Aldo Serena

Aldo Serena belonged to that Italian centre forward tradition where usefulness often mattered as much as beauty, and sometimes more. Tall, strong and excellent in the air, he gave teams a proper attacking reference: hold the ball, attack crosses, occupy centre backs and turn wide service into real danger. Inter was his most important stage, especially in the record breaking 1988 to 1989 Scudetto season, where his goals and physical presence fitted perfectly into Trapattoni’s direct, powerful machine. He also passed through Juventus, Milan and Torino, which is a fairly intense tour of Italian football’s pressure chambers. Serena was not Van Basten, not Vialli at his most complete, and not a striker of delicate fantasy, but he had timing, courage and a left foot that could punish mistakes. A classic number 9, sometimes underrated, built for aerial battles, hard leagues and serious tactical jobs.