I started supporting Inter thanks to my grandfather. He was an Italian immigrant here in Holland, moving here shortly after the second World War to settle with my grandmother. He was and still is the biggest Internazionale fan I've ever known, literally spending hours watching old games on his VHS and positioning his Inter gear in a glass cabinet.
When I was born, I got a large teddy bear from my other grandparents. He got me a baby-sized Inter jersey. When I turned 3, I got a little tricycle from my parents. He got me a small Inter jersey with Bergomi on the back. Few weeks later, we went to visit my grandparents at their home and I brought along the tricycle. Upon the sight of the red tricycle with black tires, he left and drove to the nearest paint shop to get a bucket of blue paint, three hours later my tricycle was blue.
As I got older, I regularly went there in the weekends and watched Inter with him. After the game, he'd usually put on an old game on the VHS and we'd watch that too. If we'd won the game, he'd give me a big glass of apple juice and he'd sip some Campari. I remember myself walking around the basement of my grandparent's house at times, admiring the great collection of old and new Inter jerseys on the walls.
When I was 10, he died from a stroke. I've since supported Inter like I know my grandfather would wanted me to. I know he's looking down at me from heaven during a game with that huge, charismatic smile on his face, watching me go crazy as we score. I know he was celebrating with me as we won that legendary triplete. He's the reason I started supporting Inter and I'm forever grateful for that. Riposa in pace, nonno. Mi manchi cosi tanto.
When I was born, I got a large teddy bear from my other grandparents. He got me a baby-sized Inter jersey. When I turned 3, I got a little tricycle from my parents. He got me a small Inter jersey with Bergomi on the back. Few weeks later, we went to visit my grandparents at their home and I brought along the tricycle. Upon the sight of the red tricycle with black tires, he left and drove to the nearest paint shop to get a bucket of blue paint, three hours later my tricycle was blue.
As I got older, I regularly went there in the weekends and watched Inter with him. After the game, he'd usually put on an old game on the VHS and we'd watch that too. If we'd won the game, he'd give me a big glass of apple juice and he'd sip some Campari. I remember myself walking around the basement of my grandparent's house at times, admiring the great collection of old and new Inter jerseys on the walls.
When I was 10, he died from a stroke. I've since supported Inter like I know my grandfather would wanted me to. I know he's looking down at me from heaven during a game with that huge, charismatic smile on his face, watching me go crazy as we score. I know he was celebrating with me as we won that legendary triplete. He's the reason I started supporting Inter and I'm forever grateful for that. Riposa in pace, nonno. Mi manchi cosi tanto.
