhatsApp chat with Il Fenomeno, Zanetti, Pagliuca, Simeone, Colonnese, Taribo West.”

“We talk, we exchange opinions,” Zamorano said of the old Inter team.

“The years spent at the Nerazzurri were wonderful, we were all united and pushing in the same direction.”

Zamorano also spoke about his former Inter coach Gigi Simoni, stating that “Gigi is gone but he remains in all of our hearts.”

“He was a fantastic football man and gentleman, I’ll never forget his style.”