Midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan feels that Inter Milan was probably always his destiny, as his first team had the same colours.
The 34-year-old spoke in the matchday programme for this evening’s Champions League group stage match against Benfica.
Mkhitaryan was already in his mid-thirties by the time he joined Inter from Roma.
The Armenian international had already had quite the career prior to his move to the Nerazzurri.
Mkhitaryan had played for the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, and Arsenal prior to his three seasons at the Giallorossi.
In that time, Mkhitaryan won trophies and plenty of acclaim. During the 2015-16 season, he was named as the Bundesliga’s player of the season while with Dortmund.
Therefore, many expected that Mkhitaryan’s time at Inter would be more or less an epilogue for his career.
The Nerazzurri were bringing in a reliable veteran option to add strength in depth to their squad, or so it seemed.
But that did not prove to be the case. Instead, Mkhitaryan has been playing some of his best football in an Inter shirt.
The 34-year-old remains a key starter in midfield for the Nerazzurri. He is writing an important chapter in his own career, and also making a big mark on one in the history of one of Serie A’s biggest clubs.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan: Inter Milan Was “Destiny”
“I’ve always liked the colour blue, I don’t know why,” Mkhitaryan remarked.
“It was probably destiny.”
He then noted that “My first club in Armenia also had the same colours, blue and black, along with white.”
“So that’s why I started to love the colour blue.”
As far as his favourite Inter player historically, Mkhitaryan didn’t hesitate. “Ronaldo, Il Fenomeno,” he said.
“He was an exceptional player,” he said of the Brazilian icon.
“I’ve never met him. But I think that no one even in the future will ever make the difference quite the way he does.”