Pippo Inzaghi’s love affair with scoring goals

Pippo Inzaghi had a long and glorious career during which he made a name as a master of exploiting the offside trap. In fact, Sir Alex Ferguson once famously remarked that Inzaghi “must have been born offside.” But Inzaghi took it all in his stride, responding to the jibe with characteristic wit and self-deprecating humor. “Thankfully, I was born a meter onside,” he said, “otherwise, I wouldn’t have scored most of my goals.”

Inzaghi played for a number of top-tier teams, including Juventus, AC Milan, and the Italian national team, scoring a total of 313 professional goals over 680 games. A remarkable accomplishment, he believes. As he says, “If you don’t score in big games, someone will moan that you’re not a decisive striker; if your technique isn’t perfect, people will say that you aren’t skillful enough. I scored more than 300 professional goals – I knew what I could give, and I’m happy with what I’ve achieved in football.”

He admits to having received many compliments and criticisms throughout his career but adds that he never let them bother him too much either way. Inzaghi says, “Critics always pushed me to be better and prove them all wrong. I was aware of my qualities and knew what I could do with the right attitude.”

Although some, such as Johan Cruyff, suggested that the Italian “can’t actually play football at all,” Inzaghi remains of the opinion that his goal-scoring record speaks for itself. As he says, “Everyone has their own skills, and scoring is pivotal for any striker. I prefer to remember what my former Atalanta manager, Emiliano Mondonico, said about me: ‘Inzaghi is not in love with goals – it’s goals that are in love with Inzaghi.'”

With such a legacy, it’s little wonder that Inzaghi will be remembered as one of the best strikers of his generation.