Giuseppe Meazza

Giuseppe Meazza, born on August 23, 1910, was a legendary figure in Italian football, both as a player and a coach. He is best known for his remarkable tenure at Inter Milan during the 1930s, where he netted an impressive 284 goals in 408 appearances. His contributions to the club helped secure three Serie A titles and a Coppa Italia, solidifying his status as one of the greatest strikers in the history of the sport.

Meazza's prowess extended beyond club football; he was instrumental in leading the Italy national team to victory in two consecutive World Cups, first in 1934 and again in 1938, where he captained the team and earned a spot on the All-star Team. His legacy is further highlighted by the fact that he is one of only four Italian players to have won two World Cups, alongside notable names like Giovanni Ferrari and Guido Masetti.

After retiring from playing, Meazza transitioned into coaching, taking the helm of the Italy national team and several clubs, including Inter Milan and Atalanta. His coaching career also included a stint with Turkish club Beşiktaş and a role as Italy's head coach during the 1952 Summer Olympics. His technical skill and prolific goalscoring earned him the nickname 'Il genio' (The Genius) from the Italian press.

Throughout his illustrious career, Meazza scored a total of 552 goals, making him the fourth all-time highest goal scorer in Serie A history with 216 goals. He remains the second highest goalscorer for the Italy national team with thirty-three goals. In recognition of his contributions to football, the San Siro stadium was renamed Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in his honor in 1980, and he was posthumously inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2011.