Real Madrid and Inter Milan will renew a historic European rivalry later this month, albeit in a more nostalgic setting, when the two clubs’ legends meet at the Santiago Bernabéu for the Corazón Classic Match.
The charity fixture, scheduled for June 13, will see Real Madrid Leyendas face Inter Legends, with proceeds going toward the Real Madrid Foundation’s social and sporting projects. Francesco Toldo, one of Inter’s most iconic former goalkeepers and now head of the club’s Legends Project, spoke
to AS ahead of the match and reflected on the shared history between the two clubs.
For Toldo, Real Madrid and Inter are connected not only by trophies and star players, but also by a shared idea of footballing ambition.
“Inter and Real Madrid are perhaps the two teams that have invested the most in quality in recent history. Look at the Moratti family, father and son… Yes, since the sixties they haven’t stopped buying stars to forge the Nerazzurri’s history. Madrid, even more so, and that’s demonstrated by the many trophies they’ve won. They share the same passion for football and its beauty.”
Toldo also pointed to the long list of players who have represented both clubs.
“I think that when you watch historical videos of these two teams, a bit of romanticism comes over you. Yes, Real Madrid has won more, but the passion is identical. Ronaldo, Figo, Cambiasso, Seedorf, Roberto Carlos, Zamorano, and Santiago Solari have all played for both. Borja Valero too. They were fortunate enough to be part of these two historic squads of European football.”
The match will also bring Toldo back to the Bernabéu, a stadium that holds special meaning for Inter supporters. It was there, in 2010, that José Mourinho’s team defeated Bayern Munich to complete the treble.
“Forgive me if I say something unpopular, but when you’re a professional—at least that’s how I see it—you don’t see the difference between a top-level stadium and the one in the Italian parish where we all grew up. When the referee blows the whistle, honestly, we don’t care if 100,000 people are watching or none at all. We’re focused. This is what we do. We know it, and we’re very well-trained. But yes, the Bernabéu was the stadium where we beat Bayern, but it’s also the place where you can always face top-level footballers. For me, that’s the ultimate challenge, the thrill, the essence of Italian football. A place where you know you’ll be facing the best goalkeeper in the world or one of the best strikers on the planet. That’s how I envision a stadium of a certain magnitude, although I repeat, the excitement is identical if you truly love football.”
Unsurprisingly, Mourinho was another major topic of conversation.
“I don’t know if you believe me, but I’ve been out of the football world since I retired. I don’t follow it closely anymore. Yes, José Mourinho changed teams several times, but I’m completely out of the loop. If you ask me how I remember him, I’d say, perhaps, among the three best ever. Maybe even number one in the world in terms of human, psychological, and technical ability. For me, I repeat, he’s the best of all, without a doubt. Then there’s also Sacchi—with Italy—and Helenio Herrera, another one who also made history at Inter. Yes, Arrigo revolutionized Italian football, but what Mourinho did was… A man prepared in every aspect. I quickly clicked with him. I sacrificed my career to lend a hand to the dressing room, drawing on my experience, in the pursuit of victory. I’d been wanting to retire for a while, but I stayed on for this purpose. That fantastic group might have triumphed without me too, but I decided to sacrifice myself for them and for Inter. It’s been an honor for me.”
Toldo also recalled a previous legends match at Tottenham’s stadium, where Mourinho, then Spurs manager, accepted an invitation to serve as his assistant coach for the day.
“I called him once when we went to play with the Inter legends at Tottenham’s new stadium. He was coaching there, but he agreed to be my assistant coach. I might do the same in Madrid if he’s there. I’ll call him so he can come to the dressing room and say hello to his Inter friends. From the Treble-winning team, we are Zanetti, Cambiasso, Maicon, Lucio, and Paolo Orlandoni (third-choice goalkeeper back then, behind Toldo and Julio César).”
