Former Inter goalkeeper Ivano Bordon has looked back on his hugely successful career, ahead of the Nerazzurri’s Serie A match against Sampdoria.
The 71-year-old came through Inter’s academy to represent the Nerazzurri from 1970 until 1983, winning the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia twice, before moving on to Sampdoria until 1986.
In an interview published in yesterday’s magazine edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Sportweek, Bordon claimed that his favourite memory on the pitch was helping Inter win the Scudetto for the first time, as the Nerazzurri were crowned champions in his debut season.
“The best moment of my career was being signed by Inter by Italo Allodi, but on the pitch the first Scudetto with Inter, with Giovanni Invernizzi,” the former Italy international declared.
“The second, the 1979-80 one, I feel more mine. I was a starter and matured. In that team there were eight of us who had grown up in the youth teams: me, Oriali, Bini, Canuti, Baresi, Ambu, Muraro and Pancheri. Plus Occhipinti who played the last game.
“Then there were the beautiful moments in Mantovani’s Samp. The victories, the triumphs, five titles with Juve (as an assistant coach).”
Bordon lifted the World Cup with Italy in 1982, before working under Marcello Lippi as the Azzurri won the tournament in 2006.
“Obviously the two World Cups. Or rather three, because, I like to remember, I also won the Military one, in Congo in 1973. There was Oriali, Furino, Graziani, Zecchini, Speggiorin, Bittolo, Ammoniaci. Good company, everywhere. But I was lucky, in my long career I won and saw a lot. I have met people, set records, won challenges. On and off the pitch.
“Now I watch others, sometimes at the stadium, often on TV. I see a different football. Everything has changed: speed, methods, the rules, the managers, the players. There are excellent goalkeepers now. Donnarumma is the future of the national team. Inter have Onana, strong and reactive. Milan have Maignan. He did very well last year, let’s see how he recovers.
“I like Meret, I follow Carnesecchi with interest. What I struggle to understand are their starts from behind, from the back, which are often frantic and dangerous.
“I have seen some really surprising statistics: now a goalkeeper touches the ball in a match more than a midfielder. It’s a completely different world.”
Bordon reflected on his Inter debut in 1971, in the Derby della Madonnina against AC Milan, and revealed that he found Paraguayan coach Heriberto Herrera strange, but the arrival of Invernizzi made the difference in winning the league that year.
“Well, in short, it wasn’t a great debut. I was 19, I came on in the second half in place of Lido Vieri, my mentor, at 1-0 to them. I got two more, but then we won the Scudetto. After the derby they sacked Heriberto Herrera and Invernizzi came in. I only played nine games, but I was on the pitch at Catania on the day they overtook AC Milan.
“Heriberto was peculiar, let’s say. A maniac for diets, he obsessively controlled the players’ lives. Then he went against the leaders of the Grande Inter, leaving Jair and Bedin out of the squad. They sent him away and promoted Invernizzi: we became Italian champions.”
Bordon lifted his second Serie A title under coach Eugenio Bersellini, before following him to Sampdoria, and recalled what it was like to work under the infamously strict disciplinarian.
“I have a very good memory of him, he gave me confidence and thanks to him I made it to the national team. A great educator, tough, few words, but clear and honest.
“It was good at Sampdoria. It was a good team, fun, full of wonderful lads. Vierchowod, Vialli and Mancini. Then my old friend Scanziani and the foreigners Francis and Souness. We won the Coppa Italia by beating Milan in the final.”
The goalkeeper turned his attention to Monday’s meeting between his former clubs and recalled the first time he came up against Sampdoria for Inter.
“Of course, I remember everything, or almost. I’m a collector, even of memories. I have almanacs, newspaper cuttings, stickers, tickets.
“It was at the San Siro in the 1971-72 season, a crazy game: 4-4. Three goals from Boninsegna and then Corso. Do you know who scored for Samp? Marcello Lippi. He only scored one goal that year, against me. Then he became one of my best friends.
“The last time I faced Inter with Samp was both beautiful and a bit sad. Beautiful because in the final match of 1985-86 there were the teams of my life, and it was 0-0. Sad because it was my last in Serie A. Incredible, but it was a sweet farewell.
“The Samp coach was Bersellini, the person who had relaunched me. On the Inter bench was Mario Corso, an extraordinary teammate, including in the famous match with the can against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the European Cup.”
Bordon was involved as Inter lost 7-1 to Gladbach in 1971, only for Roberto Boninsegna to be hit by a Coca-Cola can from the crowd, which led to the match being replayed and Inter winning 4-2, before a 0-0 draw in the second leg ensured the Nerazzurri progressed.
“I tell that story a lot, and I saved a penalty, we drew 0-0 and qualified for the quarter-finals. In 1971, in Berlin, the crossroads of my football history. There, 35 years later, I won my second World Cup with the national team. I was goalkeeper coach to the great Buffon. What joy.”
Bordon has been inducted into Italian football and Inter’s respective Halls of Fame, and the goalkeeper was proud of his achievement.
“Yes, it’s a pleasure. It means I left good memories in Milan and Genoa. Football has been my life. I’ve given a lot, I’ve had a lot and I still get reflections from it,” he added.
Bordon made 388 appearances for Inter, and 129 for Sampdoria.
